Are you in a dilemma to decide the best streaming player in Kodi vs. Plex? Let’s try to solve this. Plex is a streaming media player that allows you to play movies, TV shows, and music on any device. You can stream media from FireStick, Raspberry Pi, Android TV, iPad, and Streaming boxes.
If you are a pro streamer, you want to decide which is better, Kodi or Plex, to stream videos online.
Although many streaming software are available, Kodi and Plex are the most popular. Kodi and Plex have different strengths, and users have strong opinions on the best.
Why Kodi vs. Plex Streaming Players?
Both Kodi and Plex are unique streaming players. Kodi is a popular streaming software that lets you stream media content and play downloaded videos and music. Moreover, Kodi is easy to use and supports many devices and operating systems. FireStick, Android TV, Raspberry Pi, Windows, macOS, Linux, and many more.
It won’t consume much time if you want to learn how to use Kodi. Moreover, Kodi is legal to use and is a lightweight media player. As a result, Kodi is the first choice media player in the USA, UK, and Canada.
Everyone knows that Kodi is a highly customizable media player. With a little time and effort, you can get a look and feel that you love.
On the other hand, with Plex, you can watch and stream your favorite movies, shows, and music on your PC, TV, mobile devices, and streaming boxes.
Likewise, you can also manage your library with full metadata support. Moreover, you can leverage advanced features like on-the-fly video and audio conversion.
Like Kodi, Plex is also available for Android and iOS operating systems and is compatible with most streaming devices. Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Fire Stick, etc.
Which is Better Kodi vs. Plex?
Plex organizes and manages your library with full metadata support and advanced features like video synchronization. As discussed earlier, it is compatible with several streaming devices, including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Fire Stick, etc.
Kodi is open-source software that allows you to install Kodi Wizards, Builds, and Add-ons. You can stream content online or play already downloaded videos or music. The best part about Kodi is that Kodi is a customizable streaming player.
No matter what kind of content you choose to stream, such as Kodi add-ons or Plex media distribution libraries, you need to keep yourself safe from hackers. Kodi and Plex users use VPNs to hide their identities and locations. We recommend using PrivateInternetAccess VPN, the best VPN for Kodi and Plex, with military-grade encryption.
Playing Video
Plex and Kodi allow you to watch and listen to videos and music on your TV, computer, phone, or tablet. In addition, both Kodi and Plex players let you stream HD content online.
Even using Kodi and Plex software, you can stream 4K resolution and handle a broad range of formats. However, Kodi and Plex handle file format conversion differently, also known as transcoding.
Compared with Kodi, Plex has better transcoding options. In addition, it supports acceleration on the AC hardware server, so you won’t notice any noticeable buffering if your processor is slow.
Transcoders that work with Kodi are open-source software, which means you can play any kind of content in any format provided by proper configuration.
Moreover, Kodi’s transcoder has no configuration options, so you sometimes won’t play your content.
Neither software suite will suffice for you if you want on-the-fly transcoding that ensures your videos play on the broadest range of streaming devices. So, Plex is better than Kodi when streaming videos and music.
Servers of Plex and Kodi
Kodi and Plex manage downloaded content libraries in various ways.
Kodi libraries cannot be shared between computers by default, whereas Plex libraries are instantly available to all connected devices via the central server.
The most fundamental difference is the contrast between their library management system. Kodi is the best choice for FireTVStick, AndroidTV, IPTV, Personal Computers, or Raspberry Pi. Moreover, Kodi is a light media player, and Kodi’s installation process is more straightforward than that of Plex.
Rather than simply listing files available to stream, Plex and Kodi provide an interface that resembles Netflix. They provide cover art, summaries, and ratings based on their server’s episodes, albums, and movies.
Although improvements are steady, Plex outperforms Kodi because it has online access to the largest media database.
Device Compatibility
The Plex app is available on many devices, including primary desktop and laptop operating systems, smartphones, streaming devices, and gaming systems. In addition, plex is available directly from devices’ app stores, making it very simple to download.
Nonetheless, you can install Kodi on Desktop, Laptop, and Android devices. Smartphones, Smart TVs, etc.
Platform Availability of Kodi vs. Plex
While Kodi is available on various platforms, some devices are more accessible than others because they do not require jailbreaking, rooting, or side-loading. However, this could cause some installers to encounter a bit of difficulty. Additionally, many devices are not compatible with Kodi.
When comparing Plex to Kodi, it’s worth noting that Plex supports a broader range of client devices than Kodi. In addition, plex developers are adding support to even more devices.
Streaming sticks (such as Roku and FireTV sticks), Set-top boxes (Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android boxes), game consoles, mobile devices (iOS, Android, Windows Phones), and even smart TVs are all examples of client devices (Samsung, Vizio, LG). Installing apps on these devices is usually a simple process through certified app stores.
Because the Plex client is relatively low-weight and handles transcoding differently, there are very few performance issues running it on any of these machines. RasPlex, a Raspberry Pi project that converts your Raspberry Pi into a Plex client, is also worth checking out.
Wrapping Up
The choice between Plex and Kodi boils down to whether you value customizability or simplicity. Plex comes with an app that can handle 90% of your media server needs right out of the box; however, you may need Plex Pass. On the other hand, Kodi can probably do whatever you want for free if you’re willing to look for add-ons and spend time tweaking the program.
If you’re still uncertain, both applications offer a free trial that includes some of our favorite Kodi add-ons.
That’s also an excellent approach to see if the Plex free tier can meet your media server requirements. But, of course, Plex is also available as a Kodi add-on, so your best option could be to use both of these robust programs.
