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Entertainment · head to head

mpv vs PeaZip

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
PeaZip logo

PeaZip

Utilities

Open-source archive manager for Windows and Linux supporting more than two hundred formats

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: mpv there is no graphical interface at all by default, so a typical non-technical user will find it unusable without significant setup.; PeaZip there is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • They diverge on capability: mpv covers Command line control, PeaZip covers Wide format support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which mpv and PeaZip actually diverge.

Attributes where mpv and PeaZip differ
AttributempvPeaZip
PlatformsMac, Windows, LinuxWindows, Linux, BSD
CategoryEntertainmentUtilities

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 mpv

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

Only in PeaZip

  • Wide format support
  • Strong encryption
  • Secure delete
  • Checksums and hashes
  • Split and join
  • Portable builds

What people use each for

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

mpv

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

PeaZip

  • Opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refusenot mpv
  • Sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a passwordnot mpv
  • Deploying one archiver across Windows and Linux desktops with the same interface and behaviournot mpv
  • Running from a USB stick on machines where software cannot be installednot mpv

Where each one falls short

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

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.

PeaZip

  • There is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • It is effectively a single-maintainer project, and for software deployed to every desktop in a company that concentration of risk deserves an explicit decision.
  • The interface exposes a great many options at once and looks dated next to the system archiver, which generates support questions from non-technical users.
  • Bundled backend binaries sometimes trigger antivirus heuristics on managed Windows fleets, so deployment usually needs an allowlist entry prepared in advance.
  • Its own PEA and ARC formats are not readable by other tools, so using them for anything you send externally creates a dependency for the recipient.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

PeaZip

Free
  • PeaZipFree
    • LGPLv3 licensed
    • Commercial use permitted
    • All formats and encryption features included

Which should you pick?

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

Choose PeaZip if

  • You need wide format support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, BSD.
  • You also want strong encryption.
PeaZip review

Questions people ask

Is mpv or PeaZip better?
Neither clearly leads. mpv starts at Free and PeaZip at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, mpv or PeaZip?
mpv starts at Free and PeaZip at Free.
Does mpv or PeaZip run on more platforms?
mpv runs on Mac, Windows, Linux. PeaZip runs on Windows, Linux, BSD.
Can I use mpv for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is mpv best used for?
mpv is most often used for a developer who wants to script or automate media playback rather than click through a graphical app, a linux user who wants a lightweight player without the overhead of a full desktop application shell, someone embedding video playback into another tool or workflow rather than using it as a standalone app, a power user who prefers editing a text config file over navigating a settings panel. Of those, a developer who wants to script or automate media playback rather than click through a graphical app and a linux user who wants a lightweight player without the overhead of a full desktop application shell are not what PeaZip is typically brought in for.
What can mpv do that PeaZip cannot?
mpv covers Command line control, Lua and JavaScript scripting, Plain text configuration, Cross-platform. PeaZip covers Wide format support, Strong encryption, Secure delete, Checksums and hashes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

mpv: Is mpv free?

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

PeaZip: Is PeaZip free for business use?

Yes. It is LGPLv3 licensed with no personal-use restriction and no paid edition.

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.

PeaZip: Does it work on macOS?

No supported build is offered. Mac users need a different archiver.

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.

PeaZip: How does it differ from 7-Zip?

It uses similar backends but adds far wider format support, a password manager, keyfile two-factor encryption, secure deletion and a graphical front end that also runs on Linux.

PeaZip: Should I use the PEA format?

Only for your own storage. Nothing else reads it, so anything sent to another party should be 7z or ZIP with AES-256.

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