Best Kodi Alternatives Overview
In this article, we will discuss the best Kodi alternatives for Firestick and other devices.
The best Kodi alternatives are Stremio, Plex, Emby, Media Portal, BeeTV, and Jellyfin.
Kodi is the most popular platform for people to stream and watch content for free online. Since it started in 2002, Kodi has been downloaded over 50 million times. Just because it’s popular, doesn’t mean Kodi is perfect. There are still some other drawbacks of using this app.
Kodi is widely used for a few good reasons. The software is supported and platform agnostics. There is a massive range of add-ons and content. Plus, it tends to be the first software on anyone’s lips when people talk about streaming online.
In order to install Kodi, you need to Jailbreak Your Firestick first. With the help of the Downloader app, you can easily install easily.
We recommend using a VPN service while streaming on Kodi. This is to protect your identity while accessing content online. Use a VPN every time even with the best Kodi alternatives.
Best Kodi Alternatives
Stremio
Stremio is the best Kodi alternative. It has been going since 2016, and quickly gained popularity for its slick user interface and great add-ons.
A big difference between Kodi and Stremio is that with Stremio you don’t need to download, and host add-ons on your device. Everything is added to your account which is stored on Stremio servers. This is particularly helpful if you have a low RAM or low storage device like an Amazon Firestick.
Just like Kodi, Stremio is completely legal, however, there is a growing library of community add-ons that give you access to a wide range of free content. As well as unifying your media library and premium subscriptions like Netflix or Amazon Prime TV.
Stremio has a much nicer interface and dashboard than Kodi. It’s much easier to navigate your content and add-ons. You also get an inbuilt TV calendar and can keep track of everything you have watched. So, you don’t need to sign up for Trakt.TV to track your content. Step-by-step installation screenshot for Stremio
What Makes Stremio Great?
A couple of big pros for Stremio is that you use very little storage space as everything is cloud-based, plus security is much better. You don’t have to download anything and install it on your computer, so even if an add-on is malicious, it’s Stremio’s problem, not yours.
They also have great add-ons which allow you to access and download directly from torrents. Including Pirate Bay, RARBG, and Juan Carlos 2. Most streams for any add-on come from torrents anyway. This just means you get to cut out the middleman and stream directly from the source. Though this does mean a bit more leg work on your part, as links aren’t curated as much as they might be in some Kodi add-ons.
Stremio, may not have as big an ecosystem as Kodi, and certainly doesn’t have as many add-ons. But for a new streamer, who isn’t that tech-savvy and wants a simple click-and-play service, Stremio is well worth trying out.
Plex
Plex is probably the one Kodi alternative that you’ve heard of, it originally came from a ported version of Kodi in 2007 but has since evolved into quite a public and versatile media player.
They originally served content from a wide range of premium media producers like Hulu and Netflix, but they have since separated. Now they offer a complete media package. You can get everything from a Tidal music subscription to arranging the media on your device beautifully and playing a holiday slideshow for the family.
What’s the Difference Between Plex and Kodi?
Plex has come a long way since forking Kodi. Plex really comes into its own when you purchase a Plex Pass which costs $4.99 a month. Or you can $119.99 and get access for a lifetime, and up to 15 users on one account.
The big selling point for Plex Pass is the ability to record and watch back Live TV and access its massive library of content. Honestly, it’s kind of questionable whether you would pick Plex over Netflix.
You also get access to additional features, like access to early media releases, perks, and probably most importantly syncing your media across multiple devices. So, you can have Plex on your TV, sync it up with your phone and keep watching your favorite box set as you travel to work.
Plex is a great solution for unifying a home media center for the family, it has all the perks from photo tagging, premium music audio, and content, including syncing across multiple devices. So, one household could use a single Plex Pass and all get what they want. You can even put child locks on the account and curate content.
Plex is easy to use but lacks the open-source nature of Kodi, so there is a much-reduced number of third-party community add-ons, but there is a good selection of unofficial channels and streams through the Unsupported App Store.
Emby
Emby is the newest of the 3 media platformers we’re reviewing today. Starting in 2017, Emby has gained popularity by being more open source in nature than Plex. Though they are quite similar. Even down to the premium subscription model.
If you like the flexibility and tweaking you get with Kodi, then Emby could well be the right media player for you. It offers greater versatility, even altering the CSS styling sheet. But this might be for the more technically minded.
What’s Better Plex or Emby?
On price they are identical, but when it comes to technical know-how and installation, plex is certainly better designed for the mass market and much easier to get started with initially.
Plex has also been around longer and is back by VCs so will feel much slicker when it comes to their UI. Though a big plus point for Emby is that free users can stream Live TV free if they are using the web application. Though you’ll have to pay a premium if you want to watch it on another device.
When it comes to devising compatibility and streaming from any device, they bear anything else currently on the market. They have an application for pretty much every device. Emby doesn’t. you’ll need to do it via the web, Apple or Samsung TV, or Roku.
Emby also loses out when it comes to third-party add-ons, being so young it is still attracting and growing its community. Having said that, it seems less rigid than Plex and offers greater usability as a free user.
Choose Emby if you want better functionality as a free user, rather than having to pay.
YOUR INTERNET ACTIVITY IS BEING WATCHED
ReviewVPN cannot attest to the legality, security and privacy of the applications discussed on this site. It is highly recommended that you use a VPN service while streaming or using Kodi.
