--- title: Kodi canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/kodi/ category: Media Player Software points: 76 rank: 2 of 12 facts_checked: 2026-10-09 --- # Kodi Free, open-source media centre that plays video and music from local files, discs and network sources, with add-ons. 76 points out of 100. #2 of 12 media players. Vendor: Kodi Foundation. Website: https://kodi.tv/ - Kodi is free and its source code is under GPL-2.0-or-later [2][14]. - The official release mirror has downloads for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, and the README lists Linux [1][3][4][5][6]. - A Windows setting turns on DXVA2 hardware decoding of video files [7]. - Settings cover DVD and Blu-ray playback, including region codes and a Blu-ray playback mode [8]. - Kodi's forum database was copied in February 2023; Kodi disclosed it on 12 April 2023 [16]. Verdict: Kodi suits people who want a free, open-source player that builds a library, plays discs and takes add-ons [1][2][8]. Subtitle search, DXVA2 decoding and tone-mapped HDR are all documented [7][9][10]. The catch: it is built as a media centre rather than a simple player, it needs Windows 10 or later, and its forum was breached in 2023 [15][16]. Best for: People who want a free, open-source player with a library and add-ons. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Systems | Other systems | macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | 12/12 | Release mirror has osx, android and iOS folders; the README says Kodi is a native Linux app and points to its downloads section [1][3][4][5][6]. | | Video | Disc playback | Yes | 5/5 | Settings name DVD playback and Blu-ray region code and playback mode [8]. | | Video | No codec pack needed | Not published | 0/6 | The README says it plays almost all popular formats but does not say it has its own decoders [1]. | | Video | Hardware video decoding | Yes | 7/7 | Windows setting: Allow hardware acceleration DXVA2, 'Enable DXVA2 hardware decoding of video files' [7]. | | Video | HDR playback | Yes | 5/5 | Video settings describe tone mapping of HDR video to SDR, and control of the screen's HDR mode [7][9]. | | Video | Subtitle features | External subtitle files, Embedded subtitle tracks, Styled ASS/SSA subtitles, Subtitle search in the player | 8/8 | Wiki names stand-alone files, embedded subtitles, SSA/ASS format, and search and download from full-screen playback [10]. | | Streams, audio and library | Network streams | HTTP or HTTPS URLs, RTSP or RTMP, DLNA or UPnP | 6/8 | Stream page names http://, rtsp:// and UPnP shares. HTTPS counted with HTTP; HLS and RTMP not named [13]. | | Streams, audio and library | Audio features | ReplayGain or loudness levelling, Exclusive audio output (WASAPI or ASIO) | 4/8 | ReplayGain levels in music settings; audio settings recommend WASAPI on Windows. Gapless and equaliser not named [11][12]. | | Streams, audio and library | Media library | Yes | 6/6 | README says Kodi scans media into a personalised library with covers and descriptions [1]. | | Streams, audio and library | Plugins or add-ons | Yes | 3/3 | README describes add-ons, mainly written in Python and XML [1]. | | Ads and privacy | Open-source apps | Yes | 8/8 | Source code on GitHub under GPL-2.0-or-later [2]. | | Ads and privacy | No ads or bundled offers | Not published | 0/8 | Not published in the repository README [1]. | | Ads and privacy | States no tracking | Not published | 0/4 | Not published in the repository README [1]. | | Price | Price of the player | $0 | 12/12 | The wiki FAQ calls Kodi free and open source; the README asks only for optional donations [1][14]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | Kodi | Free [1][14] | $0 | ## Strengths - Free, with source code under GPL-2.0-or-later [2][14]. - Documents DVD and Blu-ray playback settings [8]. - Names both stand-alone and embedded subtitles, SSA/ASS, and search from full-screen playback [10]. - Opens HTTP, RTSP and UPnP streams, and supports add-ons [1][13]. - Builds a personal library with covers and descriptions [1]. ## Limits - Needs Windows 10 or later; Windows 11 is recommended [15]. - Downloading subtitles requires configuring add-ons [9]. - Gapless playback and an equaliser are not named on the audio settings pages [11][12]. - Attackers copied the forum database, including private messages, in February 2023 [16]. ## Concerns - Kodi said an attacker used an inactive forum admin's account on 16 and 21 February 2023 and copied forum backups with usernames, emails and hashed passwords. It disclosed this on 12 April 2023 and told the UK ICO [16]. ## Sources 1. [xbmc/xbmc README](https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-09 2. [xbmc/xbmc LICENSE](https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc/blob/master/LICENSE.md), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-09 3. [Kodi releases mirror](https://mirrors.kodi.tv/releases/), Kodi Foundation, accessed 2026-10-09 4. [Kodi releases: osx](https://mirrors.kodi.tv/releases/osx/), Kodi Foundation, accessed 2026-10-09 5. [Kodi releases: android](https://mirrors.kodi.tv/releases/android/), Kodi Foundation, accessed 2026-10-09 6. [Kodi releases: darwin/ios-arm64](https://mirrors.kodi.tv/releases/darwin/ios-arm64/), Kodi Foundation, accessed 2026-10-09 7. [Settings/Player/Videos](https://kodi.wiki/view/Settings/Player/Videos), Kodi Wiki, accessed 2026-10-09 8. [Settings/Player/Discs](https://kodi.wiki/view/Settings/Player/Discs), Kodi Wiki, accessed 2026-10-09 9. [Video playback](https://kodi.wiki/view/Video_playback), Kodi Wiki, accessed 2026-10-09 10. [Subtitles](https://kodi.wiki/view/Subtitles), Kodi Wiki, accessed 2026-10-09 11. [Settings/System/Audio](https://kodi.wiki/view/Settings/System/Audio), Kodi Wiki, accessed 2026-10-09 12. [Settings/Player/Music](https://kodi.wiki/view/Settings/Player/Music), Kodi Wiki, accessed 2026-10-09 13. [Internet video and audio streams](https://kodi.wiki/view/Internet_video_and_audio_streams), Kodi Wiki, accessed 2026-10-09 14. [FAQs](https://kodi.wiki/view/FAQs), Kodi Wiki, accessed 2026-10-09 15. [Supported hardware](https://kodi.wiki/view/Supported_hardware), Kodi Wiki, accessed 2026-10-09 16. [Kodi forum breach: User data, encrypted passwords grabbed](https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/12/kodi-forum-breach/), Help Net Security, accessed 2026-10-09