Best Free Music Players Without Ads

VLC for Android comes from Videolabs and is published under GPL-3.0-only. It has no ads and no in-app purchases. Google Play shows over 500 million installs and a rating of 4.

The app handles video and audio files, network streams, network shares and drives, and DVD ISOs, much like the desktop version. It also works as a full audio player with its own media database. Version 3.7.2 was updated on October 16, 2026.

It asks for storage access to read media on the device and on SD cards or USB storage. At 47.3 MB it is the largest of the ad-free apps here.

NewPipe is a lightweight YouTube front end from Team NewPipe, licensed GPL-3.0-or-later. It does not use Google framework libraries or the YouTube API. It reads the website for the information it needs instead.

Because of that, it runs on devices without Google Services, and you do not need a YouTube account. The app is free, carries no ads and takes up 11 MB. Version 0.29.1 was updated on August 21, 2026.

It suits people who listen to music on YouTube and want to avoid the official app. It is not built to manage a library of local audio files.

Fossify Music Player is an open-source music player from Fossify, licensed GPL-3.0-only. It is free and has no ads, which is the main point of the app. It adds a customizable home screen widget and a sleep timer.

The app weighs 10.6 MB, making it one of the smaller options here. Version 1.8.5 was updated on October 27, 2026, the most recent date among the five ad-free apps.

It is a straightforward choice if you want a music app without ads that focuses on playing your own files and not on streaming or video.

Apollo is a music player by nuclearfog, licensed GPL-3.0-or-later. It is a fork of the Apollo player from CyanogenMod and targets Android 5.0 and newer. The app is free and has no ads.

At 1.8 MB it is the smallest app in this list by a wide margin. Version 1.7.9 was updated on September 20, 2026, so the project is still maintained.

Its description calls it modern, intuitive and customizable, but it names no specific features beyond that. Expect a basic player, not a tool with streaming or video support.

Music Player & MP3 from Hitchhike Tech is an offline player that works with synced lyrics, custom playlists and a built-in equalizer. Google Play lists over 100 million installs and a rating of 4.6. Version 2.11.1 was updated on November 4, 2026.

The app is free to install, but it shows ads and includes in-app purchases. That rules it out if your goal is a music app without ads, so it sits here as a comparison point.

It makes sense mainly for people who accept ads in exchange for lyrics and equalizer controls.

Lark Player comes from Lark Player Studio and plays offline music and video. It offers themes, an equalizer, lyrics and several play modes, plus file management such as deleting files and building playlists. Google Play shows over 500 million installs and a 4.6 rating.

Version 2027.1.8 was updated on November 4, 2026, and the download is 30.2 MB. The app is free, but it contains ads and in-app purchases, so it does not meet an ad-free requirement.

It is the better fit for listeners who value appearance settings and are fine with advertising.

PipePipe is a free, open-source app by NullPointerException, licensed GPL-3.0-or-later, that browses YouTube, NicoNico and BiliBili. It has no ads. It builds on the NewPipe idea and adds SponsorBlock for YouTube and BiliBili, ReturnYouTubeDislike, bullet comments, live chats and search filters.

For music use, it has a music player mode with background playing and a sleep timer. Version 5.5.0 was updated on October 25, 2026, and the app is 31.1 MB.

Like NewPipe, it centers on online video platforms, so it is a poor match for browsing files stored on the phone.

DiscDj 3D Music Player from GameG turns playback into a virtual DJ mixer with two discs, album art and central controls for play, pause and track changes. It also has autofade, an automatic crossfade with an adjustable timer, and a button click fade.

Google Play lists over 10 million installs and a 4.6 rating. Version v12.2.1s was updated on October 30, 2026, and it supports Android 4.4 and newer.

The app is free but contains ads and in-app purchases. It is a novelty player for parties, not a pick for anyone who wants a music app without ads.