Best VLC alternative for Mac?

I think it all depends on the purpose of the video player. I spend a lot of time on different discussion forums and debate on similar topics, I rarely see anyone complaining about VLC because of its performance quality. However, I agree about the interface, I would really like to see an updated modern UI, although I don't think such a miracle will happen in the near future.

As for alternatives, you need to consider a lot of points, what number of formats the player supports, its functionality, and more individual is the UI, in fact, there is a lot to choose from. Elmedia Player fits my needs well. Any format is played as native, nice and simple interface, subtitle support, AIrplay, generally a lot of useful features that I use.

If I were to approach the question fundamentally, I would choose several options and go read reviews or compare functionality. It is important to learn what real users think to save yourself time testing 3-4 different players on your own. You might also consider Infuse or Omniplayer, which are also well integrated players for MacOS.

One thing I've noticed about different players is how they handle fast-forwarding and frame-stepping. Some are super smooth, while others lag or take a second to catch up. If you do a lot of skipping through videos, this can be a big deal - some just feel more responsive than others. It may not seem like a big deal at first, but it can become annoying over time. Good luck with your choice!

VLC is a very solid workhorse of an app but if IINA is a good alternative

https://iina.io/

and the price is right too.

Really depends on what you’re after. VLC is great. It has been the most stable and reliable solution for years, has proven itself very well. It plays pretty much anything you throw at it, but if you want something that feels more in sync with macOS Tahoe, there are definitely other options. Some media players just work better with touchpad gestures, HDR, and Apple Silicon, and that can make a big difference, especially if you watch a lot of high-bitrate videos.

Another thing is how well a player handles different formats, subtitles, and audio tracks. Some don’t deal well with MKV files that have multiple audio tracks, and others completely mess up ***/SSA subtitles, which is super annoying if you rely on them. Even AirPlay and external display support can be hit or miss—some players handle scaling and audio passthrough fine, while others just don’t.

And honestly, VLC hasn’t really changed much over the years. It does the job, but if you’re looking for something that fits better with macOS and has a more modern UI, there are definitely some solid alternatives out there.

Hi all,

I am also a big fan of VLC. Recently however, on my MacBook Air M4 - my version of VLC - took an abnormally long time to open and start playing a local video (15 seconds or longer). After a bit of research someone suggested that I try to get a newer version from this link:

https://nightlies.videolan.org

After installing the newer Version - VLC - was back to Instant opening and playing. Very nice solution and I am happy to stick with this great app.

Just remember that the nightlies - which you're downloading from there - are beta software, and so there is a risk, however small, of issues.

good point thanks - the one I got is working well at this point.

It has been 1.5 years since VLC has been updated and only VideoLan knows when they will release the VLC 4 nightly builds that may introduce a more modernized interface. There is a specific Apple Silicon build for the current VLC 3.0.21, which I continue to use periodically, though for strictly video file playback or the occasion conversion.

Otherwise, I use the unlicensed MacGo Blu-ray Player Pro which plays .mkv, .wav, .mp4, etc.

I use IINA most of the time.