LitPlayer: An Android Video Player with Support for SMB and Jellyfin
The Android video player LitPlayer debuts, offering direct access to network media like SMB, WebDAV, FTP, Jellyfin, and UPnP. It supports TV devices and boasts a lightweight installation size of just over 12MB.
Chinese tech media outlet Appinn introduced “LitPlayer,” an Android video player developed by individual creator daluobo, on June 27, 2026. LitPlayer is compatible with smartphones, tablets, and Android TVs, providing playback for local media as well as direct access to network media resources such as SMB, WebDAV, FTP, Jellyfin, and UPnP.
According to the developer, LitPlayer was created due to the lack of suitable players on the market. Many existing apps either offer limited functionality with a basic interface or feature robust capabilities with unintuitive user interfaces.
Technical Features
LitPlayer utilizes Media3 ExoPlayer as its playback core, with an installation package size of just over 12MB. Its main features include local audio and video playback, network streaming playback, and gesture-based playback controls. Users can double-tap to play/pause, swipe to fast-forward/rewind, adjust volume and brightness via gestures, and hold to enable speed playback.
Additional features include song switching via shaking, timer playback, picture-in-picture mode, background playback, and settings for automatic skipping of intros and endings. External subtitles are supported in formats such as SRT, ASS, and VTT, with full support for ASS effect subtitle styles.
The app also includes a feature to synchronize media settings between mobile devices and TV devices. TV-specific components have been developed natively to ensure optimal functionality.
Version Variants
LitPlayer is offered in four versions. For smartphones and tablets, there are “Lite” and “Prod” versions, with minimum Android requirements of 6.0 for Lite and 8.0 for Prod. Similarly, TV-compatible versions include Lite (Android 7.0 and above) and Prod (Android 8.0 and above). The key difference between the versions is support for UPnP media servers, which is available in the Prod version but not in the Lite version.
The app is available on GitHub, although it is not open-source. The developer has clarified that the project originated from personal needs and, at this point, has no plans to release its license or source code.
Position Among Existing Players
There is a wide variety of Android video players available, such as VLC for Android, MX Player, and Kodi. However, these apps differ significantly in terms of their support for network protocols, lightweight design, and user-friendly interfaces. LitPlayer stands out for its emphasis on integration with home media servers like SMB, WebDAV, and Jellyfin. Its practical features, including background playback and comprehensive subtitle support, make it a focused and streamlined option.
Jellyfin, in particular, is gaining traction as an open-source media server solution, but there are limited player options that support it. This makes LitPlayer a potentially valuable addition to the market. Furthermore, the development of native components for TV devices adds an element of differentiation in terms of usability.
Editorial Opinion
In the short term, LitPlayer presents an appealing choice for users leveraging home media servers. Its lightweight 12MB size offers a clear advantage compared to existing multi-functional players like VLC (~50MB) and Kodi (over 200MB). However, concerns remain about its privacy policy and data collection practices, as it is developed by an individual in China. Given that the app requests access to network resources, its reliability and security warrant scrutiny. As we reported earlier on the free availability of SMPTE’s video technology standards, adherence to industry standards could enhance transparency.
From a long-term perspective, the sustainability of individual developer-led projects like LitPlayer is a critical issue. Since the app isn’t open-source, it lacks the benefits of community-driven improvements and extensions. Its future development depends entirely on the developer’s motivation and time, which may lead to delays in adapting to Android OS updates and supporting new codecs.
References
- 播播機 (LitPlayer) – Android Video Player, TV Supported | Appinn — Published June 27, 2026
- LitPlayer GitHub Repository — Developer’s official page
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is LitPlayer free to use?
- There is currently no official announcement regarding pricing. According to Appinn's article, it is available for download on GitHub, and similar individual-developed apps are often free. However, future charges or ads cannot be ruled out.
- Does LitPlayer support a Japanese user interface?
- The developer, daluobo, is a Chinese speaker, and the Appinn article is written in Chinese. While the UI likely supports Chinese or English, Japanese language support is currently unconfirmed. Since the app is based on Media3 ExoPlayer, adding language resources should be relatively straightforward.
- What codecs does LitPlayer support?
- The player uses Media3 ExoPlayer as its core, which supports major codecs like H.264, H.265, VP9, AV1, AAC, and OPUS. However, playback compatibility ultimately depends on the device's hardware decoding capabilities, and the complete list of supported codecs should be checked in the official documentation.
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