VLC media player
Free GPL-2.0 player from VideoLAN that plays discs and streams without codec packs
Music player for PC: what to check before you install
Most music players for Windows are free to download, so price rarely separates them. The useful checks are smaller: installer size, how recently the last update shipped, which licence covers the code, and whether the app depends on an account or a streaming service.
Read more
This page lists 11 apps. Sizes run from 0.6 MB for the YouTube Music desktop app to 193.2 MB for iTunes. Update dates run from February 10, 2025 for Clementine to October 29, 2026 for foobar2000. Licences include GPL, MIT, freeware and proprietary terms.
None of the 11 is confirmed as ad-free, and none holds a top tier rating here. Use the notes below as a checklist, then read each app's own page for the details.
Apps in this category
Spotify
Spotify for Windows streams music and podcasts, build 1.3.6.1921, 149.9 MB
foobar2000
Free 7.6 MB Windows audio player from Peter Pawlowski, version 2.26.2
Winamp
Free 12.4 MB Winamp 5.92 player for Windows 7 and later, official download
iTunes
Apple's free Windows media library and iPhone sync tool, version 12.13.12.3
TIDAL
Hi-fi music and video streaming client for Windows, 187 MB, version 2.47.0
Deezer
Deezer 8.0.10: free French music and podcast streaming app for Windows
YouTube Music
Free MIT-licensed YouTube Music desktop client with ad blocker and plugins
Plexamp
Free Plex-based Windows music player, 16.4 MB, from Plex, Inc.
Clementine
Free GPL-3.0 music player for Windows, 60.9 MB, downloaded from GitHub
Dopamine 3
Free GPL-3.0 Windows music player with playback speed and wave progress bar
__NAME__
__LINE__
Top 5 picks
VLC media player
VLC, from VideoLAN, is at version 3.0.24 and was updated on September 21, 2026. The installer is 44.1 MB and the code is under GPL-2.0, so it can be inspected. The developer says it plays most formats without codec packs and carries no ads or tracking, but we have not verified that.
foobar2000
foobar2000 is small at 7.6 MB, and its version 2.26.2 is the most recently updated on the list, dated October 29, 2026. It is freeware rather than open source, so the code is not available to read. It is an advanced audio player for Windows.
Winamp
Winamp is a 12.4 MB download at version 5.92.0.10042, last updated September 21, 2026. Its licence is proprietary, and Winamp SA is the developer. It is a desktop player for Windows, so check the app page for formats and features before relying on it.
Clementine
Clementine is a multiplatform player under GPL-3.0, 60.9 MB at version 1.4.1. Its last update is February 10, 2025, the oldest on this list. That does not make it unusable, but it is the one to weigh if recent maintenance matters to you.
YouTube Music
This YouTube Music desktop app is published by th-ch and uses an MIT licence. It is only 0.6 MB at version 3.12.0, updated June 28, 2026. It offers custom plugins and a built-in ad blocker and downloader. Check who publishes an app before you sign in to any account through it.
Questions and answers
Which music player for PC has the smallest download?
In this list, the YouTube Music desktop app is smallest at 0.6 MB, followed by foobar2000 at 7.6 MB and Winamp at 12.4 MB. The largest are iTunes at 193.2 MB and TIDAL at 187 MB.
How do I tell whether a player is still maintained?
Compare the version and the update date on each page. foobar2000 was updated on October 29, 2026, while Clementine's last update is February 10, 2025. A date alone does not prove quality, but it shows recent activity.
Does a free price mean a music player has no ads?
No. Every app here is free, yet none is confirmed as ad-free. VLC's developer says it has no ads, but we have not verified that. For streaming apps, read the app page for plan details.
Related categories
Best-of lists
Decide first whether your music lives in local files or in a streaming catalog. Local players such as foobar2000 and VLC work from files on your drive. Spotify at 149.9 MB and Deezer at 81.3 MB are built around their own catalogs and need an account to be useful.
If you want to read the code, filter by licence: VLC is GPL-2.0, Clementine is GPL-3.0, and the YouTube Music app is MIT. Proprietary and freeware apps cannot be inspected the same way.