15 Best Music Players for Mac in 2023

Software
1

Best Music Players for Mac in 2023: Try the Best One

1. Elmedia Player

If you’re looking for a versatile music and video player for Mac, Elmedia Player is an excellent choice. It enhances your video playback experience with a variety of useful features, delivering smooth HD playback without squares, artifacts, lag, or interruptions.

You can customize Elmedia Player to suit your preferences and enjoy the best possible video and audio quality. Many users also consider it the top music player for Mac audiophiles..

elmedia
elmedia1450×816 49.5 KB

Some of its outstanding features are:

  • Full compatibility: Elmedia supports most formats, including MP3, MP4, WMV, MKV, Blu-Ray, SWF, and DAT. Hence, you don’t require separate players for playing videos of different formats; Elmedia covers it all.

  • Native M1/M2 playback: Elmedia can run on the newest Mac versions with no Rosetta compatibility layer. It will ensure maximum performance.

  • Supported devices: You can easily get started with Elmedia in a few clicks. It supports DLNA, AirPlay 2, and Chromecast devices.

  • Bookmark and playlist feature: You can modify, load, and save playlists and create, rename, and manage your bookmarks easily even for larger files and media libraries.

  • Audio and subtitles: Elmedia supports opening external audio and enabling subtitles while playing videos. You get to modify other features like manual syncs, subtitle search, audio equalizer, and playback speed.

  • Other features: Full-screen display selection, timeline preview thumbnails, picture-in-picture mode, color scheme settings, video tuner, and more.

Pros:

  • Useful features

  • User-friendly interface

  • support for many formats

Cons:

  • Available only for Mac users

Pricing plans:

  • Free, its PRO plan costs $19.95

Supported OS:

  • macOS

2.JustPlay

Giving tough competition to Elmedia, JustPlay ranks among the best music and video players for macOS. It’s a lightweight yet powerful app that delivers a seamless and enjoyable experience while watching your favorite videos.

The application allows you to fully control playback through a variety of intuitive settings, without the need for additional codecs or plugins.

justplay
justplay1450×816 33.6 KB

Some of the key features include:

  • Controls: You can control your audio playback by adjusting the volume without changing any sound settings.

  • Audio equalizer: JustPlay comes with an in-built audio equalizer to fine-tune all ten bands. This offers an enhanced audio experience to users.

  • Supported formats: It supports many file formats, including MP3, MP4, MKV, M4A, FLAC, APE, OGG, and more.

  • Supported devices: You can use JustPlay on a variety of devices from professional headphones to home theaters and still have the best audio-video quality.

Pros:

  • Compact application with impressive interface

  • Wide support for formats

  • Native Mac support

Cons:

  • No free trial

Pricing plans:

  • $4.99

Supported OS:

  • macOS

3. VOX

VOX is a premium music player for Mac that delivers high-resolution audio from multiple sources. It is praised for its excellent sound quality, versatile functionality, and unlimited cloud storage. You can seamlessly play music from your iPhone, Mac, Sonos, CarPlay, and many other supported devices.

Vox
Vox1450×816 34.3 KB

The key features are:

  • Sound quality: The Audio Engine by Vox allows you to fully utilize your Mac’s potential. It offers HD audio with 4x deeper sound resolution than standard resolutions.

  • Supported formats: It supports formats, including FLAC, ALAC, DSD, APE, PCM, M4A, CUE, and MP3.

  • 30k+ radio stations: VOX offers a built-in radio application with access to 30k+ web radio stations from across the world.

  • Advanced features: Audio equalizer with 30+ presets and 10-grid manual settings, BS2B, SONOS support, a control panel, Gapless feature, Bass Audio Engine, multiple preferences, unlimited cloud storage for music, syncs between your iPhone and Mac, etc.

Pros:

  • Great sound quality

  • Impeccable features

Cons:

  • The free version has ads

Pricing plans:

  • Free version available, paid starts from 4.99/month

Supported OS:

  • macOS

4.5KPlayer

5KPlayer is widely regarded as one of the best free music players for Mac. It combines multiple functionalities in a single app: a music player, UHD video player, media streamer with DLNA and AirPlay support, and an online media downloader.

