15 Best MP3 Player Applications Review and Comparison

Fiona Kaufman September 2, 2021 Play Audio

Music is not only a simple way to get entertainment, but also good for health. According to a recent research, people prefer to listen to music while doing something else on computer.

However, finding the right MP3 player is a big problem since the same research found that many people recently had poor experiences. It is true that you can find a lot of music player software on market, but not all of them can meet your need. Therefore, this article will share a top list of best MP3 players available to Windows and Mac.

MP3 Player

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Before writing, how we test software for posts:

Disclaimer: All the content on our website is written by humans in our editorial team. Before writing, we do deep research about the topic. Then, it takes us 1-2 days to select and test tools. We test software from device and system requirements, functions, use experience, etc. To make our test more comprehensive, we also view review websites, like G2, Trustpilot, etc., to gather real users' experiences for reference.

Part 1: Best MP3 Player Crossing Platforms

When looking for the best MP3 player for your computer, you may focus on several elements, such as audio quality, easy to use, and more. According to our research, Vidmore Player is the best choice and able to meet all your need.

Main Features of the Best MP3 Player for PC and Mac

  1. Play MP3 with the original audio quality.
  2. Include an advanced audio mixer.
  3. Compatible with a wide range of audio formats, including ISO files.

Free Download

for Windows

Free Download

for macOS

How to Play MP3 without Quality Loss

Step 1: Install MP3 player

Launch the best MP3 player once you install it on your PC. There is a dedicated version for Mac. Then you will be presented the home interface.

Main interface

Step 2: Play a MP3 file

There are two ways to open a MP3 file. Firstly, click on the Open File button in the home interface to get the open-file dialog. Find the MP3 file and open it. Alternatively, you can trigger the open-file dialog from the File menu as well. Then the music will begin playing after loading.

Play MP3

Step 3: Control MP3 playback

The buttons at the bottom let you control playback, pause and stop quickly. The menu bar on the top ribbon gives you more controls, such as Audio.

Play control

Part 2: Top 7 MP3 Players for PC

Top 1: Windows Media Player

Window media player

Windows Media Player is the pre-installed MP3 player on PC. Microsoft introduced it into Windows, so that users can play and manage videos and audio files easily. In addition to WAV, it also supports MP3.

Pros

  1. Free of charge with no installation.
  2. Manage music files including MP3.
  3. Display ID3 tags automatically.
  4. Burn MP3 to audio CD.
  5. Organize MP3 files based on album, artist and more.

Cons

  1. It only supports limited audio formats.
  2. There are little custom options.

Here you may like: How to Record Video on Windows Media Player

Top 2: Musicbee

Musicbee screenshot

Musicbee is both a MP3 player and a music library for Windows. Of course, you can use it to enjoy the MP3 files on your hard drive. Moreover, it lets to explore in a huge database of music for free.

Pros

  1. Free to use on Windows 10/8/7.
  2. Customizable with plugins and skins.
  3. Update or edit tags.
  4. Fill information on songs automatically.

Cons

  1. It requires to install extra components.
  2. The MP3 player may freeze or crash.

Top 3: Foobar2000

Foobar2000 screenshot

Foobar2000 is another free MP3 player well-known for modular design. The interface is highly customizable based on your preference. Moreover, it hides a wide range of features for advanced users.

Pros

  1. Compatible with Windows, iOS and Android.
  2. Manage and play MP3 and other music files.
  3. Rip and convert CD to digital music.
  4. Create playlists and open multiple playlists.

Cons

  1. The interface is difficult to learn.
  2. Some features are hidden into the menu lists.

Top 4: AIMP

Aimp screenshot

As a free MP3 player, AIMP can meet your basic need on music enjoyment. You can redesign the interface and skin according to your habit. More importantly, it is pretty lightweight and working smoothly on old devices.

Pros

  1. Available to Windows 10/8/7 and Android.
  2. Include sound enhancement features.
  3. Come with a tag editor and online radio browser.
  4. Compatible with multiple audio codecs.

