Plex vs Kodi Comparison Summary

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FEATURES	KODI	PLEX MEDIA SERVER
Database Location	Client Based (or Centrally with MySQL)	Central Server
Database Management	Client Interface	Web Interface
Transcoding	Handled by Client	Handled by Server
Client Hardware Support	A Lot	A Lot More
Add-ons	Lots	Limited
Visual Customization	Very Flexible	Limited
Add-on Maintenance	Community	Professional
Cost	Free	Free, $5 per Client and/or Optional Subscription
Remote Streaming	Impossible/Difficult	Possible

Kodi vs Plex Detailed Comparison

Now let us look at the above summary of Kodi Plex comparison in detail.

Database Location:

A primary comparison in Plex vs Kodi is the location of the database where all of your media metadata is stored. Plex stores the metadata on central server using the Plex Media Server. This server software streams your media database to a variety of client devices. These client devices run a copy of the Plex client software and have access to the media as well as all the metadata and images.

There are several benefits to having the database stored on the server in a central location. First, if you have multiple devices, you only have to maintain one database rather than a database for every device. Second, since the data is all stored in central location, Plex can keep track of the the watched status and resume locations of all of your movies and shows. If you watch an episodes on the client device in your family room, you can pause and resume right from where you left off in a different room on a different client device.

By default with Kodi, each installation includes a separate local database which is redundant if you are accessing the same media library. There is a way to maintain a single SQL database with Kodi, but it requires changing some advanced settings which may not be within the comfort zone for many users.

Database Management:

Plex Media Server allows you to maintain your central database through a very user friendly web interface. When comparing Kodi vs Plex, managing your database is much simpler with Plex.

[size=1.4]Plex has Easier Library Management

This interface is simple to use and makes tasks such as updating cover art, adding media to customized user defined collections, adding to a playlist and maintaining the watched status straight forward and simple for all users. As this is a web interface, it can be easily accessed from anywhere with any device. Keep an eye open for a future article on some Plex library tips and tricks. [Read: How to clear XBMC thumbnails cache and remove unused thumbnails?]

Platform Availability

Kodi is available on a large number of platforms. However some devices are easier to work with than others as some require jail-breaking, rooting or side-loading. This could make installation a bit more complex for the some users. Additionally, many devices are not designed to run a full service media center such as Kodi and performance can often be an issue on lower powered devices. [Read: 10 Tweaks to Improve XBMC Performance on a Raspberry Pi]

Comparing Plex Media Server vs Kodi, it should be noted that Plex is available on an even wider variety of client devices than Kodi and more and more devices are being added regularly. Client devices range from streaming sticks (such as Roku and FireTV stick), set top boxes (Roku 3,Amazon Fire TV, Android boxes), gaming consoles (Xbox360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4), mobile devices (iOS devices, Android devices, Windows Phones) and even smart TVs (Samsung, Vizio, LG). Installation on these devices is pretty straight forward usually through official app stores. There are very few performance issues running a Plex client on any of these devices because Plex client is relatively light weight and handles transcoding differently. here is also an interesting project for aRaspberry Pi called RasPlex which turns your Raspberry Pi into a Plex client. Look for a future article on this installation. [Read: What Plex Client Hardware is Right for You?]

Transcoding:

Part of the reason Plex is able to support a large number of client devices is because the Plex Media Server does the heavy lifting for any low powered devices which would be unable to handle larger video files. Plex will use the server’s hardware and resources to transcode the video, on the fly, into a format the target client device can handle. Comparing Plex vs Kodi, a system running Kodi must have the power to run the Kodi application itself and the power to transcode any video files being played. This can be difficult for many low powered devices to handle especially for some HD content. [Read: Low-power budget HTPC build 2014 for a HTPC NAS Combo]