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Stremio Alternative

The Best Stremio Alternative in 2024: Best Free Media Server Software

Stremio is an excellent app, but it’s not without its shortcomings. For instance, it has a very small add-ons library. If that’s got you looking for a Stremio alternative, we discuss 10 of the best ones in this guide. Take your pick, but don’t forget to use a VPN.

Arjun RupareliaSandra PattisonJasna Mishevska

Written by Arjun Ruparelia (Writer)

Reviewed by Sandra Pattison (Editor)

Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska (Lead Fact-Checking Editor)

Last Updated: 2024-01-14T14:03:51+00:00

All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.

Stremio is a streaming app that lets you stream content — live TV, sports, the latest movies and TV shows — for free. However, Stremio does have its fair share of issues. In this guide, we talk about which is the best Stremio alternative.

Key Takeaways:

  • Stremio is a great app for most users, but it has a few shortcomings.
  • If you’re looking for something better, Stremio alternatives like Plex and Yidio can be great alternatives.
  • Regardless of which app you choose, remember to use a VPN — we recommend ExpressVPN — to keep yourself anonymous online.

Stremio works as an all-in-one media center that aggregates content from various sources like torrents and streaming platforms and delivers it through a single app. Stremio works fine overall, but it does have some problems. 

It has a relatively small add-ons library (check out our guide on the best Stremio add-ons), limited functionality on iOS and also lacks support for some video formats, which can be an issue when you want to watch videos stored locally on your computer. If you’re looking for a Stremio alternative, we’ve got 10. Each of them is a great Stremio alternative because it addresses one or more of the problems mentioned above.

The Best Stremio Alternatives: Top 10 Options

There are several Stremio alternatives you might want to consider, though some are more popular than others. No matter which alternative you choose, it’s important to use a VPN (virtual private network) to keep yourself anonymous when torrenting. We discuss the best Stremio alternatives below.

1. Kodi

kodi homepage
Kodi is the most popular Stremio alternative.

Kodi is the best Stremio alternative and also the most popular one. It has been around for almost two decades and is consistently growing in popularity because it lets you stream almost any type of content you can think of — music, TV shows, movies, radio shows, gameplay videos and live TV (you also record live TV). 

You can use Kodi on your smartphone, computer, Android TV and other smart devices because it’s available for a wide range of operating systems such as iOS, Android, Linux, Windows, macOS and even Raspberry Pi. More importantly, Kodi has a massive library of add-ons.

2. Plex

plex homepage
Plex is a great alternative to Stremio and offers an excellent feature set.

Plex is a media management app that comes in two versions — the Plex playback app and the Plex Media Server. You can also install Plex on network-attached storage (NAS) drives. Plex lets you watch movies and TV shows and is always updated with the latest video content. 

The media server offers intuitive apps on many platforms and is easy to set up. Plex has a free account, but if you want advanced features or to host files, you’ll need to get a paid plan (called Plex Pass). The free plan offers ample content for most users though. With the free plan, you can stream TV shows and new movies in 4K. You can also cast video to a smart TV and use voice control, provided you have compatible hardware such as Alexa.

3. WebTorrent Desktop

webtorrent desktop
WebTorrent Desktop is a great Stremio alternative for streaming content through torrents.

WebTorrent (still in beta) is an open source WebRTC app that allows you to watch free movies and television shows on a web browser. It connects a website’s visitors to create a browser-to-browser network that allows file transfers.

For instance, say you go to a website to download a movie. You click on the magnet link, but instead of launching in a torrent client, the content is downloaded through the browser. WebTorrent Desktop is the desktop client of the same service. Essentially, it’s a torrent client that lets you stream content from within its app.

4. Serviio

serviio homepage
Serviio is a free media server that helps you stream movies and TV shows, among other types of content.

Serviio is a media server that relies on DLNA interoperability for streaming content. It can run servers on a PC, Linux or Mac computer and several NAS platforms. Serviio’s interface is a little more complex, so unless you’re confident in your tech chops, you might want to consider an option like Emby (number 6 on this list).

5. LeonFlix

leonflix
LeonFlix is an excellent Stremio alternative if you own a Windows, Mac or Android device.

LeonFlix is a free Stremio alternative for streaming media files using a magnet link. This ad-free alternative has a large collection of movies and TV shows, so you’ll most likely find almost all of the content you’re looking for within LeonFlix’s library. Note that LeonFlix calls its add-ons “modules,” but they’re essentially the same thing.

