When comparing Apple TV vs Kodi, the Slant community recommends Apple TV for most people. In the question“What are the best media centers?” Apple TV is ranked 3rd while Kodi is ranked 4th. The most important reason people chose Apple TV is:
The Apple TV works seamlessly with Airplay for streaming from Apple devices.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Seamless Airplay support
The Apple TV works seamlessly with Airplay for streaming from Apple devices.
Pro Simple consistent UI
All apps need to conform to the Apple TV UI, meaning they all act similarly.
Pro Can install on several devices
Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Xbox, Apple TV (jailbroken), and more.
Pro Lots of plugins available
Like PlutoTV, Curiosity Stream, and YouTube. 3rd party repositories, such as the SlyGuy Repository, contain more plugins like Disney+, Paramount+, Hulu, and Netflix.
Pro Free
Pro Open source
Completely FOSS, licensed under GPL 2.0
Pro Great customization/multiple skins
You can change navigation flow and other aspects of Kodi with the plethora of customization options and skins.
Pro Can play many different file formats
It supports Blu-ray Discs, CDs, DVDs, USB Flash Drives, local Hard Disk Drives, AirPlay, network file shares, basically every video, audio, and image format available, subtitle files, and even retro game console ROMs.
Cons
Con No built-in Chromecast
Unlike official Androidtv devices it has no Chromecast built-in.
Con Remote is very easy to lose
The remote is incredibly small and can easily fall between couch cushions.
Con Aged
Compared to newer internet TV options, the Apple TV is a lot less powerful, and has less capabilities, such as not supporting games or voice search.
Con You may have to jailbreak some devices
This is only for things like a Fire stick, but Android TV boxes etc. should be fine.
Con Terrible navigation
Menus over menus with dozens of submenus.
Con Not Client/Server Capable
While most solutions provide a client/server setup the KODI developers REFUSE to adopt this approach forcing individual setups for every device.
Con Poorly optimized
Often not a fluid experience on low-end devices.
Con No official AAA addons for streaming services
It does not have any official AAA addons and fully relies on the community which result in often broken packages/addons.