In this article, we explain what Kodi and Plex are. Our goal is to help you learn more about these tools and their differences. Both are designed for completely different purposes, although they do converge in some features, such as playing media files on your device. In any case, if you want to find out how they are similar, how they differ, and which of the two is most convenient for you, read to the end!

What is Kodi and what is it used for?

Kodi is an open source software designed to play multimedia content on various platforms such as Windows or Android. This multimedia center allows users to manage and play a wide range of content, including movies, TV shows, music, photos, and more, from a single platform.

Simplified description of how Kodi works on a compatible device

What sets Kodi apart is its versatility and ability to adapt to individual needs. Thanks to the fairly simple interface, each installation can be configured by downloading plug-ins and extensions that add certain functions. For example, using Kodi, you can access the Netflix catalog, watch live TV shows, or browse multimedia files on Google Drive. Obviously, it also scans the device’s storage to create a local media library. And it can even read external hard drives.

Another relevant issue is that this tool is compatible with a wide range of devices and operating systems, from computers and mobile devices to smart TVs and other players. You can even set up a multimedia center by installing Kodi on your Raspberry Pi.

Finally, Kodi is a legal application designed to play multimedia files. Thanks to its open source, it can also be used to illegally access copyrighted content through unofficial add-ons. Although we recommend this app only for accessing content obtained legitimately or through a paid subscription.

What is Plex and what is it used for?

Plex is a content management and playback platform designed to simplify access and playback of media files. Like Kodi, Plex helps users organize, store, and play a wide range of content, including movies, TV shows, music, photos, and more. However, he does it in a slightly different way.

Simplified scheme of Plex operation as a media server

This tool is divided into two parts. On the one hand, there is a server that can be configured on compatible hardware, such as a computer or NAS. This software will be responsible for indexing, categorizing, and delivering multimedia files to the user’s devices. Obviously, the files must be placed inside the server, in its internal storage. For example, if you have set up Plex on a PC, videos, photos, and songs should be saved in a local folder.

The Plex server is complemented by applications that act as clients. Once the server is set up using a Plex account and starts working, you can download the Plex app for Android and start playing content. The Plex client is available on a variety of platforms, from Chromecast with Google TV to Apple TV, iPadOS, and others.

Once configured, Plex turns the server on which it is installed into a kind of private cloud that you can access from any personal device. The app offers interesting features such as saving the last playback point of an episode or movie, uploading files to view online, and even syncing your phone’s gallery. In other words, it’s like a private version of Netflix, Spotify, and Google Photos, with all the files stored on your own server.

Finally, as we explained when talking about Kodi, it is important to emphasize that Plex is a legal tool and is intended for use with legal content. It is very important to use this tool responsibly and comply with the intellectual property laws of each country, especially when receiving files stored on the server.

Comparing Kodi and Plex

So, we will find out the purpose of each tool and its main operations. Now it’s time to focus on some important details that will allow you to decide which tool best suits your needs.

Compatible devices

The compatibility of these tools is important. Both can work on most devices. If we are talking about Kodi, you can run this media center on the following devices:

• Windows
• Android
• Android TV
• iOS
• iPadOS
• tvOS
• Linux
• webOS
• macOS

For its part, Plex has two aspects. On the one hand, the Plex server is compatible with the following devices:

• Windows
• macOS
• Linux
• NVIDIA SHIELD
• Most NAS on the market, including QNAP, Synology, Netgear, Drobo, and others.

As for the Plex client, that is, an application that allows you to access files indexed by the server, you can install it on the following platforms:

• Web version for browsers compatible with Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari.
• Android
• iOS
• iPadOS
• macOS
• Windows
• Linux
• The main smart TVs on the market such as LG, Samsung, Hisense, VIZIO and Roku TV.
• Amazon Alexa
• Anazon Fire TV
• Android TV
• AppleTV
• Chromecast
• Facebook Portal
• Roku
• Sonos
• PlayStation
• Xbox

Interface

The Kodi interface is identical on all platforms. It has all the elements expected from a multimedia center. It contains several categories from which you can access different types of files. In addition, the configuration includes many options for customizing items, both in the player and on the home screen.

