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Entertainment · head to head

IINA vs Lutris

IINA logo

IINA

Entertainment

Free open source Mac video player built on mpv, with a native macOS interface

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lutris logo

Lutris

Gaming

Open source Linux game manager built around community install scripts and Wine runner management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: IINA there is no Apple TV or iOS app, so it cannot be used for a living room streaming setup the way Infuse can.; Lutris it runs on Linux only, so it is irrelevant to the large majority of players and offers nothing to a Windows household.
  • They diverge on capability: IINA covers mpv playback engine, Lutris covers Community install scripts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IINA and Lutris actually diverge.

Attributes where IINA and Lutris differ
AttributeIINALutris
PlatformsMacLinux
CategoryEntertainmentGaming

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 IINA

  • mpv playback engine
  • Native macOS interface
  • Trackpad gestures
  • Picture-in-picture
  • Subtitle and audio track control
  • Music mode

Only in Lutris

  • Community install scripts
  • Wine and Proton management
  • Multi-source library
  • Emulator support
  • Per-game configuration
  • Native Linux packaging

What people use each for

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

IINA

  • A Mac user who wants to play locally stored or downloaded video files in formats QuickTime Player does not supportnot Lutris
  • Someone who wants a free player with real trackpad gesture support for seeking and volumenot Lutris
  • A user who wants picture-in-picture video while working in other appsnot Lutris
  • Anyone who prefers a graphical Mac-native player over configuring raw mpv from the command linenot Lutris

Lutris

  • A Linux desktop user with a GOG or Epic library that Steam compatibility does not covernot IINA
  • Running an older Windows game that needs a specific Wine build and configurationnot IINA
  • Keeping emulators and native Linux games in one launcher rather than severalnot IINA

Where each one falls short

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

IINA

  • There is no Apple TV or iOS app, so it cannot be used for a living room streaming setup the way Infuse can.
  • It has no polished network share or cloud storage library browser, so streaming from a NAS or cloud drive is more manual than with Infuse.
  • As a volunteer open source project, new feature development and bug fixes depend on contributor availability rather than a funded team.
  • It is Mac only, so there is no equivalent app for Windows users in a mixed household.
  • Advanced mpv configuration is still exposed for power users, which can be confusing for someone who just wants simple playback with no options.

Lutris

  • It runs on Linux only, so it is irrelevant to the large majority of players and offers nothing to a Windows household.
  • Install scripts are community-maintained and rot without warning, so a game that installed in one click last year can fail today with an error that means nothing to a new user.
  • Diagnosing a failure requires understanding Wine prefixes, runner versions and library overrides, which is a substantial amount of knowledge for what is presented as a launcher.
  • Runner version management is manual and the naming is opaque, so users end up with several multi-gigabyte Wine builds and no clear idea which game needs which.
  • Multiplayer titles with kernel-level anti-cheat will not run regardless of configuration, and no amount of work in Lutris changes that.

Pricing, plan by plan

IINA

Free
  • IINAFree
    • Free and open source
    • No account or subscription
    • Full feature set with no paywall

Lutris

Free
  • LutrisFree
    • Full functionality
    • No account required for local use
    • Community install scripts free

Which should you pick?

Choose IINA if

  • You need mpv playback engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want native macos interface.
IINA review

Choose Lutris if

  • You need community install scripts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want wine and proton management.
Lutris review

Questions people ask

Is IINA or Lutris better?
Neither clearly leads. IINA starts at Free and Lutris at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IINA or Lutris?
IINA starts at Free and Lutris at Free.
Does IINA or Lutris run on more platforms?
IINA runs on Mac. Lutris runs on Linux.
Can I use IINA for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is IINA best used for?
IINA is most often used for a mac user who wants to play locally stored or downloaded video files in formats quicktime player does not support, someone who wants a free player with real trackpad gesture support for seeking and volume, a user who wants picture-in-picture video while working in other apps, anyone who prefers a graphical mac-native player over configuring raw mpv from the command line. Of those, a mac user who wants to play locally stored or downloaded video files in formats quicktime player does not support and someone who wants a free player with real trackpad gesture support for seeking and volume are not what Lutris is typically brought in for.
What can IINA do that Lutris cannot?
IINA covers mpv playback engine, Native macOS interface, Trackpad gestures, Picture-in-picture. Lutris covers Community install scripts, Wine and Proton management, Multi-source library, Emulator support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IINA: Is IINA free?

Yes, entirely, and it is open source with no paid tier or subscription.

Lutris: Do I need Lutris if I use Steam on Linux?

Not for Steam games, which Steam handles with its own compatibility layer. Lutris is for everything outside Steam.

IINA: What is the difference between IINA and mpv?

IINA is built on the mpv engine but adds a full native macOS graphical interface, menus and gestures that mpv does not have on its own.

Lutris: Why did a game that used to work stop working?

Usually the install script or the runner it referenced changed. Check the script page for the game and whether anyone has updated it recently.

IINA: Does IINA work on Apple TV?

No. IINA is Mac only. For Apple TV playback, Infuse is the comparable option.

Lutris: Will it run games with anti-cheat?

Often not. Kernel-level anti-cheat blocks Linux regardless of the launcher, and this is a publisher decision rather than a technical gap in Lutris.

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