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CoreELEC VS LibreELEC

Compare CoreELEC VS LibreELEC and see what are their differences

CoreELEC logo CoreELEC

A lightweight OS for Kodi

LibreELEC logo LibreELEC

LibreELEC is ‘Just enough OS’ for Kodi, a Linux distribution built to run Kodi on current and...
  • CoreELEC Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-18
  • LibreELEC Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-06

CoreELEC features and specs

  • Optimized for Amlogic SoCs
    CoreELEC is specifically designed to work efficiently on devices using Amlogic System on Chips (SoCs), ensuring better performance and compatibility on these platforms compared to more general-purpose operating systems.
  • Lightweight
    The operating system is lightweight and minimal, allowing it to run efficiently on modest hardware, thus enabling older or less powerful devices to function effectively as media players.
  • LibreELEC Derivative
    Being a fork of LibreELEC, CoreELEC inherits a robust foundation and benefits from LibreELEC's media center capabilities while adding optimizations and improvements for Amlogic-based devices.
  • Community Support
    CoreELEC has an active community that supports and provides frequent updates, contributing to its development and troubleshooting user issues.

Possible disadvantages of CoreELEC

  • Limited to Amlogic Devices
    CoreELEC is tailored specifically for devices with Amlogic chipsets, which means it is not suitable for devices with other types of hardware, limiting its usability.
  • Learning Curve
    Users unfamiliar with Linux-based systems or media player configurations might face a learning curve when first installing and setting up CoreELEC.
  • Lack of Native App Store
    Unlike more mainstream operating systems, CoreELEC does not have a native app store, which may be frustrating for users accustomed to downloading and installing applications this way.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    While optimized for Amlogic SoCs, there can still be some hardware compatibility issues depending on specific models and peripherals, which may require manual tweaking.

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.

CoreELEC videos

CoreELEC running on Beelink GT-King

More videos:

  • Review - WHAT IS COREELEC ? A MINOR FORK OF LIBREELEC FOR AMLOGIC DEVICES

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

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to CoreELEC and LibreELEC)
Media Player
26 26%
74% 74
Video
21 21%
79% 79
Media Players And Streaming Platforms
Watch Movies Online
25 25%
75% 75

User comments

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Reviews

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

CoreELEC Reviews

The 10 Best Immutable Linux Distributions in 2024
Some distributions are tailored for specific use cases, like IoT (Ubuntu Core), container orchestration (RancherOS), or media centers (CoreELEC). The suitability of each distribution for its intended purpose was a significant factor, ensuring that users get the best experience for their specific needs.

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

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, LibreELEC should be more popular than CoreELEC. 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.

CoreELEC mentions (17)

  • Are there any decent android tv boxes that can power a 2tb hard drive and can install core elec to rom?
    It's a lite version of kodi like libreelec https://coreelec.org/ It does have a list of chipsets it's compatible with but wondered if anyone on here was using it with an android box without any issues. Source: over 1 year ago
  • How many widgets are you running with Arctic Horizon 2?
    Coreelec on the Beelink GT King 2 and Khadas VIM4 was about 40s but still acceptable. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • 4K Remux and dolby atmos and DTS X - which media player to install?
    TV's won't output multichannel lossless audio, only compressed audio codecs or stereo PCM. You need an external device for multichannel lossless audio. The Shield TV, tube or pro, is the only Android TV device that will output multichannel lossless audio. The Fire TV Cube 3rd Gen or a custom CoreELEC box are other options that will also do this. The CoreELEC box is the cheapest solution but requires some... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Hey guys I have a old android box (x96 mini) that I’d maybe like to try and set up hopefully to play some n64 games, is there a good tutorial or some website out there to help do that or does anyone here have any information?
    You can find more info on the CoreELEC site. Typically all you do on these is flash an image to a MicroSD card, copy an appropriate dtb for CPU/RAM config and place it renamed on the root of the MicroSD, pop it in, and hold the reset button (which can be hidden, such as in the back of the 3.5mm AV port so have a paperclip handy) and keep it held while you plug in the box and it should boot. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • I have this old android tv box, there is a way to delete everything and put in it OSMC? The main reason is that I cannot update Android and the remote integration is good for kodi but not for the other features that it offers.
    Put CoreELEC on it. You can find it here: https://coreelec.org/. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

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: over 1 year 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: over 1 year 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: over 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

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

Daphile - Daphile is an audiophile class music server & player OS – targeted to dedicated headless PC.

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.

OSMC - OSMC is a free and open source media center built for the people, by the people.

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

Jellyfin - Jellyfin is a personal media server.