What is better than VLC for Android?
VLC media player is a hugely popular open source, cross-platform multimedia player and framework developed by the VideoLAN project. VLC has been available on Android since 2012 and quickly became one of the top media players on the platform.
According to recent estimates, VLC likely has a significant market share on Android, especially among open source media players. Its widespread use and excellent reputation make it a popular choice for Android users looking for a feature-packed media player.
Video Playback
While VLC is a popular choice for video playback on Android, some alternative apps may offer better codec support and smoother playback for certain video formats and resolutions. MX Player has great codec support and can play virtually any video file natively (source). KMPlayer also supports a wide range of codecs and file formats, while offering useful playback features like speed control and subtitle adjustments (source). For 4K and UHD playback, BSPlayer and Powerful UHD Video Player provide smooth performance even with Ultra High Definition videos.
If you find VLC struggles with playback for your video files, it’s worth trying some alternative Android video players that may handle codecs and resolutions better. Check codec support and playback capabilities when choosing a video app for your specific needs.
Audio Playback
VLC has basic audio playback capabilities, but there are better options if you want advanced audio features like higher quality playback and equalizer controls. MPV has excellent audio quality and supports system-wide audio effects like reverberation and a parametric equalizer for fine-tuning the sound. You can adjust the sampling frequency rate and channel layouts as well. Kodi also offers high-quality audio with audio passthrough support and a 10-band equalizer. Both MPV and Kodi are highly customizable for audiophiles who want more control over their listening experience.
Casting and Chromecast Support
One area where VLC falls short is casting locally stored media to Chromecast devices. While VLC has basic Chromecast support, it lacks some key features that other media players provide. For example, according to this Reddit thread, VLC cannot cast subtitles when streaming to Chromecast: https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidTV/comments/jomfjy/what_are_the_alternatives_for_vlc_player_if_you/. This can be a major downside for anyone who watches foreign language content.
Additionally, as covered in this Android Authority article, the Chromecast integration in VLC is not as seamless as other apps: https://www.androidauthority.com/cast-vlc-player-to-tv-3191053/. You have to manually connect to a Chromecast device each time, rather than having default casting built-in. There are also reports of stability issues when casting with VLC, like black screens: https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-use-VLC-Media-Player-for-casting-on-Android-TV.
For smooth, reliable casting of locally stored media, alternatives like MX Player and Plex may provide a better experience. Their apps are designed with casting in mind, making it simple to get videos on the big screen.
Playback Features
VLC media player has extensive playback control features that allow you to customize your viewing experience. Some of the key playback features include:
Aspect ratio controls – VLC lets you change the aspect ratio of videos with just a click. You can choose between common aspect ratios like 16:9, 4:3, 2.35:1 etc. This allows you to avoid black bars and watch the video in the desired ratio.
Playback speed controls – You can speed up or slow down playback easily in VLC. This is great for watching lectures or tutorials. You can set speed from 0.25x to 4x normal speed.
Subtitle support – VLC has built-in subtitles support and allows subtitles in .srt and .sub formats. You can load external subtitle files or download subtitles directly within the app. VLC supports multiple subtitle tracks so you can switch between different languages.
Overall, VLC provides extensive playback controls comparable to desktop media players. These powerful features allow you to control every aspect of video playback as per your needs.
Library Management
When it comes to organizing and browsing large media collections, VLC has some limitations on Android. Its library management tools are basic, making it difficult to sort and search through extensive libraries. According to Icecreamapps, alternatives like Kodi provide much more robust media library features.
Kodi has customizable libraries that allow sorting by genre, actor, director, etc. It downloads metadata like cover art automatically. The interface also enables quick searching and filtering to find media files. These advanced library management features make it ideal for Android users with large home media centers. VLC’s basic file browsing doesn’t compare.
Privacy and Security
VLC is widely considered to have strong privacy protections since it is open source. This allows security researchers to audit the codebase to check for potential vulnerabilities or privacy leaks. Some alternative media players that are closed source may pose more privacy risks if they collect analytics or user data without disclosing it.
However, some argue VLC on Android requests broad storage access permissions which raises concerns. As one user commented on a forum: “What I personally dislike about VLC on Android is that it requests a highly invasive storage permission to access all of your files.” [1] This permission could potentially allow the app to view photos, files, and other data on a device.
Overall, while no software is completely immune to vulnerabilities, VLC’s open source nature provides strong oversight. Users should aim to only install apps from trustworthy sources and pay close attention to permission requests.
Customization
One advantage of using third-party video players over VLC is the ability to customize the look and feel of the app. Many alternative players allow you to change the theme, layout, and widgets to your liking.
For example, MX Player has over 20 different themes to choose from, letting you customize colors, icons, and more (source). KMPlayer comes with multiple layout options so you can tweak where buttons and controls are located on the screen.
Some players like Pocket Casts even allow you to customize the media notification controls in Android 13, adding extra buttons beyond play/pause (source). This level of customizability over the interface allows you to tailor the experience to suit your personal preferences.
Overall, the deep customization options provided by third-party apps exceed what you can do with VLC for Android. The ability to change themes, layouts, widgets and more gives you more control over the look and feel of the player.
Conclusion
Overall, MX Player and KMPlayer are top alternatives worth considering over VLC for Android. They offer compelling advantages in video playback, customization, casting abilities and other areas.
MX Player shines for its extensive format support, smooth performance even for 4K, and handy gesture controls. However, its privacy policy and ads are a drawback. KMPlayer has robust subtitle support, skins and hardware acceleration. Though its catalog management lags VLC.
In the end, it depends on your priorities. VLC is open source, stable and lightweight. But the other options surface media better and offer more personalization. Evaluate which features matter most to you.
Recommendation
When it comes to an alternative media player for Android that improves upon VLC, most users would likely be best served by MX Player. Developed by J2 Interactive, MX Player has long been one of the most popular and highly-rated video players on Android.
MX Player offers robust format support, including the ability to play virtually any video or audio codec you throw at it. This gives it an edge over VLC in terms of raw playback capability and compatibility. MX Player also includes features like subtitle gestures, Kids Lock, and the ability to play audio in the background that make it more versatile and user-friendly than VLC.
For most Android users looking for a powerful, full-featured media player beyond VLC, MX Player represents the best overall choice. Its polished interface, extensive format support, rich feature set and consistent updates by the developer make it a top-tier choice for media playback on Android.