IINAvs
Infuse
Infuse: If you want playback on Apple TV and iOS with strong network share support and are willing to pay
IINA
Free open source Mac video player built on mpv, with a native macOS interface
As of 1 September 2026, IINA is free to use. A free, open source media player for macOS built on top of the mpv playback engine, giving it broad codec and format support with a proper native Mac interface, gestures and menu integration. Softwr lists it under Entertainment. IINA is made by IINA (open source project), available on Mac.
Overview
What IINA does
IINA plays nearly any video or audio format using the mpv engine underneath, wrapped in a native macOS application with trackpad gesture support, picture-in-picture, on-screen subtitle and audio track switching, and Touch Bar support on older Macs. Unlike raw mpv, it has a full graphical interface, menus and preferences that a non-technical user can operate without ever touching a config file or command line. The distinguishing fact against Infuse is that IINA is entirely free, open source under a permissive licence, and Mac only, with no iOS, tvOS or Apple TV version at all. Infuse costs a subscription or one-time lifetime fee and runs across iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Mac, with particular strength streaming from network shares and cloud storage on the living room screen. IINA is the choice for local file playback on a Mac; Infuse is the choice for a living room Apple TV setup with network library browsing. Buyers are Mac users who play local video files, often ripped media or downloaded content, and want a fast, free, well-integrated player rather than QuickTime Player limited format support. The trade-off is that IINA has no Apple TV app, no built in network share library browser comparable to Infuse, and as with any volunteer project, feature development can be slower than a funded commercial product.
What people use it 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
Related searches
The honest half
Where it falls short
Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about 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.
Cross-shopped
What people choose instead of IINA
Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.
Pricing
What IINA costs
Taken from the vendor's own pricing page. Prices move, so check before you buy.
IINA
Free
- Free and open source
- No account or subscription
- Full feature set with no paywall
Capabilities
Features
mpv playback engine
Broad codec and container format support inherited from mpv
Native macOS interface
Proper menus, preferences and gestures rather than a bare video window
Trackpad gestures
Swipe and pinch gestures for seeking, volume and playback speed
Picture-in-picture
Floating video window that stays on top while using other apps
Subtitle and audio track control
On-screen switching between multiple embedded or external tracks
Music mode
A compact mini player layout for audio-only playback
Answered, with sources
Questions people ask
Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.
Is IINA free?
Yes, entirely, and it is open source with no paid tier or subscription.
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.
Does IINA work on Apple TV?
No. IINA is Mac only. For Apple TV playback, Infuse is the comparable option.
Keep looking
Where to go from IINA
- IINA alternativesEvery product people weigh against it
- IINA pricingPlans, floors and what the tiers exclude
- IINA badgesWhich rules it meets, and the figure behind each
- All Entertainment softwareThe full category
- Best Entertainment softwareThe shortlist, and how it was cut
Best Entertainment software for
Compare IINA with
- mpv
- Infuse
- VLC
- Kodi
- Jellyfin
- TikTok
- Dailymotion
- Overcast
- Final Cut Pro
- The Roku Channel
- Unreal Engine
- Plex
- Hulu
- MUBI
- Netflix
- Infuse
- Kodi
- Jellyfin
Other Entertainment software
Free open source command line video player with no graphical interface, built for scripting and precision
Open source11 researched notesPaid media player for Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and Mac with strong network share and cloud library streaming
Free, then $1.99/mo11 researched notesFree ad-supported streaming from Roku, with an optional paid live TV add-on layer
Free plan11 researched notesThe world's most open and advanced real-time 3D creation tool
Free plan8 researched notesPaid media player for Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and Mac with strong network share and cloud library streaming
Free, then $1.99/mo11 researched notes
Softwr does not host reviews and shows no star rating for IINA, because a rating we did not collect is not ours to publish. What is here is the pricing and platform detail from the vendor’s own pages, limitations we could state concretely, and alternatives a reviewer confirmed people weigh against it. Tell us if any of it is wrong.
More on IINA
IINA alternatives
What people switch to, and what they give up
IINA pricing
Every tier, and where the cost actually lands
Compare IINA
Put it head to head with anything we hold
IINA badge
Its rating, and an embed for your own site
Best Entertainment software alternatives
Free open source command line video player with no graphical interface, built for scripting and precision
Open source, no licence feePaid media player for Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and Mac with strong network share and cloud library streaming
Per user per month
Cheap entertainment-only live TV streaming with no sports and no local broadcast channels
Per household per month, single plan
Ticket resale marketplace charging both buyers and sellers, with combined fees often a large share of face value
Free to browse, two sided transaction fees on buyers and sellers
Sports-first live TV streaming bundle with regional sports networks and a cloud DVR
Per household per month, tiered plansFree ad-supported streaming from Roku, with an optional paid live TV add-on layer
Free, ad-supported; individual paid channel add-ons
Cable-replacement live TV streaming with local channels, RSNs and the widest premium channel tiers
Per household per month, tiered plans