The Best Legal Kodi Add-Ons (& Best Illegal Kodi Add-Ons)
By Steph Myers / September 21, 2018 / Tags: KodiHere’s a run-down of the best add-ons for Kodi — including the best legal Kodi add-ons and some of Kodi’s illegal add-ons.
Kodi add-ons are easy to come by, but not so easy to vet. Since Kodi is an open-source platform, developers of all kinds can create add-ons. This can either be a great feature or a real drawback.
What’s always great about Kodi (formerly XBMC) is that it’s free, and a very powerful and versatile streaming system once you learn how to harness it. A big part of making the most of Kodi is choosing the right add-ons to install.
⊕ SEE: How To Unblock New Content Sources On Kodi TV Add-Ons
Note that many of the most popular add-ons and content sources on Kodi are blocked based on the country you’re in. Sources like HBO, Netflix, BBC, ITV, ESPN, Sky Sports, and a lot more are geo-restricted. See how to unblock Kodi so you can watch content on every source and add-on.
If you’re wondering whether Kodi and its add-ons are legal, the short answer is ‘it depends.’ See the longer answer in our article “Is Kodi legal?”
There are legal Kodi add ons. Then, there are those that fall in the legally sketchy category. While there’s a lot of confusion over what is and isn’t legal, we’ll call any add-on that streams pirated content “illegal.” The quick litmus test is that if you know the copyright holder of the content you’re watching charges for access, and you’re getting it on Kodi without a subscription, then you’re in iffy territory. (More about Kodi’s security issues.)
⊕ SEE: How To Set Up A VPN With Kodi
Internet Service Providers have taken to sending alarming letters to customers who look like they’re engaged in sketchy streaming activities using add-ons on the Kodi blacklist. (ISP tracking is common all around these days, though can be prevented by hiding your IP address, which all of the good VPNs do.)
If you use Kodi’s illegal add-ons it is highly recommended you use Kodi with a VPN. A VPN will keep your identity private, secure your connection against hackers and spies, and unblock new content sources on Kodi add-ons. (I personally use NordVPN, which works great. It’s a PC Magazine Editor’s Choice three years running, and has a 30-day money-back guarantee. Right now, you can get this exclusive, limited-time deal.) Just follow these simple steps to stay secure on Kodi — plus unblock all Kodi add-ons in only about 5 minutes.
Best VPNs for Kodi — Unblock Content, Stay Safe & Private
VPN Provider | Features | Best Price | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|
#1![]() ![]() | -Total protection on Kodi -Fastest speeds -Special servers for high-speed streaming -Easy to use -Apps for all devices -Unlimited bandwidth -24/7 support VIEW ALL>> | $2.99/mo -- 75% OFF (Limited-time offer!) SEE DEAL 30-day money-back guarantee | VISIT NordVPN>> |
#2![]() | VIEW ALL>> | $8.32/mo 30-day money-back guarantee | VISIT ExpressVPN>> |
#3![]() | VIEW ALL>> | $6.49/mo 7-day money-back guarantee | VISIT IPVanish>> |
VPN Provider | Features | Best Price | Learn More |
⊕ See the full comparison
Which Are The Legal Kodi Add-Ons — And Which Are On The Kodi Blacklist?
Thankfully, it’s easy to tell if you’re about to install one of the legal Kodi add ons or an illegal add-on from the Kodi blacklist. The official Kodi website keeps a current inventory of the Kodi blacklist, including both repositories and individual add-ons.
Browse the Kodi blacklist to see what’s a legal Kodi add-on versus one of Kodi’s illegal add-ons. If you want to use only Kodi’s legal add-ons, steer clear of everything on this list.
Best Kodi Add-ons To Stream TV, Movies, & Sports — Best Legal Kodi Add-Ons & Best Illegal Kodi Add-Ons
With that, here are the best Kodi add-ons for watching TV, movies, sports, and more streamed from the internet — plus whether each one is legal or on the Kodi blacklist. Note that first you’ll want to get the Fusion Add-on Installer if you don’t have it already. To see how to install Fusion, and for more general help getting started, see our how to use Kodi guide. Go here if you’re looking for the best Kodi build.
Exodus — Probably the best add-on for TV shows and movies. Exodus searches multiple sources to deliver the best streams. Especially if you’re new to Kodi, start here. Where to find it: Fusion Add-on Installer or SuperRepo. This is NOT one of the legal Kodi add-ons.
1Channel Primewire — Combined with Exodus, you might not need any other add-ons. 1Channel is a great source for new TV shows and movies. It’s constantly updated and makes it easy to browse available content. If 1Channel Primewire is blocked where you are, you can unblock it and all Kodi TV add-ons. Where to find it: Fusion Add-on Installer or SuperRepo. This is another of Kodi’s illegal add-ons.
Phoenix — Phoenix has a massive selection of high-quality content. It is especially good for live TV and live sports — but also has a great selection of on-demand TV shows, and movies. Where to find it: Fusion Add-on Installer or SuperRepo. This is also one of Kodi’s illegal add-ons.
Specto — Another great add-on for TV and movies. If Exodus or 1Channel don’t have what you want, try Specto. Find it here. This is on the Kodi blacklist.
PlayOn — An add-on that plays by the rules to give access to paid-for streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. You can use it to record content and stream it on multiple devices. Where to find it: Default Kodi repository. This is one of the legal Kodi add-ons.