5kplayer
5kplayer1478×900 73.7 KB

The main features are:

  • Quality video: It can play 4K/1080p/360-degree videos. It has a revolutionary design and can help you download songs from 300+ sites and platforms like Vimeo, DailyMotion, YouTube, SoundCloud, Facebook, etc.

  • Supported formats: It supports MP3, FLAC, APE, AAC, OGG, WMA, and more. It can also convert online music tracks to AAC and MP3.

  • Compatibility: It works on macOS and Mac OS X as well as Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10.

  • Hardware: It’s enhanced by NVIDIA CUDA, INTEL QSV, AMD, and DXVA 2.0. and requires minimal GPU and CPU.

Pros:

  • Works as a music downloader and converter

  • Offers wireless streaming

Cons:

  • Can be confusing for beginners

Pricing plans:

  • Free

Supported OS:

  • macOS, Windows

5. IINA

IINA is a modern mac music player that has an advanced user interface and framework. It has adopted the post-Yosemite macOS design language and goes hand in hand with new technologies. It’s powered by the open-source media player MPV to play any media file.

iina
iina1458×900 93.3 KB

Its key features are:

  • Open-source: IINA is an open-source and free tool written using Swift and released under the GPLv3. You can find it on GitHub.

  • Language: IINA is translated into 20+ languages. You are also free to improve its translation or add a new language via its translation platform.

  • Supported formats: It supports MP3, MP4, M4A, AAC, and more.

  • Compatibility: It can play any media file. It also supports youtube-dl and browser extensions to enable playing different online streams with a click.

  • More features: Picture-in-Picture, touch bar, Force Touch, system media control, music mode, mouse and trackpad gestures, plugin system, thumbnail preview, online subtitles, dark mode, and a customizable user interface.

Pros:

  • Intuitive user interface

  • Good set of features

Cons:

  • Occasional crashing

Pricing plans:

  • Free

Supported OS:

  • macOS

6. VLC

VLC is a popular and one of the best music player software for mac developed by VideoLAN. This platform is simple but powerful that can prove a great alternative for your default Mac video player. It is suitable for all users irrespective of their technical competence.

vlc
vlc1600×894 101 KB

Some of the main features are:

  • Supported formats: It supports nearly all file formats, including MP4, WMV, MP3, FLAC, ALAC, AC3, AAC, and more.

  • Cross-platform: It’s cross-platform compatible, meaning it can work on different platforms like Mac, iOS, and Windows.

  • Safe: It offers security from malware, tracking, etc.

  • Customizable: You can customize the setting based on your preference.

Pros:

  • Advanced features

  • Better accessibility

Cons:

  • Interface needs to improve

Pricing plans:

  • Free

Supported OS:

  • macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android

7. Swinisian

Swinsian is an advanced music player on Mac. It’s designed for responsiveness and has a large music library to keep people entertained.

swinsian
swinsian1450×816 52.7 KB

The key features include:

  • Supported formats: FLAC, MP3, ALAC, AAC, OGG, AC3, AIFF, APE, DSF, MusePack, Opus, WAV, WMA, and Vorbis.

  • Customization: Customize the tool to view your songs and navigate as per your preference with options like art grid, track inspector, column browser, etc.

  • Organizing: Easily edit a tag on different songs simultaneously. Since its find and replace option is Regex compatible, you can correctly tag your music.

  • Control: Control your songs easily using the mini window and global shortcuts. You can also use a customizable art widget on your desktop to decorate it with your music.

  • Other features: Folder watching, notifications, smart playlists, Applescript control, library stats, etc.

Pros:

  • Advanced features

  • Easy to use

Cons:

  • Very limited features in the free version

Pricing plans:

  • $24.95

Supported OS:

  • macOS

8. Fidelia

Get the premium Mac music player, Fidelia, and continue listening to the music you desire. It’s a high-definition music player best for advanced audiophiles. It has an elegant user interface and a unique set of features to suit your needs.

fidelia
fidelia1450×816 43.2 KB

Its main features are:

  • Flexibility: Freedom to customize, organize, and enjoy digital music anytime with an excellent collection of music available at greater fidelity.

