VLC media player vs Video Lite
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VLC media player
This media player supports a vast array of video and audio formats without requiring conversion. It offers advanced subtitle support, playback speed control, and streaming capabilities from various sources. Users can also sync files directly from cloud storage or Wi-Fi sharing.
- Plays all video and audio formats
- Advanced subtitle support
- Playback speed control
- Chromecast rendering
- File synchronization (cloud, Wi-Fi)
- Streaming from network servers
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VLC is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player. It can play all your movies, shows and music in most formats directly without conversion. It allows file synchronization with Dropbox, GDrive, OneDrive, Box, iCloud Drive, iTunes, direct downloads and through Wi-Fi sharing as well as streaming from SMB, FTP, SFTP, NFS, UPnP/DLNA media servers and the web. VLC offers support for advanced subtitles including full SSA compatibility, multi-track audio, playback speed control and rendering through Chromecast. VLC is completely free and open source.
Video Lite
This app offers a comprehensive browsing experience for video websites, featuring Chromecast support, picture-in-picture mode, and a sleep timer. Enjoy a seamless, native interface with dark mode and background playback.
- Seamless native app experience
- Chromecast support
- Picture-in-picture mode
- Dark mode
- Sleep timer
- Background playback
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Video Lite is an all-in-one browser for video websites that lets you: • Experience a seamless, native app experience • Chromecast on iOS • Picture-in-picture mode • Dark mode • Sleep timer and more Terms of service: https://videolite.app/eula.txt
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Video Lite at 4.8 against VLC media player's 3.7. Video Lite also leads on ratings volume (175K vs 6.1K) and review sentiment (65% vs 52%). VLC media player's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and chart position (#31 vs #105). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Video Lite sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. VLC media player asks for nothing beyond the download.
Video Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Video Lite has 175K ratings behind it against 6.1K, 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 65% of Video Lite's.
VLC media player ships an update every 3 weeks, Video Lite every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.
| Parameter | VLC media player | Video Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (6.1K ratings) | 4.8 (175K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 51.9% of reviews | 64.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6.1K | 175K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #31 — better | #105 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 67 MB | 103 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +17 |
| Developer | VideoLAN | Video Lite, Inc. |
Customer experience
VLC media player
Video Lite
User reviews
VLC media player
From 6.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Plays everything
- 👍 Great for offline media
- 🔒 No ads or subscriptions
- 🚀 Convenient file transfer
- 👍 Customizable playback
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy after updates
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 👎 Confusing UI/UX
- 🐛 Unreliable network streaming
- 👎 Lacks basic features
Video Lite
From 175K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Ad-free experience
- 🔒 Background playback
- 👍 Convenient features
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 👍 Reasonable subscription cost
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy updates
- 🔋 Overheating and battery drain issues
- 💩 Intrusive ads in free version
- 🔇 Audio issues with video playback
Bugs and requests
VLC media player
Reported bugs
5 issues- 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
5 requests- Picture-in-Picture mode
- Improved playlist management
- Folder-based organization
- Lyrics support
- Chromecast integration
Video Lite
Reported bugs
5 issues- Playlist loading issues
- Inconsistent enhanced player behavior
- Chromecast connectivity problems
- Captions not working as expected
- Video quality locked at low resolutions
Requested features
5 requests- Add landscape mode support
- Improve video quality options
- Implement a way to move bookmarks between folders
- Add a notification bell for new uploads from subscribed channels
- Allow editing of comments after posting
In-app purchases
VLC media player
No in-app purchases
Video Lite
- Remove Ads (1 Month)$0.991 Month
- Remove Ads (3 Months)$1.993 Months
Questions
Is VLC media player free?
Is Video Lite free?
Which has better reviews, VLC media player or Video Lite?
Do VLC media player or Video Lite have ads?
Which is updated more often, VLC media player or Video Lite?
Which is more popular, VLC media player or Video Lite?
Other comparisons
