Best overall
VLC
VideoLAN
Plays the file you have, with subtitles, and stays out of the way.
FreeUpdated 16 Oct 2026Android 4.2+
Video player
Replace your video player. Start with these.
As of 17 Oct 2026, 8 video players can open the file. Set "Open with › Always" after you pick one.
The top 3
Best design
Next Player
Anil Beesetti
A modern player with a calm layout and the codecs you actually need.
FreeUpdated 14 Oct 2026Android 7.0+
Best picture quality
mpv
mpv-android contributors
Picture quality first. Fine controls if you want them, none if you don't.
FreeUpdated 19 Sept 2026Android 6.0+
Also great. Five more.
Picked by hand, 17 Oct 2026
A simple player
Google Play
A player that treats your files as a library
Google Play
A home media center
Google PlayGestures, with a lot of ads on the free version
Google Play
mpv, in a newer Android skin
F-Droid
8 apps · sorted by name
| App ▼ | What it does | Price | Updated ▼ | Min Android ▼ | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VLCTop 8VideoLAN |
Plays the file you have, with subtitles | Free | 16 Oct 2026 | Android 4.2+ | Google Play |
Nova Video PlayerTop 8Courville |
A player that treats your files as a library | Free | 24 May 2025 | Android 6.0+ | Google Play |
Next PlayerTop 8Anil Beesetti |
A modern player with a calm layout | Free | 14 Oct 2026 | Android 7.0+ | Google Play |
MX PlayerTop 8MX Media |
Gestures, with a lot of ads on the free version | — | Hand-checked 17 Oct 2026 | — | Google Play |
mpvKtTop 8Abdallah Mehiz |
mpv, in a newer Android skin | — | Hand-checked 17 Oct 2026 | — | F-Droid |
mpvTop 8mpv-android contributors |
Picture quality first | Free | 19 Sept 2026 | Android 6.0+ | F-Droid |
KodiTop 8XBMC Foundation |
A home media center | Free | 29 Mar 2026 | Android 5.0+ | Google Play |
Just PlayerTop 8Martin Broz |
A simple player | Free | 15 Sept 2026 | Android 6.0+ | Google Play |
'Top 8' marks the apps above. Data from F-Droid and hand-checked entries, as of 17 Oct 2026.
Questions
How do I switch?
Open a video, tap Open with, pick the new player, then Always.
How we pick the top 8: a person tries the apps and checks each maker's page, then writes the labels down with a date. How we choose