  • Supported formats: It supports FLAC, CAF, AAC, WAV, MP3, Vorbis, etc. It also allows you to easily import a user’s iTunes library.

  • Supported devices: It supports AirPlay to allow connecting to any output device located in your network and listening to your music on different devices.

  • Control: Control the music by letting Fidelia turn your iPod or iPhone into a remote control. You can easily browse your music library on Fidelia, adjust volumes, navigate between tracks, and do much more.

  • More features: It supports 64-bit audio unit plugins, access to Mac OS X system audio units, and more.

Pros:

  • Advanced UI

  • Mobile support

Cons:

  • Costly paid version

Pricing plans:

  • Free trial, the paid version costs $29.99

Supported OS:

  • macOS

9. Colibri

Colibri is a simple and native music player for Mac. It will enable you to listen to your music without skipping a beat. It not only offers useful features but consumes lower CPU resources.

colibri
colibri1600×846 80.3 KB

The key features include:

  • 50+ audio formats: It supports 50+ audio formats, including WAV, MP3, ALAC, TTA, AIFF, DSD, and more.

  • Quality sound: Listen to bit-perfect, crystal clear sounds with this platform without any gaps or loss.

  • Battery saver: Consumes very less computing power when playing music.

  • More features: Supports an online radio, music tracker, 10-band equalizer, RAM Disk support, Sample rate automatic switching, many loop options, auto-switching, CUE sheet handling, and more.

  • Privacy: Colibri maintains user privacy as it never collects usage information or modifies files.

Pros:

  • Useful set of features

  • Privacy

  • Quality sound

Cons:

  • Limited features in the free version

Pricing plans:

  • Free, and its paid plan costs $9.99

Supported OS:

  • macOS

10. Pine Player

Pine Player is another good music player with lots of options for users wanting to enjoy a high-quality music listening experience.

pineplayer
pineplayer1505×900 112 KB

The features of this music player for Mac include:

  • Supported formats: It supports MP3, APE, FLAC, WAV, M4A, AAC, OGG, AIFF, DSD, WMA, SACD ISO, and more.

  • Convenience: Play music conveniently with CUE files. You can also save your music and manage it however you want.

  • Sampling: It supports up to 32-bit 768kHz oversampling in order to enable listening to music with greater clarity.

  • Gapless and code-fade: You will feel no gaps between the music or overlaps and enjoy your time. It also prevents sound quality from damaging by using a high-power Audio Queue to process large digital data.

Pros:

  • No ads

  • Convenient music experience

Cons:

  • Can consume significant memory

Pricing plans:

  • Free

Supported OS:

  • macOS

11. Audirvana

Get Audirvana to enjoy your local music and streaming. It offers high-quality sounds so that you can have a fully-immersed listening experience. It provides a unique blend of advanced features and usability to put a smile on every audiophile’s face.

audirvana
audirvana1450×816 169 KB

Its features include:

  • Supported file formats: MP3, FLAC, WAV, AAC, AIFF, DSD, and more.

  • Pristine sound quality: With Audirvana’s improved technology over the past 10 years, you will get to listen to your music with pristine sound quality.

  • Better control: You will get full control of your music to enjoy the process more and many options to track and fine-tune your system.

  • Unlimited content: Enjoy listening to podcasts, radios, and other audio formats from their streaming partners.

  • Remote control: Control your music everywhere using the free mobile application.

Pros:

  • Advanced UI

  • Lots of features

Cons:

  • High price

Pricing plans:

  • Free trial, while the paid plan costs $69.99

Supported OS:

  • macOS, Windows

12. Cog

Music lovers looking for a minimalistic music player for Mac with no confusing options can try Cog. It’s a free and open-source music player built for macOS.

cog
cog1450×594 39.8 KB

Its key features are:

  • Supported formats: It supports MP3, WAV, FLAC, AC3, OGG Opus, OGG Vorbis, AAC, Apple Lossless, and more.

