Best apps
Best app to AirPlay from Mac to TV (2026)
Five apps that get video from your Mac onto an Apple TV or AirPlay 2 smart TV, ranked with our method shown, plus the free option that's already on your Mac.
Your Mac can already AirPlay MP4 and MOV files and mirror its screen. You need an app when your videos are MKV, AVI or WebM, when you want subtitles from an .srt file, or when you also own a Chromecast. These are the apps worth considering in 2026.
Disclosure
We make CastPanda. Our ranking criteria are shown below. Competitor details come from each vendor’s own website or App Store listing, checked in October 2026 and linked in the sources.
The ranking at a glance
| App | Also casts to Chromecast | Price | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. CastPanda | Yes | One-time | 7 days, full |
| 2. Airflow | Yes | $18.99 one-time | 20-minute playback |
| 3. Elmedia Player PRO | Yes | $19.99 upgrade | 5 minutes of streaming |
| 4. Beamer 4 | Yes | Subscription | 24 hours |
| 5. Infuse | Not from a Mac | Pro from $1.99/month | 7 days of Pro |
| Built into macOS | No | Free | — |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
How we compared
We looked at what each app does for the most common job: playing a video file that’s on your Mac on a TV. We ranked on four criteria, in this order:
- Format support and seeking. Does it play the files TVs reject (MKV, AVI, WebM…), and can you jump around without waiting?
- Device coverage. AirPlay to Apple TV and AirPlay 2 smart TVs is required; also casting to Chromecast from the same app is a plus, since many homes have both.
- Simplicity. How few steps from file to TV, with no setup on the TV side.
- Price model and trial. One-time purchases rank above subscriptions; longer, less restricted trials rank higher.
We didn’t benchmark other companies’ apps, so we make no claims about their speed or picture quality. Features, prices and trials are as published by each vendor; they change, so check before you buy.
#1: CastPandaBest overall: any file, simply
CastPanda is the app we make, built for exactly this job: drop a video, a folder or a playlist on the window, pick your TV, press play. H.264 videos in MP4 or MKV files are sent to the TV untouched, at original quality; everything else is converted as it plays on your Mac’s built-in media engine, and because each part is prepared on demand, you can skip to any scene without waiting. It streams to Apple TV, AirPlay 2 TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio, and to Chromecast, with playlists, resume, audio track switching, built-in or separate subtitles in an adjustable style, and 5.1 surround.
Why it’s #1 on our criteria: it plays almost any format with instant seeking, covers AirPlay and Chromecast, needs no setup on the TV, and is a one-time purchase with a full 7-day trial.
- Price
- $9.99, one-time license
- Free trial
- 7 days, every feature
- Streams to
- Apple TV, AirPlay 2 TVs, Chromecast, Google Cast TVs
- Requires
- macOS 26 or later
Pros
- Plays almost any format (MKV, AVI, MP4, MOV, WebM…) by converting as it plays
- Instant seeking: each part is prepared on demand
- AirPlay and Chromecast in one simple app
- Sends H.264 MP4 and MKV video untouched; converts the rest on the Mac’s media engine
- Playlists (folders and M3U), resume, and audio track switching
- Built-in text subtitles, plus .srt, .ass, .vtt and more, with size, timing and background box controls
- 5.1 surround sound
- Quality presets (Automatic, 4K, 1080p, 720p); keeps your Mac awake
- One-time purchase; 7-day trial with no playback limit
- Video never leaves your home network; no account
#2: AirflowOne-time purchase, 20-minute trial
Airflow streams to Apple TV, AirPlay 2 TVs and Chromecast, and transcodes what the TV can’t play, using hardware acceleration where available. It’s a one-time purchase.
Why it’s not #1: its free version cuts playback at 20 minutes, so you can’t try it on a whole movie. See CastPanda vs Airflow.
- Price
- $18.99 one-time
- Free trial
- Every feature, playback limited to 20 minutes
- Streams to
- Apple TV, AirPlay 2 TVs, Chromecast, Google Cast TVs
Pros
- Plays formats the TV can’t by transcoding as it plays
- Playlists and resume from where you stopped
- Audio track selection
- Embedded text and external subtitle files
- Hardware-accelerated transcoding on supported computers
Cons
- Free version stops playback after 20 minutes
#3: Elmedia Player PROStreaming is a paid upgrade
Elmedia Player is a Mac video player; streaming to AirPlay and Chromecast devices is part of its PRO upgrade.
