Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

LibreELEC VS OSMC

Compare LibreELEC VS OSMC and see what are their differences

LibreELEC logo LibreELEC

LibreELEC is ‘Just enough OS’ for Kodi, a Linux distribution built to run Kodi on current and...

OSMC logo OSMC

OSMC is a free and open source media center built for the people, by the people.
  • LibreELEC Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-06
  • OSMC Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-27

LibreELEC features and specs

  • Lightweight
    LibreELEC is a minimalistic, lightweight Linux-based operating system specifically built for running the Kodi media center, which means it is optimized for performance and consumes fewer system resources.
  • Easy Installation
    The installation process is straightforward and user-friendly, designed to get you up and running with minimal hassle.
  • Optimized for Kodi
    Since LibreELEC is designed expressly for Kodi, it offers better performance and stability for this media center compared to more general-purpose operating systems.
  • Wide Hardware Support
    LibreELEC supports a broad range of hardware platforms, including the Raspberry Pi, x86 PCs, and various ARM devices, providing flexibility in terms of device compatibility.
  • Automatic Updates
    The system includes automatic updates, ensuring that users always have the latest features and security patches without manual intervention.
  • Community Support
    LibreELEC has a vibrant community that provides support, plugins, and additional features, making it easier for users to customize their setup and solve any issues they might encounter.

Possible disadvantages of LibreELEC

  • Limited Functionality
    Being a specialized OS for Kodi, LibreELEC lacks the versatility of more general-purpose operating systems, meaning it is not suitable for tasks outside of media consumption.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Beginners
    Although installation is easy, new users might find it challenging to navigate and customize the system to their needs if they're unfamiliar with media center setups.
  • Limited Application Availability
    Because LibreELEC is specifically tailored for Kodi, there is a limited range of additional applications that can be installed compared to more general operating systems.
  • Dependency on Kodi
    The entire user experience is tied to Kodi. If Kodi encounters any bugs or issues, it can severely impact the usability of the whole system.
  • Less Frequent General Updates
    While LibreELEC includes automatic updates, major changes and new features in the underlying OS might not be as frequent as with more active, general-purpose Linux distributions.

OSMC features and specs

  • Open Source
    OSMC is completely free and open-source, allowing users to modify and improve the code according to their needs.
  • Wide Device Support
    OSMC can run on various devices, including Raspberry Pi, Vero, and other compatible hardware, making it versatile.
  • Built-in Kodi
    It comes with Kodi pre-installed, providing a rich media player experience with support for a large number of add-ons and plugins.
  • Regular Updates
    OSMC receives frequent updates, ensuring that users have access to the latest features and security patches.
  • Easy to Use
    The user interface is intuitive and straightforward, making it easy for users of all technical levels to navigate and use.

Possible disadvantages of OSMC

  • Limited App Support
    Compared to other operating systems, OSMC has a narrower selection of available applications and software.
  • Hardware Dependency
    OSMC is primarily designed to run on specific hardware like the Raspberry Pi or Vero, which may not be ideal for all users.
  • Learning Curve for Customization
    While it is customizable, making significant changes or improvements may require a deeper understanding of Linux and coding.
  • Potential Stability Issues
    As with many open-source projects, users may encounter occasional bugs or stability issues.
  • Community-based Support
    Support is mainly provided through community forums and user contributions, which might not be as reliable or fast as professional support.

LibreELEC videos

LibreELEC Raspberry Pi 1 2 3 Or Zero Quick Look Kodi For Raspberry pi

More videos:

  • Review - Raspberry Pi 4B on LibreELEC 9.2 with Kodi 18.3
  • Review - Kodi Compendium [Part 3]: Raspberry Pi OS Selection, Comparison, Performance Test LibreELEC vs OSMC

OSMC videos

Raspberry Pi OSMC Media Player

More videos:

  • Review - OSMC Raspberry PI Kodi Media Center Run Through
  • Review - OSMC Media Center Setup - A Roku Alternative

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to LibreELEC and OSMC)
Video
57 57%
43% 43
Media Player
57 57%
43% 43
Watch Movies Online
60 60%
40% 40
Media Players And Streaming Platforms

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare LibreELEC and OSMC

LibreELEC Reviews

Top 10 Best Linux Media Server Software
LibreELEC also has special builds for single board computers like Raspberry Pi. You can install this special operating system on your Raspberry Pi and get a media center device ready in minutes.
Source: itsfoss.com

