Software · head to head
Tubi vs Kodi
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Tubi the App Store listing (Tubi, Inc) shows the app as entirely free with advertising; there is no in-app purchase, ad-free tier, or premium subscription offered anywhere in the listing, meaning users who want to remove ads have no paid option at all; Kodi licensed under GPLv2, entirely free and open source with no commercial edition
- They diverge on capability: Tubi covers Streaming, Kodi covers Media playback.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Tubi and Kodi actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Tubi
- Streaming
- Full catalog
- Search
- Recommendations
- Watchlist
- Smart TVs
- Streaming devices
- Content filtering
Only in Kodi
- Media playback
- Library management
- Add-ons
- Customization
- Remote control
- Smart home
- Streaming services
- Add-ons
Both cover
- Ios support
- Android support
- Smart-tv support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Tubi
- Free streamingnot Kodi
- Content discoverynot Kodi
Kodi
- Media centernot Tubi
- Home entertainmentnot Tubi
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Tubi
- The App Store listing (Tubi, Inc) shows the app as entirely free with advertising; there is no in-app purchase, ad-free tier, or premium subscription offered anywhere in the listing, meaning users who want to remove ads have no paid option at all
Kodi
- Licensed under GPLv2, entirely free and open source with no commercial edition
Pricing, plan by plan
Tubi
Free- FreeFree
- Full catalog
- Ad-supported
Kodi
Free- FreeFree
- Open source
- All features
- Add-ons
Which should you pick?
Choose Tubi if
- You need streaming.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
- You also want full catalog.
Choose Kodi if
- You need media playback.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, Ios, Smart-tv.
- You also want library management.
Questions people ask
- Is Tubi or Kodi better?
- Neither clearly leads. Tubi starts at Free and Kodi at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Tubi or Kodi?
- Tubi starts at Free and Kodi at Free.
- Does Tubi or Kodi run on more platforms?
- Tubi runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv. Kodi runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, Ios, Smart-tv.
- Can I use Tubi for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Tubi best used for?
- Tubi is most often used for free streaming, content discovery. Of those, free streaming and content discovery are not what Kodi is typically brought in for.
- What can Tubi do that Kodi cannot?
- Tubi covers Streaming, Full catalog, Search, Recommendations. Kodi covers Media playback, Library management, Add-ons, Customization. Both handle Ios support, Android support, Smart-tv support.