The Top 10 Media Players for iOS, Replace the Stock Player with One of These!

Image source: VLC site

We reviewed the best Android media players, but what about the iOS ones? The native media player in iOS is infamous for being ridiculously restrictive with the filetypes it is able to play. Despite being one of the leading tech companies in the world, Apple doesn't seem to care about media compatibility and instead appears to be living in the past in this regard. 

Strangely enough, even insanely popular formats like FLV, WMV, MKV, and Divx/Xvid are completely unplayable in the iOS stock media player.

This leaves iPhone and iPad users with no choice but to download a file converter or third-party media player - with the latter being preferable to most users.

So, without further ado, here are the top media players for iOS, starting with the free ones and then moving on to the paid alternatives:

1. VLC Media Player

VLC pretty much takes the cake in every operating system nowadays, so it should be no surprise that this open-source supersoftware made the top of our list. It'll work on any iPhone, iPod, or iPad with iOS 6.1 or later installed and it will literally play just about anything you throw at it. Some of the most notable features include:

• The ability to play content from a variety of media libraries. Includes compatibility with DropBox, Google Drive, Wifi Upload, and network streams (in the MMS, HLS, and RTSP formats).
• Full 64-bit support on the latest iPads and iPhones.
• Various video filters, playback rate manipulation options, and fine-seeking capabilities.

2. KMPlayer

This is yet another free media player that runs on iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches running iOS 7 or higher. KMPlayer has attracted more than 300 million downloads in iTunes, making it popular enough to reach number 2 on this list. Some of the best features include:

• KMP Connect lets you quickly view videos that are stored on your PC via remote connection - simply download the app to both devices and pair them with a PIN to begin streaming content from your PC to your mobile device via the internet.
• Adjust speed control, sound control, and seeking commands using convenient finger touch gestures.

3. RockPlayer2

This free app can handle just about any media filetype in existence, and was just recently updated to be able to play fullscreen on the larger version of the iPhone 5. It can even play massive 2 GB+ HD MKV files. This app is supported by ads that can get kind of annoying, but you can get rid of them by upgrading via a $4.99 in-app purchase. Here are some of the app's more interesting features:

• Supports playback to an external TV or monitor, wirelessly and via Micro HDMI.
• Includes built-in video editing and folder management features.
• Allows for gesture commands

4. Infuse 2.0

Although this app is considered free, it is possible to upgrade to a Pro version via a $4.99 in-app purchase. No worries though, even the free version supports more than a dozen filetypes, many of which the iOS stock player cannot open. The latest version has been updated to allow for 1080p playback with surround sound. Other than that, here are a few more perks the app has to offer:

• The iPad version has an extra dynamic in poster grid view - a marquee slide along the top shows you a list of your video preview images, titles, and descriptions.
• Offers the best file management and file transferring features out of any iOS media player.
• Aesthetically appealing interface characterized by a Netflix-like icon-based appearance.

5. PlayerExtreme HD

This one has been called the best media player for iPhone by LifeHacker (although it works on the iPad too), primarily because it is has the same battery and processor efficiency as Apple's stock player, yet it can play all major formats. The core version is free and you can upgrade to a Pro edition for only $3, or you can slowly upgrade with three different in-app purchases at $1 per. If you want to use it to enjoy network streaming then you'll need to upgrade. Here are some of the more interesting features in PlayerExtreme HD:

• The ability to boost quiet audio by up to 12 times the original volume level.
• Can detect Plex Media Server's UPNP to stream content from your PC's digital library without having to wait on file transfers.
• Navigating through folders is a very simplistic process that will remind many users of the desktop file browsing experience.

6. Azul Media Player

There's no free version of this app - the iPhone version is cheaper though at $0.99, whereas the iPad version costs $2.99. However, many users find it worth the extra cost because of the top-notch interface and additional features, including but not limited to the following:

• Opens videos attached to emails right from the built-in Mail app.
• Supports extensive movie formats.

7. It's Playing 

This app is on the more expensive side at $3.99 and with no free version available, but it comes with the perk of being able to play any filetype in 1080p on the latest iDevices. It can also apply hardware-acceleration to streaming videos. Other top features include:

• Incognito folders to help you hide content that you'd rather keep private.
• The ability to playback video attachments from directly with the Apple Mail app.
• Includes a built-in subtitle search and download tool.

8. OPlayer 

This is another relatively expensive media player app; the iPhone version is only $2.99, but the OPlayer HD version for the iPad is a whopping $4.99, making it the most expensive selection on our list. So is it worth the cost? Well, it certainly has its strongpoints, with an extremely powerful file browser that can copy/paste media files that have been imported into the app and the ability to play resolutions up to 1080p on newer devices. Other nice features in OPlayer include:

• Built-in Samba and FTP clients for transferring and/or streaming large files from a PC or web server to your mobile device.
• Lets you play video attachments directly within the Mail app.
• The ability to resume playback where you left off after launching the app.

9. Video Stream

Judging by the name, you might think this little $2.99 app simply centralizes video sites like YouTube and Vimeo. If you thought that then you're way off - it actually gets its name because it makes it incredibly easy to stream content from your PC to your mobile device via WiFi or 3G/4G, without having to transfer files and waste time and disk space on your SD card. Other cool features in Video Stream include:

• Gives you the options to convert a file and then play it or stream it with conversion.
• Organizes content into categories (i.e. - TV shows, movies, etc.)
• Includes a compact desktop app that makes streaming content from your desktop a breeze.

10. GPlayer

If you have an older version of the iPhone or iPad then you may want to consider GPlayer, as it is compatible with devices running on iOS 4.3 or later. In fact, it only supports certain features like TV in/out on the iPhone 4/4s, iPod Touch 4, and iPads 1 and 2. Another issue is that it only supports 720 HD MKV on the iPad 2. Those shortcomings and the fact that the app hasn't been updated in a while puts it at the bottom of our list. Still, there are some features worth mentioning:

• Long-press on email attachments and an option will appear that lets you play the attached media file with GPlayer.
• Available in four different skins - remarkably simplistic and user-friendly interface.

Conclusion

If you're just looking for a way to play media that you've been unable to view with Apple's stock player, then go with VLC or one of the other top free alternatives. However, if you need a powerful, better looking media organization and playback suite, then go for It's Playing, PlayerExtreme HD, or Azul Media Player.

Don't forget to share your iOS movie playback experience with us in the comments section below.