Kodi on Apple TV means sideloading. Spectati is on the App Store.
No Xcode and no re-signing every week. IPTV with an XMLTV guide, Plex and Jellyfin come built in rather than as add-ons.
- App Store
- Apple TV
- iPhone & iPad
- Mac
- M3U & Xtream
- Plex & Jellyfin
- Dolby Vision
Kodi does more. Spectati installs like an app.
Kodi is a platform you build on. Spectati is one app with IPTV, Plex and Jellyfin already in it, and each wins rows the other loses.
| Capability | Spectati | Kodi on Apple TV |
|---|---|---|
| Installs from the App Store | Yes | No |
| Keeps working without re-signing | Yes | Every 7 days on a free Apple account |
| Free and open source | No | Yes |
| Third-party add-ons and skins | No | Yes |
| Runs on Windows, Linux and Android too | No | Yes |
| M3U playlists with an XMLTV guide | Yes | With the IPTV Simple Client add-on |
| Xtream Codes login | Yes | Through the provider’s M3U URL |
| Plex and Jellyfin libraries | Yes | Through add-ons |
| Switches the TV into HDR and Dolby Vision | With a subscription | No |
| Matches the display frame rate | Yes | Yes |
| Top Shelf on the Apple TV Home Screen | Yes | Not on a free Apple account |
Written by Spectati and checked against the Kodi wiki, the kodi.tv downloads and Kodi’s tvOS source code in September 2026. Spectati is not affiliated with Kodi or the XBMC Foundation; Kodi changes, so check the current release before you decide.
Install it like any other app. Update it the same way.
Kodi’s own guide for Apple TV 4K says the official way to install it is to sideload it with Xcode on a Mac, and on a free Apple developer account it has to be re-signed and reinstalled every seven days. Spectati comes from the App Store, updates itself like every other app, and keeps your sources where you left them.
- Download from the App Store on Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and Mac
- No Mac, no Xcode and no developer account needed
- Updates arrive through the App Store
- Top Shelf on the Apple TV Home Screen
IPTV, Plex and Jellyfin, without an add-on to find.
In Kodi, live TV comes from the PVR IPTV Simple Client add-on, Jellyfin from the Jellyfin project’s own add-on and Plex from a community one. In Spectati all three are built in, and a film, a show and a live channel land in the same library, the same search and the same Continue Watching row.
- M3U, M3U8 and JSON playlists, plus Xtream-compatible providers
- A full-screen XMLTV guide with now and next
- Plex and Jellyfin servers, with Emby in beta
- One search across movies, shows, episodes and channels
Dolby Vision on the TV when the film is Dolby Vision.
Kodi’s tvOS build asks the Apple TV for SDR whenever it switches display mode. With Match Content on, Spectati switches the display to the dynamic range and frame rate of what is playing. Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus reaches the receiver untouched, TrueHD and DTS play as 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus, and TrueHD Atmos and DTS:X keep their height channels on AirPods, HomePods and Atmos receivers. The free tier direct-plays your 4K remuxes with no transcoding, in SDR. HDR and surround sound are what a subscription adds.
- Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG to the display
- Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus untouched, TrueHD Atmos and DTS:X with their height channels
- Direct play of high-bitrate 4K remuxes, no transcoding
- Frame rate matched when Match Content is on
Press play before you connect anything.
A new install is not an empty shelf asking for a server address. Four films are already on Home, and they play in seconds with no account, no playlist and no card. It is the real player on your own television, not a demo mode.
- Four Blender open movies, ready the moment you open the app
- Singularity is served in HDR10, so you see what full quality buys
- Nothing to sign up for and nothing that expires
- Connect Plex, Jellyfin or a playlist whenever you feel like it
- Singularity2026 · 6 min · HDR10
- Charge2022 · 4 min · 1440p
- Sprite Fright2021 · 10 min · 1080p
- Big Buck Bunny2008 · 10 min · 720p
Blender open movies, licensed CC BY. Spectati streams them to a fresh install so there is something to watch before you connect anything.
Free to use. Pay only for full quality.
Free to install, with no ads. The free tier direct-plays your 4K remuxes with no transcoding, in SDR. HDR and surround sound are what a subscription adds.
Free
No account neededInstall it and press play. There is no trial clock and no card.
- Plex, Jellyfin, IPTV and SMB file shares, plus Emby, WebDAV and SFTP in beta
- Up to 2 sources running at once
- Direct play of high-bitrate 4K remuxes, no transcoding
- Live TV with a full XMLTV program guide
- Favorites, hiding, renaming and sorting, channel by channel
- Parental PIN, age-rating limits and per-provider locks
Full quality
OptionalOr $2.99/month, or $99.99 once and never again
- HDR and surround sound
- More than 2 sources at once
- Offline downloads
- IPTV catch-up and on-demand
- Bulk channel tools and program reminders
- iCloud sync across your devices
- Automatic subtitles
- SIMKL and Trakt watch-history sync
- App icons and accent colors
- Automatic intro skipping
- Up to four live channels at once with Multiview
Bought inside the app, whenever you decide you want it. Apple handles it via In-App Purchase, with Family Sharing. Both subscriptions start with a 7-day free trial. Manage or cancel anytime from your Apple ID.
- Unlimited devices
- All providers
- tvOS, iOS, iPadOS and macOS
- Family Sharing
- Cancel anytime
Coming from Kodi, answered.
Weighing it up against a Kodi setup you know? Get in touch.
Is Kodi on the Apple TV App Store?
No. Kodi is not on the App Store for Apple TV, iPhone or iPad. The Kodi wiki describes sideloading it onto an Apple TV 4K with Xcode on a Mac, and on a free Apple developer account the install has to be re-signed every seven days. On the Mac, Kodi is an ordinary download from kodi.tv.
Can Spectati replace Kodi for IPTV?
For live TV from a provider, yes. Paste an M3U URL or sign in with an Xtream login, add an XMLTV URL, and the guide becomes a full-screen timeline with now and next. Catch-up from your provider’s archive comes with a subscription. Spectati has no add-ons, so anything you use a Kodi add-on for beyond IPTV, Plex and Jellyfin stays a job for Kodi.
Does Kodi play Dolby Vision on Apple TV?
Kodi’s tvOS build requests SDR whenever it changes the display mode, so the Apple TV does not switch into HDR or Dolby Vision for it. It does match the frame rate when "Adjust display refresh rate" is turned on. Spectati switches the display into HDR and Dolby Vision with a subscription, and plays the same files in SDR on the free tier.
Why would I keep Kodi?
It is free and open source, it runs on Windows, Linux, Android and more, and its add-ons and skins let you rebuild almost anything about it. If you rely on those, Spectati will not replace them.
Do I need a Plex or Jellyfin server?
No. Spectati connects to what you already have: a Plex or Jellyfin server, Emby in beta, an SMB share, or an IPTV playlist. Before any of that exists, four sample films on Home already play.
No sideloading. Just the App Store.
Spectati is free on Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and Mac. Press play on a sample film, then add a playlist or a server whenever you like.
Also on Apple TV, iPad and Mac
Requires tvOS, iOS, iPadOS or macOS 26