# VLC media player vs Video Player

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Video Player at 100% against VLC media player's 52%. Video Player also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 5). VLC media player's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. VLC media player sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Video Player asks for nothing beyond the download.

Video Player holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VLC media player has 5.8K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of VLC media player's written reviews are positive against 100% of Video Player's.

VLC media player ships an update fortnightly, Video Player every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VLC media player | Video Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (5.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vlc-media-player/id650377962/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/video-player-mp3-player/id1585541362/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.8K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 52.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Best chart rank | **#36** | — |
| Size | 186 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [VideoLAN](https://appshunter.io/developer/599606329) | [Axita Ghevariya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1569381949) |

## What reviewers say

### VLC media player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vlc-media-player/id650377962)

**Currently charting:** #36 Top Free · Photo & Video (US App Store)

Play virtually any video or audio file directly without conversion. Stream media from cloud services, network servers, or the web. Offers advanced subtitle support and playback controls.

**Highlights:** Plays all video and audio formats, No file conversion needed, Cloud and network streaming, Advanced subtitle support, Playback speed control, Chromecast rendering

**Features:** Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Micro Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Huge Tip | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Plays everything
- 👍 Great for offline media
- 🔒 No ads or subscriptions
- 🚀 Convenient file transfer
- 👍 Customizable playback

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy after updates
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 👎 Confusing UI/UX
- 🐛 Unreliable network streaming
- 👎 Lacks basic features

**Reported bugs**

- Playback issues with certain codecs
- Crashes when accessing network shares
- Inconsistent shuffle/repeat behavior
- Subtitle sync problems
- Deleted files not freeing up storage

**Requested features**

- Picture-in-Picture mode
- Improved playlist management
- Folder-based organization
- Lyrics support
- Chromecast integration


### Video Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/video-player-mp3-player/id1585541362)

Play all your video and audio files in one application. Enjoy movies in any format with HD playback and smooth performance. Easily share videos to social media and manage your music with custom playlists.

**Highlights:** Plays all popular music and video formats, Browse and play music by albums, artists, songs, playlists, Supports notification status for playback control, Customizable playlists, HD and Ultra HD playback support, Fullscreen and smooth playback, Direct video sharing to social media

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VLC media player free?

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

### Is Video Player free?

Video Player is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, VLC media player or Video Player?

Video Player is rated higher. VLC media player averages 3.7 out of 5 from 5.8K ratings, while Video Player averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do VLC media player or Video Player have ads?

Video Player shows ads; VLC media player does not.

### Which is updated more often, VLC media player or Video Player?

VLC media player ships an update fortnightly, and Video Player every 3 months. Most recently, VLC media player was updated on September 24, 2026 and Video Player on August 10, 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.*