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Entertainment · head to head

mpv vs WinDirStat

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
WinDirStat logo

WinDirStat

Utilities

Windows disk usage analyser that shows where space went as a colour-coded treemap

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.; WinDirStat it walks the directory tree rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a full scan takes minutes where WizTree takes seconds on the same drive.
  • They diverge on capability: mpv covers Command line control, WinDirStat covers Treemap visualisation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which mpv and WinDirStat actually diverge.

Attributes where mpv and WinDirStat differ
AttributempvWinDirStat
PlatformsMac, Windows, LinuxWindows
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 WinDirStat

  • Treemap visualisation
  • Three linked views
  • Multithreaded scanning
  • Cleanup actions
  • Any filesystem
  • GPL licensed

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

WinDirStat

  • Finding what filled a Windows system drive when the usual suspects are not responsiblenot mpv
  • Auditing a shared or network drive where files are spread across thousands of foldersnot mpv
  • Environments where licence terms forbid personal-use-only freeware on company machinesnot mpv
  • Explaining disk usage visually to someone who will not read a list of folder sizesnot 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.

WinDirStat

  • It walks the directory tree rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a full scan takes minutes where WizTree takes seconds on the same drive.
  • The version most users have installed is the 2007 build, and because it was dormant for so long, search results and download mirrors still point at it.
  • It is Windows only, so a mixed estate needs a different tool for macOS and Linux machines.
  • There is no scheduling, reporting or export for fleet use, so it answers a question on one machine at a time rather than monitoring storage across an organisation.
  • Hard links, junctions and deduplicated volumes can be counted in ways that make the totals disagree with what Windows reports, which causes confusion on servers.

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

WinDirStat

Free
  • WinDirStatFree
    • GPL licensed
    • Commercial use permitted
    • No paid edition or feature gating

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 WinDirStat if

  • You need treemap visualisation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want three linked views.
WinDirStat review

Questions people ask

Is mpv or WinDirStat better?
Neither clearly leads. mpv starts at Free and WinDirStat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, mpv or WinDirStat?
mpv starts at Free and WinDirStat at Free.
Does mpv or WinDirStat run on more platforms?
mpv runs on Mac, Windows, Linux. WinDirStat runs on Windows.
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 WinDirStat is typically brought in for.
What can mpv do that WinDirStat cannot?
mpv covers Command line control, Lua and JavaScript scripting, Plain text configuration, Cross-platform. WinDirStat covers Treemap visualisation, Three linked views, Multithreaded scanning, Cleanup actions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

mpv: Is mpv free?

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

WinDirStat: Is WinDirStat still maintained?

Yes. It was dormant from around 2007 until new maintainers resumed development and released the 2.x line with multithreaded scanning and current Windows support.

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.

WinDirStat: Can I use it at work?

Yes. It is GPL licensed with no personal-use restriction, which is the practical advantage over free-for-personal-use alternatives in this category.

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.

WinDirStat: Why is it slower than WizTree?

Different method. WizTree reads the NTFS master file table directly; WinDirStat traverses directories, which is slower but works on any filesystem, including network shares.

WinDirStat: Does it run on macOS or Linux?

No. Separate projects exist with similar treemap interfaces, but WinDirStat itself is Windows only.

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