  • Interface: It has a dual-panel user interface to help you easily add and arrange music files as you want.

  • Control: You can control your music with options like Hotkeys. You can also change your music’s output device.

  • Gapless playback: Enjoy music gapless with this feature.

  • More features: Automatic updates, repeat track, built-in ReplayGain, notifications, support for CUE sheets, graphic equalizer, Spatial audio support, and more.

Pros:

  • Simple to use

  • Supports many formats and languages

Cons:

  • Features can be improved

Pricing plans:

  • Free

Supported OS:

  • macOS

13. Musique

Enhance your music listening experience with Musique which keeps you focused only on the music you are listening to without any interference. You can even read a song’s lyrics in it.

musique
musique1450×816 59.7 KB

Its features include:

  • Supported formats: It supports FLAC, TTA, APE, OGG Vorbis, WVC, MPC, and more.

  • Clean interface: You will get a clean interface that simplifies your user experience. You will also find it easier to organize your music by artist, album, folders, and genre.

  • Performance: It’s faster and lets you drag all your music collection quickly to the queue.

  • Language support: It’s translated into 20+ languages, including English, German, Spanish, French, and more.

Pros:

  • A good set of features

  • Multiple language translations

Cons:

  • Outdated functionality

Pricing plans:

  • Free

Supported OS:

  • macOS, Windows, Linux

14. Amarra Luxe

Amarra Luxe is a feature-rich and easy-to-use Mac music player. It offers high-resolution music playbacks for local music, Tidal music streaming, and more. This award-winning platform allows you to listen to your desired songs anywhere you want.

amara
amara1300×731 35.3 KB

Its key features are:

  • Supported formats: FLAC, DSD, AAC, WAV, PCM, MP3, and more.

  • High-resolution music: Amarra Luxe offers a large collection of music for you to listen to live. You will get high-resolution music streaming of up to 96 kHz.

  • Mobile support: You can play music directly on your iPhone (version 8 and up).

  • User interface: It features an intuitive, beautiful user interface. You can view your music by albums, songs, playlists, artists, etc.

  • More features: Upsampling, integrated MQA technology for high-quality sounds.

Pros:

  • Good design and interface

  • quality music listening experience

Cons:

  • Costly

Pricing plans:

  • Free trial, the paid plan costs $99

Supported OS:

  • macOS, Windows

15. MacGo

Macgo is a macOS media player known for its high compatibility with discs and .iso images. It supports menus, making it especially useful for music DVDs. When available, Macgo can leverage high-fidelity audio hardware, connect to surround sound systems, and play AC3/DTS tracks. However, it lacks advanced sound and video options, and its limited support for popular formats like MKV reduces its overall usefulness.

MacGo
MacGo1299×800 206 KB

Its key features are:

  • DVD playback with menus: surprisingly, a lot of music (mainly concert recordings) exists in DVD format, and playing it without a menu is either impossible or inconvenient.

  • Hardware passthrough for audio: very few users have a “home cinema” setup, but those that do will appreciate Macgo’s options.

Pros:

  • Full DVD support

  • Compatible with surround sound hardware and tracks

Cons:

  • Very high price

  • Lacks video/audio effects

  • Low format compatibility

Pricing plans:

  • $39.95 (Lifetime License)

Supported OS:

  • macOS

How to Choose the Best Mac Music Player

The best music player isn’t necessarily a universal media player—it should be geared primarily toward audio playback. Key features include support for lossy and lossless formats, hi-fi playback, and advanced audio settings. A strong music player will include at least an equalizer and audio visualizer, with additional effects and features being a bonus.

Other useful but non-audio-specific functions include adjustable playback speed, playlist importing and exporting, and chapter or bookmark support. Most importantly, the player must be reliable and frequently updated to remain compatible with new macOS versions and the M1 and M2 series of CPUs.

Conclusion

Listening to music isn’t just entertainment—it’s also a form of relaxation. Choosing the right music player for your Mac depends on your preferences, requirements, and budget. The options listed above offer a variety of capabilities to ensure you can enjoy your favorite songs with the best possible experience.