The latest version of PowerDVD offers some nice improvements to its predecessor. Specifically, there’s now support for 8K videos and also an option that lets you generate and share a hyperlink for movies stored in your media cloud so you can invite friends to watch.

Of course, the software also lets you watch Bluray discs (specifically the Ultra version; unfortunately, the basic understanding of PowerDVD doesn't have this functionality). You can also cast movies to other devices in your house using the software or even install the PowerDVD app on your Apple TV or Chromecast device to browse your media library directly.

PowerDVD 21 offers much more functionality than a basic Bluray player program, which is reflected in the price. At $99.99, it may seem quite expensive, but it has 100GB of cloud storage, so you can store your movies and share them with friends.

It also has a powerful upscaling technique that can make a massive difference in picture quality if you have a few older DVDs you want to watch. In addition, videos can be watched on multiple devices simultaneously, allowing you to stream to both laptops and phones if needed. The program also marks precisely when you stopped watching the video so you can resume where you left off.

Reasons to buy

• Incredibly easy to navigate
• Allows you to share movies with friends
• Use your smartphone as a remote control

Reasons to avoid

• No mac compatibility-not cheap

Website: https://www.cyberlink.com/

Macgo, as the name suggests, is Blu-ray playback software that runs on the macOS. It can handle many file formats, including AVI, MP4, MOV, MKV, and WMV. The software is easy to use and lets you quickly customize your browsing experience thanks to a wide range of “settings” options.

Many users love the Macgo for its relatively low price ($70) and high print quality. The downside, however, is that the cost of this software has risen steadily over the years to the point where, despite the excellent service Macgo offers, the options of its competitors may offer better value.

Another problem with using this software is the lack of support for BDLive. This means that you will not be able to use this software to access additional server-hosted content from your movie studio. The software process also consumes a lot of power, and there are no battery-saving options.

However, Macgo software is generally a good option. Despite the recent price increase, it is still reasonably priced, and users appreciate the excellent customer service the company provides.

Reasons to buy

• Cheap
• Upscales DVDs to fit your HD TV or computer screen
• Easy to use

Reasons to avoid

• It’s a resource hog
• No 3D upscaling
  
• No BD-Live support

Website: https://macblurayplayer.com/

If you're looking for a program to play Blurays while you do other things on your computer, the Leawo Bluray Player is the best choice.

When we tested this software, it used only about four percent of our system resources. Other programs we reviewed use nearly half of your processing power to play a movie. With the Leawo, you can watch movies on your computer and do other processor-heavy tasks without slowing down your film or other programs.

Because it's so lightweight, you'll miss out on many extras in the best Bluray player software. For example, HD upscaling, preferences, simultaneous viewing options, or BDLive networking support are not provided.

There is a free version of this software available for download, but be aware that many users report crashing issues regularly.

Reasons to buy

• Uses only 4% of your computer’s processing power
• It can take advantage of touchscreen monitors and display
• Power manager allows you to maximize battery life without sacrificing video quality
• Now totally free

Reasons to avoid

• No upscaling features
  
• Doesn't support BD-Live features
  

Website: https://www.leawo.com/

When testing the best Blu-ray player software, we measured the time from when the play button was pressed until the movie started playing. Aiseesoft Bluray Player only takes 5 seconds to start displaying the film.

This is the fastest time we have recorded. By comparison, our top pick takes up to 15 seconds to start playing. The longest we've seen was with WinDVD, which took 22 seconds.

However, this software has serious drawbacks. It lacks many features you're looking for in this category, including HD and 3D upscaling and lossless audio playback. It also takes up to 44% of processing power, putting a significant strain on system resources.

Reasons to buy

• Starts playing movies within eight seconds of pushing the play button

Reasons to avoid

• It’s a major resource hog

Website: https://www.aiseesoft.com/blu-ray-player/

It not only plays Bluray discs perfectly, but you can also use it to play DVDs and CDs. It can also upscale standard-definition DVD footage for HD screens.

And it effectively smooths out pixelation and artifacts that can result from upscaling. You'll still get great features, such as customizable skins, environmental settings, BDLive network support, power manager, social media connectivity, and more. However, you won't be able to use your smartphone as a remote control or take advantage of your device's touchscreen.

It is worth noting that this is the slowest starting Bluray player we reviewed. During the testing phase, we measured the amount of time it took for each program to start playing the disc after the play button was pressed. WinDVD Pro just takes 22 seconds. The others we tested only took 5 seconds.

Reasons to buy

• Outstanding upscaling capabilities

Reasons to avoid

• Takes an exceptionally long time to start playing a Blu-ray disc

Website: https://www.windvdpro.com