Currently, your IP 44.200.168.16 is visible to everyone and your Browser is being tracked by Advertisers & ISP Provider.
Here are the main reasons why you must use a VPN:
- Your activities are hidden from your ISP, the government, and from the apps you are using.
- You can access additional movies and TV streams.
- ISP attempts to throttle are thrwarted thus reducing buffering issues.
- Geographically restricted content like Netflix and Hulu can be unblocked.
A VPN works be replacing your ISP-assigned IP address and creating an encrypted tunnel. We recommend the no log service offered by IPVanish. It works well on a Firestick and offers the fastest possible speeds.
Legal Disclaimer: ReviewVPN.com does not encourage or endorse any illegal activity involved in the usage of services and applications referenced on this site. We do not verify the licensing agreements of services. The end-user is wholly responsible for ensuring that any media accessed through these services does not violate copyright and/or licensing laws. ReviewVPN does not promote, link to, or receive compensation from any Apps and IPTV services.
Install Surfshark on Firestick
Media Portal
Media Portal is also an amazing Kodi alternative. It is a tool that can make your device into a media hub. This is very applicable to your computers or Windows.
Using Media Portal, you can easily connect your device to a TV, Projector, DVD player, etc.
Media Portal works with different plugins to make users watch different movies and shows online. This makes it a remarkable alternative to Kodi.
BeeTV
There are a lot of 3rd-party applications that you can use on firestick to watch movies, and TV shows online. Starting from Terrarium TV, you can also use Titanium TV, TeaTV, and Cinema HD. All of them are parts of the Best Apps for Firestick and are best Kodi alternatives. But since Cinema HD is shutting down, BeeTV is becoming more popular than it already is.
BeeTV is very easy to use. It provides links from all over the internet to watch any titles you like. The best thing is, it is 100% free. It is also best to integrate this app with Trakt TV and Real Debrid.
Jellyfin
We can describe Jellyfin as the combination of Kodi and Plex altogether. It works very similar to Kodi which makes it a great alternative.
You can also describe it like Emby.
Jellyfin is open-source software that can be used and connected to any device using the internet. It is used in storing hundreds of files for streaming.
Stream Safely With a VPN
When using Kodi and its best alternatives, a VPN is a must. Since we are not 100% sure of the sources that these apps get different links and content for streaming, our online safety is at risk.
Using a VPN, we can hide our IP address which makes it safer. We should consider our IP address as our online fingerprints. Whatever we do, it will always reflect on it. A VPN will give us another IP address and can connect us to a different server from other countries. This can also help us access geo-restricted features and content.
We recommend using Surfshark. It is the best VPN for every device.
Here are some of its remarkable features
- Works well with all devices
- 3,200 VPN servers in 65 countries to choose from
- No log policy
- Mask your online identity for protection
- Relatively cheap and has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Easy to use with one click connect button.
- Military-grade VPN protocols.
- Works with multiple devices at the same time
- Best VPN for torrenting
- It has a Kill Switch Feature.
- Prevents Firestick Buffering and Kodi Buffering
How to Install Surfshark VPN on Firestick
If your Firestick still has the older interface, read this article to learn how to update it: Update Firestick Interface.
1. Go to the Home screen of your Firestick.
2. Navigate towards the Find tab. Press the Search button from the resulting dropdown.
3. Type in the keyword of SurfShark and select from the suggestions that will appear.
4. Click the official SurfShark icon from your search results.
5. Press the Download (You own it) button.
6. The SurfShark VPN installer will download on your device.
7. SurfShark VPN’s app will automatically install itself on your Fire TV stick.
8. Press the Open button after completing SurfShark VPN’s installation process.
9. Please wait for the SurfShark VPN to load its user interface.
10. You can now log in with your SurfShark VPN account credentials.
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Install Surfshark on Firestick
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Other Things You Need to Know About Kodi
What Add-On is Right For Me?
Kodi is enormous, there are 1,000 or so official add-ons, and ten times more unofficial. Not to mention builds, wizards, and repositories. For someone who just wants to watch the latest Marvel movie, Kodi can be daunting and frustrating.
Add On Stability and Security
Many of the unofficial add-ons for Kodi are made by solo developers. They may stay and maintain the project, but unless it’s a labor of love, or the ad revenue pays, chances are they will abandon it after a few months. This means you constantly must contend with add-ons becoming less and less effective at finding the latest content. Combine that with the numerous security issues add-ons have. Many of these add-ons can contain malware or malicious code to scrape your data, or even use resources on your device. Problem is, for a new user it’s hard to know what’s safe and what isn’t.
User Experience
The interface for Kodi is great but downloading add-ons and getting new content can be frustrating and tricky. Not everyone wants to through 15 steps every time they want to download a new add-on.
Support and Help
Kodi is run by the XMBC Foundation and supports its users, but not if you are using an unofficial add-on. Chances are if you get stuck with an ad you are on your own. Developers rarely provide reliable support. You can turn to forums, but often problems need to be solved yourself.
Kodi is a great piece of software, but if you are less technology savvy, or just want a simpler experience there are plenty of great alternatives out there.
Conclusion
Kodi is really one of the best apps for streaming. It might still have some downside which is why we list down the best Kodi alternatives.
The top 6 best Kodi alternatives are Stremio, Plex, Emby, Media Portal, BeeTV, and Jellyfin.
If you have any other best Kodi alternatives that we can add to the list, feel free to write them down in the comment section below.
