RhythmboxLinux
vs
Foobar2000Windows
Rhythmbox as a Linux alternative to Foobar2000
Updated
Our verdict
Rhythmbox can replace Foobar2000 for most everyday listening tasks, especially if you value integration with the GNOME desktop and want a player that handles podcasts, internet radio, and device sync out of the box. It matches Foobar2000’s core needs—playing common formats, managing a library, and offering basic UI tweaks—but it lacks the deep custom‑skin system and the extensive DSP plugin ecosystem that power users rely on. If you prefer a straightforward, low‑maintenance player and don’t need extreme visual or audio‑processing tweaks, Rhythmbox is a solid choice; otherwise, Foobar2000‑style power users may feel limited.
- License
- GPL-2.0+ and GFDL-1.3
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 3.5.1 (August 24, 2026)
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Supports MP3, FLAC, AAC and other common audio formats
- Library organization with tagging and folder scanning
- Playlist creation and gapless playback
- Low resource usage suitable for older hardware
What is different
- Foobar2000 offers a highly extensible UI with custom skins; Rhythmbox UI is fixed to GNOME style
- Foobar2000 has a mature DSP/visualiser plugin ecosystem; Rhythmbox plugins are fewer and focus on functionality like podcasts and device sync
- Foobar2000 can import/export its own .fpl playlist format; Rhythmbox uses .m3u/.pls and does not natively read .fpl
Opening your Foobar2000 files
Rhythmbox can open any standard audio file that Foobar2000 plays (MP3, FLAC, AAC, etc.). It does not understand Foobar2000‑specific playlist files (.fpl) or its custom metadata extensions, so you’ll need to export playlists to a common format like M3U from Foobar2000 before importing them into Rhythmbox. Exporting the music library itself is just a matter of copying the files, which both programs read from the same locations.
Switching from Foobar2000 to Rhythmbox, step by step
- Export your Foobar2000 playlists to M3U or XSPF format
- Copy your music folder to the Linux machine or mount the same drive
- Install Rhythmbox via your distro’s package manager (e.g., sudo apt install rhythmbox)
- Open Rhythmbox and point it to the folder containing your music so it can scan and build the library
- Import the exported M3U playlists via Rhythmbox’s ‘Import Playlist’ option
- Configure any optional plugins you need, such as Last.fm scrobbling
Key features of Rhythmbox
- Plays local audio files (MP3, FLAC, OGG, etc.)
- Imports and organizes music from your filesystem
- Supports podcasts and internet radio streams
- Syncs with portable devices including Android
- Integrates with Last.fm for scrobbling
- Extensible via Python and C plugins
- Supports CD ripping and Magnatune integration
- Runs on major Linux distributions via native packages
How to install Rhythmbox on Linux
flatpak install flathub org.gnome.Rhythmbox3sudo apt install rhythmboxsudo apt install rhythmboxsudo dnf install rhythmboxsudo pacman -S rhythmboxsudo zypper install rhythmboxFrequently asked questions
Can Rhythmbox play lossless formats like FLAC?
Yes, Rhythmbox uses GStreamer, which handles FLAC, ALAC, WAV and other lossless codecs out of the box.
Does Rhythmbox support DSP effects similar to Foobar2000’s plugins?
Rhythmbox has limited DSP support; only a few basic equalizer plugins are available, so advanced processing will be missing.
Is there a way to keep my existing Foobar2000 skin themes?
No, Rhythmbox does not support custom skins; you would need to use its default GNOME‑styled interface.
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