Stremio — An open-source media center that aggregates movies, TV shows, and podcasts through a community addon system, free to use with optional paid Supporter plans.
By Noahlast updated
Stremio screenshots & video
Stremio in 20 seconds
Best for: users who want one unified interface for content discovery and playback across many community addon sources
Pricing: Free core app; optional donation-based Supporter plans, exact pricing not published on pages fetched.
- Stremio's core app is free, with optional donation-based Supporter plans funding development.
- The desktop shell (stremio-shell) is open source under GPL-3.0 and published on GitHub.
- Stremio runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, Android TV, LG TV, and a reduced-functionality web app for iOS/iPadOS.
- Content is surfaced through a community-built addon ecosystem rather than a licensed content library Stremio owns.
- Stremio supports HTTP links, torrent files, and magnet links for playback, plus Chromecast casting.
Limitations: Content availability and legality depend on third-party addons, not Stremio itself.; iOS/iPadOS support is a reduced-functionality web app, not a full native client.; Addon-based setup has a learning curve for new users.
Top alternatives: Plex, Jellyfin, Kodi, Emby, JustWatch — full list
What is Stremio?
Stremio is a media center that works less like a single streaming service and more like a universal remote for other content sources: a community-built addon system lets users install catalogs for streaming providers, torrent indexes, subtitle services, and more, all surfaced through one unified browsing and playback interface. It supports HTTP links, torrent files, and magnet links for playback, and syncs watch progress across devices. Stremio runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux desktops, Android phones and Android TV, LG TV, and a web app with reduced functionality on iOS/iPadOS (where Apple's platform restrictions limit native app capabilities). It supports Chromecast on both desktop and mobile, and offers a Guest Mode that avoids account-based data collection. The desktop shell and much of the surrounding codebase are open source (GPL-3.0) and published across multiple repositories on GitHub. The core app is free; Stremio funds ongoing development through optional donation-based Supporter plans rather than a required subscription.
Stremio is a media center application that unifies movie, TV show, and podcast discovery and playback through an extensible addon ecosystem, letting users pull content from many sources into one interface rather than switching between apps. It targets casual and power users who want cross-device watch-progress sync and customizable content access, running on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, Android TV, LG TV, and a reduced-functionality web version for iOS/iPadOS. The core app is free with no subscription required; Stremio funds development through optional donation-based Supporter plans rather than gating core features behind a paywall. Much of Stremio's codebase, including its desktop shell, is open source and published on GitHub under GPL-3.0.
Standout feature: An open addon ecosystem that lets the community build and install catalogs for different content sources into one unified browsing and playback interface, rather than being locked to a single content library.
Biggest weakness: Stremio itself does not host or license any content; its value depends entirely on third-party community addons, which vary in reliability, legality, and availability by region, and the iOS/iPadOS experience is reduced-functionality (web-based) rather than a full native app due to Apple's platform restrictions.
Pros
- Free core app with no subscription required for full addon and playback functionality.
- Unified interface for content discovery and playback across many addon-provided sources.
- Cross-device watch-progress sync and Chromecast support on desktop and mobile.
- Desktop shell and much of the codebase are open source (GPL-3.0) on GitHub.
Cons
- Content availability and legality depend entirely on third-party addons, not on Stremio itself, and quality varies widely.
- iOS/iPadOS support is a reduced-functionality web app rather than a full native client.
- No official iOS native app due to Apple platform restrictions on this kind of addon-based playback.
- Setup and addon configuration have a learning curve for users unfamiliar with the addon-based model.
Stremio pricing
Free
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Full access to the addon system, playback, watch-progress sync, and Guest Mode; no subscription required. |
| Supporter | Custom | Optional donation-based plan that funds development and unlocks experimental features; exact price not published on the pages fetched. |
What reviewers say
No third-party review scores on file yet.