Why it ranks here: streaming requires the PRO upgrade, and the free version only lets you stream for 5 minutes before you decide. See CastPanda vs Elmedia Player.
- PRO upgrade
- $19.99 in-app purchase
- Free trial
- Streaming works for 5 minutes in the free version
- Streams to
- AirPlay, Chromecast/Google Cast
Pros
- Playlists and audio track selection
- Embedded text and external subtitles while streaming
Cons
- Streaming requires the PRO upgrade
- Only 5 minutes of streaming to try it in the free version
#4: Beamer 4Subscription only
Softorino’s Beamer streams to Apple TV, AirPlay 2 TVs and Chromecast, with playlists and audio track switching. Softorino sells it only as a subscription, its Universal License.
Why it ranks here: it’s subscription-only and the trial lasts a day. See CastPanda vs Beamer.
- Price
- Subscription (Softorino Universal License)
- Free trial
- 24 hours
- Streams to
- Apple TV, AirPlay 2 TVs, Chromecast, Google Cast TVs
Pros
- Playlists and queues
- Audio track selection
- Embedded text and external subtitles
Cons
- Only available as a subscription
- Pricing is described differently across Softorino’s own pages
- Short, 24-hour trial
#5: InfuseNeeds setup on the Apple TV
Infuse is a different kind of answer. Rather than AirPlaying from the Mac, most people install it on the Apple TV and point it at the Mac’s shared folders. Infuse for Mac can also AirPlay, as a Pro feature.
Why it ranks here for this job: as a way to AirPlay from a Mac, it needs Pro and doesn’t reach Chromecast, and its usual setup needs File Sharing on the Mac and Infuse on the Apple TV. See CastPanda vs Infuse.
- Infuse Pro
- $1.99/month, $16.99/year or $99.99 lifetime
- Free trial
- 7 days of Pro
Pros
- Plays MKV, MP4 and more
Cons
- AirPlay from the Mac requires Infuse Pro
- No Chromecast from a Mac (Google Cast is iPhone and iPad only)
- Needs setup: File Sharing on the Mac, Infuse on the Apple TV
The free option: built into macOSGood for MP4, MOV and screen mirroring
Before buying anything, try what your Mac already has. Screen Mirroring in Control Center shows your screen, or a window, on any Apple TV or AirPlay 2 TV, and the AirPlay button in QuickTime Player, Safari and the TV app sends a video straight to the TV. It’s free and works well for MP4, MOV and M4V files. It won’t open most MKV or AVI files, doesn’t load .srt subtitles, and can’t reach a Chromecast. Our guide to AirPlaying from a Mac walks through it.
Our recommendation
For almost everyone who wants to AirPlay video from a Mac, CastPanda is the one to get: it sends files the TV can play at original quality and converts everything else with instant seeking, reaches Apple TV, AirPlay 2 TVs and Chromecast from one simple window, handles playlists, subtitles and audio tracks, and costs one payment with a full 7-day trial. Try CastPanda free for 7 days.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an app to AirPlay from my Mac?
Not for MP4, MOV and M4V files or screen mirroring; macOS does that for free. You need an app for formats Apple’s players won’t open, such as MKV and AVI, for external .srt subtitles, or to cast to a Chromecast.
What is the best free way to AirPlay MKV files?
Play the file in a free Mac player such as VLC or IINA and mirror your screen from Control Center, or convert it to MP4 first with a free tool. Mirroring quality is lower than streaming the file, and converting takes time before you can watch. CastPanda streams the MKV itself, converting as it plays, and you can try it free for 7 days.
Which apps work without a subscription?
CastPanda and Airflow are one-time purchases. Elmedia Player PRO is a one-time $19.99 upgrade on the Mac App Store. Infuse Pro offers a lifetime option alongside monthly and yearly plans. Beamer is subscription-only.
Sources
Competitor details were checked on each vendor’s own website or App Store page in October 2026. Prices and features change; check the vendor’s site before you buy.
- CastPanda: features and pricing
- Airflow: official homepage (features, price, trial)
- Elmedia Player: PRO features
- Elmedia Video Player on the Mac App Store (PRO price, 5-minute streaming note)
- Beamer 4: official product page (Softorino)
- Beamer 4: Softorino store page
- Softorino store FAQ (trial and money-back guarantee)
- Infuse: features, Pro features and pricing (Firecore)
- Infuse release notes (AirPlay on macOS since 7.3)
- Firecore community: Google Cast support on macOS
- Apple Support: Stream video and audio with AirPlay (Mac User Guide)