Kodi interface for PC

As for Plex, we come across applications in various variations depending on the platform they run on. Obviously, we are talking about the client interface, which on computers can be based on the network or native applications for Windows and macOS.

The Plex interface for uploading a user’s photo library

It is important to remember that Plex Media Server, a program that acts as a server, runs through a browser, in addition to installing a service running in the background on your computer.

Installing plugins

If we talk about expanding capabilities, Kodi has a big advantage over Plex. The latter includes many options, but thanks to the additions, you can make Kodi a fully personalized multimedia tool. Read the article about add-ons for Kodi.

Addon for listening to BBC podcasts

Thanks to the add-ons, you can not only access multimedia content from various platforms, but also integrate your Google Drive into Kodi, find out the weather, or read Wikipedia articles.

Supported media types

Both Kodi and Plex are compatible with most multimedia formats that are used on a daily basis. However, so that you can compare, below is a complete list of those that are supported by both.

Here are some of the most popular formats that it supports Kodi:

• AVI
• MPEG
• WMV
• ASF
• FLV
• MKV
• MKA
• QuickTime
• MP4
• M4A
• AAC
• NUT
• Ogg
• OGM
• RealMedia (RAM, RM, RV, RA, RMVB)
• 3gp
• MIDI
• AIFF
• WAV
• MP2
• MP3
• AAC
• AACplus (AAC+)
• Vorbis
• AC3
• DTS
• ALAC
• AMR
• FLAC
• Monkey’s Audio (APE)
• BMP
• JPEG
• GIF
• PNG
• TIFF
• MNG
• ICO
• PCX
• Targa/TGA
• WebP

Meanwhile, Plex supports the following formats:

• MP4
• MKV
• AVI
• MOV
• DIVX
• MP3
• M4A
• FLAC
• WMA
• JPG
• PNG
• RAW
• TBN

In addition, the Plex support team ensures that the tool supports other formats.

Payment options

If we focus on the paid versions, then only Plex has it. Kodi is completely free and can be freely used on any compatible device. In contrast, the Plex Pass allows you to access advanced features to enhance the streaming experience across all your devices. Prices range from 4.99 euros per month to 119.99 euros for a lifetime license.

Advantages of Kodi over Plex: Why Kodi is better

After analyzing all the previous information, it’s time to find out what the advantages of both tools are. What are the advantages of Kodi over Plex?

• Addons. Kodi has countless add-ons that allow you to access content hosted on the internet, from streaming platforms to television networks. There is even an add-on for installing Plex on Kodi that allows you to access content on your server.
• Less configuration. Kodi is an application that analyzes the storage of the device on which it is installed and is responsible for organizing multimedia files. You just need to install the app and it will start working. For its part, Plex requires pre-configuring the server and creating an account.
• Advanced personalization. Thanks to the community, Kodi has a large number of themes that will allow you to make a media center unique and adapt it to your needs. Plex is less configurable and relies heavily on official applications developed to access the server.

In general terms, these are the advantages of Kodi over Plex. You should choose this software if you plan to play content locally on a specific device, such as a computer or media player. It is also useful for accessing video and music platforms that are incompatible with your devices. Of course, you will need to manually transfer each file to the device on which Kodi is installed.

Advantages of Plex over Kodi: what makes Plex better

What are the advantages of Plex? The truth is that because it’s a completely different concept, this tool is suitable for certain scenarios. Here are some of its advantages:

• Creating a private cloud. Plex allows you to access your media files from anywhere, as long as you have a server enabled. Although Kodi can access remote servers, its main purpose is to play local files.
• Integration with NAS. Another strong point of Plex is that its server tool is usually compatible with many NAS available on the market. This way, you can place multimedia files on your hard drive and conveniently transfer them to other devices such as mobile phones, Smart TVs, or computers.
• Added content. Plex has been working for a long time to offer its users movies and TV series, some of which are completely free. To do this on Kodi, you will need to install add-ons that will give you access to certain platforms. The fact is that Kodi itself doesn’t offer any content, while Plex does.

As you can see, Plex also supports local content, although it acts as a server to which the rest of your devices will connect. It’s a kind of private cloud that helps you organize multimedia files, from photos to movies.