OSMC Reviews

The Best 5 Kodi Alternatives You Can Try
OSMC (short for Open-Source Media Center) is a free media player founded in 2014 and it comes as the best alternative to Kodi. It has a simple interface and it’s easy to use. And it offers an app store that enables you to customize your OSMC experience to your taste. This software allows you to play back media (movies, TV shows, music, pictures, etc.) from the local network,...
10 Best Kodi Alternatives You Should Use (2023)
If you are searching for a simple alternative to Kodi, OSMc is a viable option. It is very similar to Kodi. OSMC is open-source software with wifi adapters. You can get some compatibility as it is supported in Raspberry pi, Apple TV and VERO. If you want the replacement for Kodi in a more neat interface, You must go for OSMC.
Source: techdator.net
15 Best Plex Alternatives [2022] – FREE and BETTER Options
OSMC is among the best Plex alternatives as a Debian-based Linux distribution that boots directly to Kodi Media Center. With OSMC it is easy to get started right away with very little tinkering. If you are a tinkerer, OSMC is the best open-source Plex alternative that allows you to make custom changes.
Best Kodi Alternatives for Free Streaming
OSMC is a free and open source operating system that makes heavy use of the Kodi project. Essentially, Kodi is how the user will interact with the operating system for the most part. The benefit of running OSMC instead of an operating system like Android for the purpose of using Kodi is the simplicity that OSMC offers.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, LibreELEC should be more popular than OSMC. It has been mentiond 66 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

LibreELEC mentions (66)

  • Raspberry Pi 5
    - Two LibreELEC (https://libreelec.tv/) mediaplayers in house (yes, one is not enough in my big family). - One for hosting low usage applications at home network (Unifi controller and some more). - Octoprint (https://octoprint.org) connected to the 3d-printer. - One on my desk for hardware hacking – mostly as just a PC with GPIO. - Some Raspberry Pi Zeros as security cameras. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Plex to block all servers hosted at Hetzner
    You might be interested in the https://libreelec.tv/ project. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Looking for a distro to replace Roku Stick
    I'm aware of solutions such as LibreELEC but that (if I understand it) is just a Kodi thing. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Watch Jellyfin content on non-smart TV
    Kodi is a media client as it provides a UI for you to browse, search for and view media. I have it running on my Raspberry Pi as LibreELEC. It connects to the same media sources that Jellyfin uses via SFTP. They support the same scrappers and folder structures so they can share the same media sources. If you're not adamant about using Jellyfin on the Raspberry Pi, this could be an option. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Does anyone know why Kodi will not continuously run on a windows 11 machine?
    Thats not a Kodi issue... It is a Windows and hardware issue... If the only job of the pc is Kodi then use LibreELEC's Kodi... 1000 times better! https://libreelec.tv/. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

OSMC mentions (20)

  • Is there something like "network attached monitor"
    The devices had a small daemon that would periodically send HTTP requests to the central web service and check if it needed to update the content it was displaying and would update content accordingly. The content was displayed through OSMC. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Pay me the buying power to afford the things you got at my age, and maybe then I'll buy these things...
    Downstairs is a Raspberry PI hooked to large hard drive (8TB). That runs OSMC and provides network access for all computers/phones in the house while being hooked up to the living room TV. The IPTV can run through it but I just watch that on my computer. Source: over 2 years ago
  • one day my friend
    Just put osmc on it and use it as media center. Depending on your hardware it can be pretty solid. And there is a lot you can configure. it's basically an os which boots direcly to kodi. Also it supports hdmi-cec so you can use your normal tv remote, it's awesome. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Plexamp v4.2.2 Released
    I have heard good stuff about https://osmc.tv/. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Can someone suggest a Smart TV like distro?
    From what I know there aren't many options for this use case, and those that I know of (like OSMC or Plasma Bigscreen) all run on ARM devices like Raspberry Pi, but not x86/64. I would recommend the same as other commenters: to just use a normal distribution and put something like Kodi on it. You could probably configure the system to automatically start up whatever UI you prefer to make it more seamless. Source: about 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing LibreELEC and OSMC, you can also consider the following products

Kodi - Kodi is an award winning free and open source media player that got its start on the Xbox console.

OpenELEC - OpenELEC, which stands for Open Embedded Linux Entertainment Center, is a Linux operating system that makes the host computer a Kodi media center. The software was the winner of the Swiss Opensource Award in 2014.

Stremio - Watch videos, movies, TV series and TV channels instantly.

Jellyfin - Jellyfin is a personal media server.

Emby - media server for personal streaming movies tv music photos in mobile app or browser for all devices android iOS windows phone appletv androidtv smarttv and dlna.

GeeXboX - Dec 3, 2017 - . Author: Tomtom 1 Comment. Hi,.