VLC media player vs Kodi
Both are free media players tools. Here is how they actually differ.
VLC media player and Kodi at a glance
| Feature | VLC media player | Kodi |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | VideoLAN | XBMC Foundation |
| Licence | Open Source | Open Source |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile | Yes | Yes |
| Source code | Public | Public |
VLC media player: what it's good at
VLC is the universal media player: it plays essentially every audio and video format in existence with its codecs built in, so you never install a codec pack again. It also handles network streams, DVDs, incomplete downloads and basic conversion.
- Plays almost every audio and video format
- No external codecs required
- Streams network and online media
- Completely free with no ads or spyware
Kodi: what it's good at
Kodi organises your movies, TV shows, music and photos into a polished ten-foot interface designed for a television and a remote control, automatically fetching artwork and metadata for your library.
- Full-screen home-theatre interface
- Automatic artwork and metadata scraping
- Remote control and mobile app support
- Large official add-on library
Which should you choose?
Both are free, so the honest answer is that you can install either and decide for yourself — that is the advantage of free software over a paid trial.
Both run on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android. Only VLC media player supports iOS. Both are open source, so neither locks you in.
We deliberately do not publish a star rating for either. We have no way to verify a rating that would be honest at scale, and an invented one would be worse than none — so we give you the facts and let you decide.
Frequently asked questions
Is VLC media player better than Kodi?
Neither is universally better. VLC media player plays virtually any media file, on any platform, with no codec packs, while Kodi turn any computer into a full home-theatre media centre. The right pick depends on your platform and workflow.
Are both really free?
VLC media player is open source and Kodi is open source. Both can be downloaded without paying.
Can I install both?
Yes. Since neither costs anything, installing both and comparing them on your own files is usually the fastest way to decide.