LinuxAlternative
CelluloidLinux vs MPC-HCWindows

Celluloid as a Linux alternative to MPC-HC

Updated

Our verdict

Celluloid can serve as a solid replacement for MPC‑HC for users who want a lightweight, GNOME‑style player that supports most common video and audio formats. It is ideal for Linux desktop users who prefer a simple interface, low resource usage, and the ability to use external mpv configuration files. It will satisfy the needs of most MPC‑HC users, though those who rely on Windows‑specific features or deep customization may find some gaps.

Feature parity85%
License
GPL-3.0+
Price
Free
Latest version
0.30 (March 28, 2026)
Rating
—
Celluloid screenshot
The main window showing the application in action

What works the same

  • Both use a lightweight playback engine (mpv for Celluloid, libmpv/ffmpeg for MPC‑HC) and support a wide range of video and audio formats.
  • Both allow drag‑and‑drop playlist creation and manage multiple tracks such as subtitles and external audio streams.
  • Both provide keyboard shortcuts for basic playback control and can be configured via external configuration files.
  • Both support MPRIS2 for integration with desktop media controls.
  • Both are open‑source and free to use.
  • differences

What is different

Key features of Celluloid

  • mpv‑based playback engine
  • GTK+ interface following GNOME HIG
  • Drag‑and‑drop playlist support
  • External mpv config file loading
  • MPRIS2 D‑Bus control
  • Keyboard shortcuts for play/pause, seek, volume
  • Playlist management
  • MPRIS2 media player controls

How to install Celluloid on Linux

Flatpak (Flathub)flatpak install flathub io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid
Ubuntu / Mintsudo apt install celluloid
Debiansudo apt install celluloid
Fedorasudo dnf install celluloid
Arch / Manjarosudo pacman -S celluloid
openSUSEsudo zypper install celluloid

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