# VLC Streamer vs Outplayer

The clearest difference is monetization model: Outplayer at free with in-app purchases against VLC Streamer's subscription. Outplayer also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 53%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). VLC Streamer's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. VLC Streamer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Outplayer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for VLC Streamer against 4.6 for Outplayer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 415 and 502 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 53% of VLC Streamer's written reviews are positive against 86% of Outplayer's.

VLC Streamer ships an update every 3 months, Outplayer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VLC Streamer | Outplayer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (415 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vlc-streamer/id410036516/reviews) | **[4.6 (502 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/outplayer/id1449923287/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 415 | **502** |
| Positive reviews | 53.0% of reviews | **86.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 64 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hobbyist Software Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/291218199) | [Stephen Salerno](https://appshunter.io/developer/866713970) |

## What reviewers say

### VLC Streamer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vlc-streamer/id410036516)

Stream your entire movie collection from your PC to your iPhone, iPod, or iPad without conversion. Enjoy your favorite films anywhere in your house with easy setup and customizable controls.

**Highlights:** Stream movies from PC, No conversion needed, Browse local drives and network shares, Customizable gesture controls, Support for multiple resolutions, Live video streaming

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VLC Streamer Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| VLC Streamer Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| VLC Streamer Annual | $2.99 | per year |
| VLC Streamer Annual | $5.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Smooth streaming
- 💡 Useful for accessing media library
- 👍 Great customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔋 High CPU usage on host computer
- 🔒 Security concerns with open access to computer
- 💸 Aggressive monetization with ads and subscription model

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to detect/connect to host computer
- Inconsistent video quality and buffering issues
- Conversion process causing overheating on host computer

**Requested features**

- Remote access from outside home network
- Improved codec support, especially for MKV files
- Resume playback from last position
- Ability to manage/delete files from mobile device


### Outplayer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/outplayer/id1449923287)

A video player designed for iOS that prioritizes speed and simplicity. Enjoy seamless playback of various video formats with advanced features like 4K HDR and spatial audio. Easily manage your media with intuitive controls and file integration.

**Highlights:** 4K HDR playback with instant seeking, Spatial audio with head tracking, Picture in Picture support, Customizable subtitle styling, Play any video format (MKV, MP4, etc.), Integration with Files app for external drives

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Outplayer Advanced | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth playback
- 👍 Intuitive and clean UI
- 🚀 Supports wide range of video formats
- 🚀 Excellent codec support
- 🚀 Hardware decoding

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Audio glitches
- 🐛 Brightness/contrast issues
- 🐛 Restore purchases bug
- 🔋 Causes device heating
- 👎 Lacks external subtitle support

**Reported bugs**

- Restore purchases bug
- Audio glitches
- Brightness/contrast issues
- Causes device heating
- Incompatibility with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add next/previous episode buttons
- Implement Trakt integration
- Add WebDAV support
- Implement variable speed playback
- Add video/folder sorting options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VLC Streamer free?

VLC Streamer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Outplayer free?

Outplayer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, VLC Streamer or Outplayer?

Outplayer is rated higher. VLC Streamer averages 4.5 out of 5 from 415 ratings, while Outplayer averages 4.6 from 502 ratings.

### Do VLC Streamer or Outplayer have ads?

Neither VLC Streamer nor Outplayer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, VLC Streamer or Outplayer?

VLC Streamer ships an update every 3 months, and Outplayer every 3 weeks. Most recently, VLC Streamer was updated on October 8, 2026 and Outplayer on October 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*