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Entertainment · head to head

Apple Music vs mpv

Apple Music logo

Apple Music

Entertainment

All the ways you love music. All in one place.

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
mpv logo

mpv

Entertainment

Free open source command line video player with no graphical interface, built for scripting and precision

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only mpv has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apple Music individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month; mpv there is no graphical interface at all by default, so a typical non-technical user will find it unusable without significant setup.
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Music covers Music streaming, mpv covers Command line control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Music and mpv actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Music and mpv differ
AttributeApple Musicmpv
Starting price$10.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIos, Macos, Windows, Android, WebMac, Windows, Linux
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Entertainment).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apple Music

  • Music streaming
  • Offline downloads
  • Spatial Audio
  • Lossless audio
  • Curated playlists
  • Radio stations
  • Music discovery
  • Cross-device sync

Only in mpv

  • Command line control
  • Lua and JavaScript scripting
  • Plain text configuration
  • Cross-platform
  • Minimal on-screen overlay
  • Embeddable engine

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apple Music

  • Music listeningnot mpv
  • Music discoverynot mpv
  • Playlist creationnot mpv
  • Offline listeningnot mpv
  • Family entertainmentnot mpv

mpv

  • A developer who wants to script or automate media playback rather than click through a graphical appnot Apple Music
  • A Linux user who wants a lightweight player without the overhead of a full desktop application shellnot Apple Music
  • Someone embedding video playback into another tool or workflow rather than using it as a standalone appnot Apple Music
  • A power user who prefers editing a text config file over navigating a settings panelnot Apple Music

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apple Music

  • Individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month

mpv

  • There is no graphical interface at all by default, so a typical non-technical user will find it unusable without significant setup.
  • It has no library browser, artwork fetching or organised media collection view, unlike IINA or Infuse.
  • There is no Apple TV, iOS or Android version, so it cannot be used for a living room or mobile streaming setup.
  • Configuration is entirely file and flag based, so getting a specific behaviour set up correctly has a real learning curve compared with a settings panel.
  • Because it is a general-purpose engine rather than a consumer product, there is no dedicated support channel beyond community forums and documentation.

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Music

$10.99/month
  • Individual$10.99/month
    • 100+ million songs
    • Ad-free listening
    • Offline downloads
  • Family$16.99/month
    • Up to 6 accounts
    • Individual profiles
    • Parental controls

mpv

Free
  • mpvFree
    • Free and open source under GPL or LGPL depending on build
    • No account, subscription or paid tier
    • Cross-platform, same engine on every OS

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple Music if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You work on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web.
  • You also want offline downloads.
Apple Music review

Choose mpv if

  • You need command line control.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want lua and javascript scripting.
mpv review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Music or mpv better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Music starts at $10.99/month and mpv at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Music or mpv?
mpv has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10.99/month for Apple Music and Free for mpv.
Does Apple Music or mpv run on more platforms?
Apple Music runs on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web. mpv runs on Mac, Windows, Linux.
Can I use mpv for free?
Yes. mpv has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Apple Music starts at $10.99/month.
What is Apple Music best used for?
Apple Music is most often used for music listening, music discovery, playlist creation, offline listening. Of those, music listening and music discovery are not what mpv is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Music do that mpv cannot?
Apple Music covers Music streaming, Offline downloads, Spatial Audio, Lossless audio. mpv covers Command line control, Lua and JavaScript scripting, Plain text configuration, Cross-platform.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apple Music: Where can I find Apple Music pricing and subscription information?

Pricing details are not shown on the New section of Apple Music. Check the main Apple Music homepage or account settings for subscription tiers.

Source
mpv: Is mpv free?

Yes, entirely, and it is open source with no paid tier of any kind.

mpv: Does mpv have a GUI?

Not by default. It shows the video and a minimal overlay, but there are no menus, library or settings panel; IINA is the graphical Mac interface built on the same engine.

mpv: Can mpv play from network shares or cloud storage?

It can play many stream types via command line arguments, but it has no built in browsable network or cloud library the way Infuse does.

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