Over the past few years the popular Kodi media center have earned the trust of millions of users. They install and use it in a multitude of devices and operating systems in order to reproduce and manage all kinds of multimedia content.
However, as we have commented on many occasions, this is not the only proposal of this type that we can use. Another very interesting program in this sense is Plex, a proposal that many bet on and consider to be more interesting. There is no doubt that both solutions offer us a series of perfect functions and characteristics for this type of task. They allow us to manage our own content library, as well as reproduce them on multiple devices.
Some advantages that Kodi offers us
However, there are some sections that we must know and that make them very different. The first thing we must take into consideration is that we could say that Kodi is a local media player. Kodi runs on the playback device and can read local or supported network sources. It can also share a library over UPnP on a local network, although that is not the same experience as a dedicated Plex server. Plex uses a server and client model: the server manages the library and clients connect to it.
Kodi itself is free and open source, but an add-on may connect to a service that needs an account or subscription. Plex combines free and paid features. For remote playback of personal video, check the current Plex subscription requirements: eligibility depends on the viewer’s subscription or the server owner’s Plex Pass. Do not assume every client or remote feature is free.
Choose Kodi for playback and interface customization on a particular device. Choose Plex when a central library and multiple clients are the main goal. Setup effort depends on the hardware, file organization and network. Neither program automatically includes the catalogue of a paid streaming service.
Why choose the Plex proposal
But despite everything discussed so far, the truth is that Plex also has a large market and a good number of users. This is mainly due to the fact that they offer us a series of very interesting functions and faces. Serve as a clear example of all this that this alternative allows us to keep all our content perfectly synchronized between different devices . That way we can enjoy them wherever we are thanks to the client / server operating mode.
As you can imagine, this will allow us to play our multimedia files from devices such as mobile phones, an Apple TV , Roku, our PC, or from any streaming box. It is enough that we configure the client in these elements to reproduce our files stored on the server again. At the same time, it is worth knowing that this proposal allows us to share our video library with other users in a simple way. Likewise, other server owners can grant access to their libraries, subject to permissions and playback requirements.
For Kodi’s local-network sharing limits, see the official UPnP guide. If you are configuring the playback device, our Android TV and Google TV setup tips cover compatible apps, updates and storage. If your playback device uses powerline adapters, our powerline troubleshooting guide helps you check that connection separately.