⊕ TIP: Get more from Kodi add-ons. Unblock new content sources and stream more than ever before. See how
SportsDevil — For sports fans, this add-on will quickly become one you can’t live without. Where to find it: Fusion Add-on Installer or SuperRepo. Not surprisingly, this is on the Kodi blacklist.
Salts — Another fantastic add-on for watching movies and TV with Kodi. Salts (Stream All The Sources) has high-quality playback and the most sources available for your viewing options. Salts is guaranteed to give you highly reliable content sources, since it’s a multi-scraper add-on. Where to find it: Fusion Add-on Installer or SuperRepo. This is one of Kodi’s illegal add-ons.
cCloud TV — This is a great add-on for live TV with high quality streams and a very smooth user experience. cCloud TV also has a bunch of on-demand shows and movies. Where to find it: Fusion Add-on Installer or SuperRepo. Yup, another of illegal Kodi add-on.
Evolve — Has it all: sports, gaming, movies, how-to guides, audio books, and the list goes on. You’ll want to add this to your collection immediately. Where to find it: Goliaths repository. This is another of the legal Kodi add-ons.
USTV Now — Watch live US TV on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, and more. Where to find it: Fusion Add-on Installer or SuperRepo. This is also a legal Kodi add-on.
Sports Mix — Watch live sports from the US, UK, elsewhere in Europe, and India. A very simple add-on with no clutter. Where to find it: Fusion Add-on Installer or SuperRepo. This is on the Kodi blacklist.
Ice Films — Access over 70,000 movies, plus concerts and stand-up comedy. Where to find it: Eldorado’s XBMC Addons repository. Also an illegal add-on.
UK Turks Playlist — UK Turks has a very well-curated collection of links for TV shows, movies, sports, concerts, live TV, and more. There’s also a big collection of odd-ball stuff, like movies from the early 1900s and CCTV cameras from around the world. Where to find it: Fusion Add-on Installer or SuperRepo. This is NOT one of the legal Kodi add-ons.
iPlayer WWW — A great way to stream content from the BBC. This can be anything from Top Gear to Match of the Day. It’s a must if you like BBC shows. If you’re not in the UK, though, you will need to unblock this add-on. Where to find it: Default Kodi repository. This is one of the most popular legal Kodi add-ons.
Bob — Watch TV, movies, sports, stuff for the kids, content for women, and more. Where to find it: Noobs and Nerds repository. This is another of the top legal Kodi add-ons.
Channel PEAR — Watch content and videos from around the world with cloud-based live streams. This add-on is maintained by its own community of users. Where to find it: SuperRepo. This is one of the legal Kodi add-ons.
⊕ SEE: Best VPNs For Kodi
Use Kodi securely, and install add-ons with discretion. The legality of some of these add-ons is definitely questionable. But Kodi is truly a remarkable platform and will let you enjoy thousands of hours of great entertainment.
Kodi add ons aren’t just for watching content. Some other great legal Kodi add-ons for music are TuneIn Radio and SHOUTcast 2. Once installed, both let users listen to thousands of radio stations around the world.
Plex also now has a legal Kodi add-on, which may seem strange since the two are rather fierce rivals in the media player space. But the Plex add-on is a great get for anyone who love some theater technology.
List Of Live TV Channels On Kodi
This is by no means a comprehensive list, and things change rapidly on Kodi. That said, here are some of the channels you can watch live on Kodi (more about Kodi live TV and the best add-ons to use). Generally, you can also watch any TV shows on these channels on-demand with the add-ons above.
Kodi Add-On | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
UK Turks | cCloud TV | Phoenix | USTVNow | |
A&E | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
ABC | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
ABC News | ✔ | |||
Adult Swim | ✔ | |||
AMC | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Aminal Planet | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Baby TV | ✔ | |||
Boomerang | ✔ | |||
Bravo | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
C-SPAN | ✔ | |||
Cartoon Network | ✔ | ✔ | ||
CBS | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
CBS News | ✔ | |||
CNBC | ✔ | |||
CNN | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Comedy Central | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
CW | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Discovery | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Disney | ✔ | |||
Disney Jr. | ✔ | |||
Disney XD | ✔ | |||
ESPN | ✔ | ✔ | ||
ESPN 2 | ✔ | |||
Fashion TV | ✔ | |||
Food Network | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
FOX | ✔ | ✔ | ||
FOX News | ✔ | ✔ | ||
FOX Sports | ✔ | |||
France 24 | ✔ | |||
FX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
H2 | ✔ | |||
HBO | ✔ | |||
History | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Lifetime | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
MLB Network | ✔ | |||
MTV | ✔ | |||
NASA TV | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Nat Geo | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Nat Geo Wild | ✔ | |||
NBA TV | ✔ | ✔ | ||
NBC | ✔ | ✔ | ||
NBC Sports | ✔ | |||
NFL Network | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Nick Jr. | ✔ | |||
Nick Toons | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Nickelodeon | ✔ | ✔ | ||
PBS | ✔ | ✔ | ||
POP | ✔ | |||
QVC | ✔ | |||
RT Documentary | ✔ | |||
Russia Today | ✔ | |||
Showtime | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Spike | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Syfy | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Tiny POP | ✔ | |||
TBS | ✔ | ✔ | ||
TLC | ✔ | |||
TNT | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Travel Channel | ✔ | ✔ | ||
TruTV | ✔ | ✔ | ||
USA | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
VH1 | ✔ | |||
Weather Channel | ✔ | |||
WGN News | ✔ | |||
WWE Network | ✔ | ✔ | ||
UK Turks | cCloud TV | Phoenix | USTVNow | |
Kodi Add-On |
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