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VideoLan

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Last updated on

Company health

Employee growth
15% increase in the last year

Ratings

G2
4.7/5
(616)

VideoLan description

VideoLan is a non-profit organization that offers free multimedia software. Its flagship product, VLC media player, is a versatile program available across various operating systems. VLC plays a wide variety of video and audio formats, including DVDs, CDs, and streaming protocols. VideoLan focuses on providing reliable and accessible multimedia solutions for everyone. What sets it apart is its open-source nature, allowing a community of developers to continuously improve and expand its capabilities.


Who is VideoLan best for

VLC Media Player is a free, versatile, and cross-platform multimedia solution. Users love its wide format support, user-friendly interface, and extensive features like subtitle support and playback speed control. However, some users have reported issues with seeking, 4K video playback, and online streaming. Ideal for individuals and businesses seeking a reliable and free multimedia player.

  • Best for small, medium, and large businesses.

  • Suitable for various industries, including Healthcare, Finance, E-commerce, Retail, and more.


VideoLan features

Supported

VideoLAN is developed and maintained by the non-profit VideoLAN organization.

Supported

VLC supports various streaming protocols like RTP, RTSP, HTTP, FTP, and more.

Supported

VLC media player supports DVD playback.

Supported

VLC Media Player is free and open-source, with no limitations on features.

Supported

VLC media player is open source and allows community contributions.

Qualities

We evaluate the sentiment that users express about non-functional aspects of the software

Value and Pricing Transparency

Strongly positive
+1

Ease of Use

Strongly positive
+0.9

Reliability and Performance

Rather positive
+0.37

Ease of Implementation

Strongly positive
+1

VideoLan reviews

We've summarised 612 VideoLan reviews (VideoLan G2 reviews) and summarised the main points below.

Pros of VideoLan
  • Plays a wide variety of audio and video formats, including DVDs, CDs, and streaming protocols.
  • Easy-to-use functionality and a great user interface.
  • Supports multiple languages.
  • Can stream videos directly from links.
  • Supports high video quality.
  • Numerous customizable shortcuts.
  • Playback speed control.
  • Subtitle support.
  • Volume boost feature.
  • Screen recording functionality.
  • Lightweight and fast.
  • Open source.
Cons of VideoLan
  • Difficulty seeking in some video formats, requiring watching from the start if the seek bar is changed.
  • Occasional crashes when playing 4K video files.
  • Online streaming buffering issues.
  • Inaccurate online subtitle downloads.
  • Mobile app lacks desktop version features.
  • Limited online streaming options.
  • Mobile app navigation can be tricky, especially fast-forwarding and seeking.
  • Lagging issues where video and audio become misaligned, requiring a restart.
  • UI looks outdated and could be improved.
  • Some codecs require additional effort to synchronize subtitles.
  • Subtitles not always synced properly, particularly with non-MP4 formats.
  • Occasional stability issues and crashes.
  • Resource intensive when playing high-quality video files.
  • Limited media management features like playlists.
  • UI can be complex to navigate.

VideoLan pricing

The commentary is based on 65 reviews from VideoLan G2 reviews.

VLC Media Player is completely free and open-source. Users consistently praise its versatility and ability to play virtually any video or audio format without needing additional codecs. This makes VLC a cost-effective and powerful media player solution.

Users sentiment

Strongly positive
+1

VideoLan alternatives

  • Logo of Kodi
    Kodi
    Free, open-source media center. Play and organize your media. Highly customizable.
    Read more
  • Logo of GOM Player Plus
    GOM Player Plus
    Ad-free, enhanced video playback with subtitles and screen capture.
    Read more
  • Logo of AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player
    AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player
    Play any Blu-ray, DVD, or media file, hassle-free.
    Read more
  • Logo of FFmpeg
    FFmpeg
    Command-line magic for converting, compressing, streaming any audio/video.
    Read more
  • Logo of Avidemux
    Avidemux
    Free video editor for simple cuts, filters, and encoding.
    Read more
  • Logo of Wowza Video
    Wowza Video
    Stream, manage, and deliver video reliably and at scale.
    Read more

VideoLan FAQ

  • What is VideoLan and what does VideoLan do?

    VideoLan is a non-profit providing free, open-source multimedia software. Its primary product, VLC media player, plays various audio and video formats, including DVDs, CDs, and streaming protocols, across multiple operating systems. Known for its versatility and broad format support, VLC is enhanced by its active community of developers.

  • How does VideoLan integrate with other tools?

    VideoLan (VLC) integrates with other tools primarily through its extensive format support and streaming capabilities. It plays files from various sources, including DVDs, CDs, and network streams, and supports integration with streaming protocols like RTP, RTSP, HTTP, and FTP.

  • What the main competitors of VideoLan?

    Top VideoLan (VLC) alternatives include Freemake, HandBrake, and Steve AI. Freemake offers video conversion and DVD ripping, while HandBrake focuses on video transcoding. Steve AI uses AI for video creation. Each offers unique features catering to different multimedia needs.

  • Is VideoLan legit?

    Yes, VideoLan is a legitimate non-profit organization offering the safe and versatile VLC media player for free. It's open-source and supports various video and audio formats, including DVDs, CDs, and streaming protocols. VLC is widely used and trusted across multiple platforms.

  • How much does VideoLan cost?

    VLC Media Player is completely free and open-source. There are no hidden costs or fees associated with downloading or using the software. It's a great value for those seeking a robust, versatile media player.

  • Is VideoLan customer service good?

    VLC doesn't have a dedicated customer support team. Users rely on community forums and online resources for assistance. While some find this sufficient, others have noted the lack of official support as a drawback.


Reviewed by

MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.