Cons

  1. The help is only available in Russian and English.
  2. It takes longer time to load music files.

Top 5: Dopamine Player

Dopamine music player

Dopamine Player is an open-source MP3 player released by GitHub website. It supports almost all popular and common formats of audio files. Plus, it is easy to setup, so Dopamine is a good starting point for beginners.

Pros

  1. Update automatically for free.
  2. Integrate a simple and user-friendly interface.
  3. Totally free of charge with no limit.

Cons

  1. It cannot change ID3 tags.
  2. This MP3 player may be infected virus if you do not download it from GitHub.

Top 6: MediaMonkey

Media Monkey

If you have a large music library on your PC, MediaMonkey is the best MP3 player option. It can handle your entire music library that contains hundreds of thousands of songs without lag.

Pros

  1. Mange music library easily.
  2. Display duplicated songs, albums and playlists.
  3. Rip CDs into MP3 files.
  4. Search for missing metadata through the internet.

Cons

  1. The interface seems text-heavy.
  2. It requires registration though it provides a free version.

Top 7: KMPlayer

Kmplayer screenshot

For people who have limited budget, KMPlayer is a good choice of MP3 player. It is absolutely free to use without any limitations. Moreover, it has been integrated extensive codecs covering video and audio.

Pros

  1. Work well on Windows 10/8/7/XP/Vista.
  2. Built-in a large pack of codecs.
  3. Available in 24 languages.
  4. Support 3D, 4K and high quality audio playback.

Cons

  1. It cannot edit ID3 tags.
  2. This MP3 player contains extra software.

Part 3: Top 7 MP3 Players for Mac

Top 1: QuickTime Player

Quicktime player screenshot

QuickTime is the built-in media player on Mac. In addition to MOV, it also supports popular multimedia formats including MP3. Therefore, it is one of the best MP3 players on MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac and other Mac machines.

Pros

  1. No requirement of installation.
  2. Play MP3 files smoothly.
  3. Work with other apps on Mac.
  4. Convert other media formats to MP3.

Cons

  1. This MP3 player cannot make playlist.
  2. It has no capacity to manage your MP3 files.

Top 2: VLC Media Player

VLC Mac

VLC is an open-source media player and popular around the world. It integrates a wide range of video and audio codecs, so you can enjoy your favorite music without installing extra codecs.

Pros

  1. Support almost all common audio formats.
  2. Free of charge without registration.
  3. Stream online MP3 files directly.
  4. Convert between MP3 and other audio formats.

Cons

  1. The learning curve is not friendly to beginners.
  2. Some features are difficult to find.

Here you may like: How to Record Screen in VLC

Top 3: iTunes

iTunes screenshot

Though Apple has discontinued iTunes on the latest version of macOS, it is still a useful MP3 player and music manager for both PC and Mac users. Moreover, it is able to sync MP3 files to iOS devices.

Pros

  1. Manage and play MP3 files on Mac.
  2. Convert between MP3 and AAC.
  3. Back up and sync MP3 files on iOS.
  4. Create playlists for MP3 playback.

Cons

  1. It updates too frequently.
  2. There are too many features in iTunes.

Top 4: Winamp

Winamp screenshot

Winamp was a MP3 player for Windows originally, but now the developer has released a Mac version. Similar to iTunes, Winamp has the ability to manage and organize your MP3 files as well.

Pros

  1. Play MP3 files from various sources.
  2. Rip and burn audio CDs.
  3. Support for AAC encoding.
  4. Download metadata from database.

Cons

  1. If you want to get the full version, you have to pay for %19.95.
  2. It has not been updated since 2018.

Top 5: Spotify

Spotify mac

Spotify is the most popular music streaming service. The app for Mac lets you play MP3 files for free through an internet connection. If you have a premium account, you can download some songs too.