If you have questions about the platform, it has an active Discord community where you can find answers. Also, note that LeonFlix isn’t available on iOS.

6. Emby

emby
Emby offers an excellent feature set and instant access to your favorite movies and TV episodes.

Emby is an open source Stremio alternative that allows you to watch movies or your favorite TV programs. It offers more customization options than other media servers and integrates seamlessly with Kodi (Emby’s Kodi add-on is called EmbyCon).

You can use the Emby media center on Windows, Mac, Linux and other DLNA-compatible devices. It also has apps for iOS and Android devices that offer in-app purchases. Plus, you get neat features like parental control and cloud and folder sync (available on the Emby Premier package).

7. Universal Media Server

universal media server
Universal Media Server comes with all the features you’d want in a Stremio alternative.

Serviio and Universal Media Server have several similarities and are both popular with DLNA server users. However, they can be a little more difficult to set up than others on the list like Plex and Emby.

On a positive note, United Media Server is completely free. Plus, all you need from a media server is that it allows you to seamlessly stream content on your home network — something Universal Media Server does well.

8. Yidio

yidio
Yidio aggregates content from over 100 streaming services.

Yidio works pretty much the same way as Stremio. You get free, unlimited access to your favorite movies and TV shows; however, unlike Stremio, Yidio offers a web-based interface. Yidio doesn’t have a desktop interface, though you can still download it to your iOS or Android device.

9. MediaPortal

mediaportal
MediaPortal is great for those who want the option to watch live TV as well as streaming from streaming services.

If you’re looking for an open source Stremio alternative to convert your home theater PC into a media center, MediaPortal could be an excellent choice. The app has a massive library containing the latest music and video content, and the option to listen to the radio.

MediaPortal supports all major brands of cards like TT, Hauppauge, Pinnacle and DE and also supports any analog card that supports BDA. It can automatically tune 10,000 channels and pause, fast-forward and rewind live TV. Not a live TV fan? You can also watch YouTube videos or sports on MediaPortal. 

10. Reelgood

reelgood
Reelgood aggregates content from over 150 streaming platforms and websites.

Reelgood is another Stremio alternative you can use for watching movies and TV shows from your favorite streaming platform — it aggregates content from over 150 of them. 

The app comes with a built-in feature that lets you track the progress of content you’re watching and gives you access to Reelgood and IMDb scores. If you can’t find anything to watch, use the “roulette” feature to let Reelgood pick something for you at random.

Reelgood also shares a list of the top 10 titles each week. If you’re someone who likes to binge-watch a movie or TV show over the weekend, but you don’t want to spend time finding something worth your while, the list could be helpful. We have a guide on how to use Reelgood if you’re unfamiliar with it.

Other Stremio Alternatives: Streaming Services

If you’re looking to stream from a more established streaming service such as Netflix or Hulu, you’ll need to pay for it. Selecting the most popular ones such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus or YouTube TV will usually give you access to the most popular movies and TV shows.

The key to unlocking the full potential of a paid streaming platform is using a VPN. Streaming services usually have region-specific rights to content, so different countries have access to a different content library. 

When you use a VPN, you’ll have access to shows that aren’t available in your country, but are available in other countries. For instance, if you access Netflix from the U.S., but want to access the Netflix U.K. library, you’ll need to bypass Netflix’s geoblocks with a VPN. 

A VPN will assign you an IP address that belongs to a different country. When you access a website with that IP, it will think you’re physically located there and give you access to that country’s library. We recommend ExpressVPN as the best Stremio VPN — it’s the fastest, most secure VPN around.

Final Thoughts

There are several options out there, both free and paid, for streaming the content you want. Stremio is an excellent choice, but other options may offer more utility to you than Stremio. Be sure to check our entertainment library to learn more about the Stremio alternatives.

Regardless of how you stream content, you’ll need a VPN. In some cases, you’ll need it to stay anonymous while torrenting, while in others, you’ll need it to access geoblocked content.

Have you recently switched from Stremio to a different app? Was making the switch a good decision? Did you use a VPN when using the app? Let us know in the comments below, and as always, thanks for reading.

FAQ

  • There are several apps like Stremio. Kodi is the most popular one, but others include LeonFlix and Yidio.

  • The answer depends on your needs. Stremio is better if you want an aggregator, while Popcorn Time may work better if you want to stream content from specific sources. However, the comparison is irrelevant because Popcorn Time was shut down in January 2022.

  • No, Stremio is a free app. However, it sources content from both free (like torrent websites) and paid sources (like Netflix).

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