Pros

  1. Listen to MP3 on Mac.
  2. Download songs with premium subscription.
  3. Available to computer and mobile device.

Cons

  1. It cannot play local MP3 files.
  2. The download music files are encrypted.

Top 6: Vox

Vox screenshot

Vox is a MP3 player for Mac and iPhone users to listen to the music in the highest quality from different sources, such as iTunes music library. It supports all popular formats including Hi-Res ones.

Pros

  1. Play MP3 files via AirPlay and more sources.
  2. Include 30 presets and custom options.
  3. Support over 30 thousands radio stations worldwide.

Cons

  1. Some features are only available with premium account.
  2. It cannot manage music files on Mac.

Top 7: Clementine

Clementine screenshot

Clementine is a modern MP3 player and music library organizer. It provides a user-friendly interface for searching and playing your music. It is able to create playlists. Plus, this MP3 player is completely free.

Pros

  1. Lightweight and work smoothly on Mac.
  2. Available to multiple platforms.
  3. Include a tag editor.
  4. Support a lot of online services.

Cons

  1. The default settings are not great.
  2. Users cannot choose tag profile.

Part 4: Comparison of Top MP3 Players

Supported PlatformsFormatsEdit ID3 tagsPriceInclude Audio MixerBonus features
Vidmore PlayerWindows 10/8/7 and Mac 10.7 or above100+Yes$29.95YesBlu-ray and 4K playback
Windows Media PlayerWindows 10/8/7/XP/VistaWAV, MP3, M4A, AAC, FLAC,NoFreeNoBurn MP3 to audio CD
MusicbeeWindows 10/8/7MP3, AAC, WMA, WAV, M4A, FLAC, OGG, APE, TAK, etc.YesFreeNoSync MP3 to mobile device
Foobar2000Windows, Android, iOSMP3, AAC, WMA, OGG, FLAC, WAV, Opus, Speex, etc.NoFreeNoRip audio CDs
AIMPWindows, AndroidMP3, WAV, FLAC, etc.YesFreeNoRip CDs
Dopamine PlayerWindowsMP3, MP4, WMA, OGG, FLAC, M4A, AAC, WAV, APE, and OPUSNoFreeNo
MediaMonkeyWindows, Android and iOSMP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, etc.Yes$49.95YesStream MP3 files over a network
KMPlayerWindowsMP3, MP4, WAV, MKV, AVI, OGG, AAC, etc.NoFreeNoCreate playlists
QuickTime PlayerWindows and MacMP3, AAC, FLAC, M4A, etc.NoFreeNoRecord audio
VLC Media PlayerWindows, Mac and LinuxMP3, MP4, WAV, MKV, FLAC, etc.NoFreeNoConvert audio format
iTunesWindows and MacMP3, M4A, AAC, etc.NoFreeNoConvert between MP3 and AAC
WinampWindows and MacMP3, WAV, AAC, and moreYesFreeYes
SpotifyWindows, Mac, Linux, iOS and AndroidOnline music streamNoFree with premium subscriptionYes
VoxWindows and MacMP3, WAV, AAC, etc.Yes$4.99 / monthYesMusic management
ClementineWindows, Mac and LinuxMP3, MIDI, WAV, WMA, and many other file formatsYesFreeNo

Part 5: FAQs of MP3 Player

What software can I use instead of iTunes?

There are a lot of utilities offering features similar to iTunes, such as Windows Media Player, Clementine and more.

How do you organize your music library?

You have two options to organize your music library. Firstly, you can find a music manager, such as iTunes to help you organize your library. Moreover, some media players have the capacity of music management, like Musicbee.

Does Microsoft have a music player?

Windows Media Player is the music player developed and released by Microsoft for customers.

Conclusion

Now, you should learn at least top 15 best MP3 players available to PCs and Mac. They all have some unique benefits and advantages. Vidmore Player, for example, is compatible with both Windows and Mac. Moreover, it is pretty easy to use. You can read our review and find the best player for your device. More recommendations? Please leave your message below this post.

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