Comparison · facts checked on 2026-09-25
Hypnotix vs Kodi: two Linux answers to live TV
Both are free software and both run on Linux, which is where the similarity ends. One is a small GTK player that opens a list; the other is a platform whose live TV comes from a back-end you install and maintain.
In short: if you are on a Linux desktop and want your M3U or Xtream list on screen with no setup beyond pasting it, Hypnotix is the shortest path — and it ships a default provider, which is worth understanding before you use it. If you want a library with covers and synopses, add-ons, skins, games and a documented PVR route for recording, that is Kodi. Neither one supplies channels of its own.
Hypnotix and Kodi, side by side
| Criterion | Hypnotix | Kodi |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Linux with GTK only | Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS and tvOS |
| Source code | GPLv3, published on GitHub | Free software, source published |
| Price | Free | Free |
| How live TV arrives | M3U URL, Xtream login or a local file, pasted into the app | Through a PVR back-end or add-on you install and point at |
| Ships a provider | Yes — a default provider called Free-TV comes configured | No — it ships no content at all |
| Radio, recording, casting | None of the three | Recording through the PVR back-end; radio depends on the add-on |
1 Sources: github.com/linuxmint/hypnotix and kodi.tv/about, both checked on 2026-09-25.
What each one does better
These are the reasons people pick one over the other — they are not competing versions of the same program.
Hypnotix
- Paste an M3U URL, an Xtream login or a local file and you are watching
- TV, films and series in one small window
- GPLv3 and light — a GTK app, not a platform
- Maintained by the Linux Mint project
- On Wayland it needs vo=x11 and GDK_BACKEND=x11 to work
Kodi
- A library for your own files, with covers and synopses
- Add-ons and skins — the interface is meant to be rebuilt
- Live TV and recording through PVR back-ends such as MediaPortal, MythTV, NextPVR and Tvheadend
- Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS and tvOS
- Games through emulators
Where Megacubo fits — and what it does not do
What Megacubo gives you here
- Your M3U list or Xtream login on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, Android TV and TV boxes — not tied to one desktop toolkit
- No default provider preloaded: the list and the provider are yours to choose
- GPL-3.0, source on GitHub, no account and no subscription
- 22 interface languages; the project has been shipping since 2008
What Megacubo does not do
- No library with covers and synopses for your own files
- No add-ons, skins or PVR back-end
- No games and no radio
- No multi-view, no passcode, no per-user profiles
If what you want is a Linux-only player with the least possible setup, Hypnotix already does that and does it well. Megacubo is for the case where the same list has to follow you to other devices.
Official downloads
We do not host or mirror any competitor installer. Each button goes to the publisher own page and the file comes from there — so what you get is the current build, not a copy of ours.
Hypnotix
Official project page on GitHub, where the source and the packaging notes live
Go to the GitHub projectMegacubo
Free and open source player for M3U playlists and Xtream logins, across 22 interface languages
Megacubo for Windows1 Links checked on 2026-09-25. If one of them stops working, write to contact@megacubo.tv.
Read next
Kodi vs TiviMate
If the screen is an Android TV rather than a desktop, start here instead.
Read the comparisonFrequently asked questions
Does Hypnotix come with channels already in it?
It ships a default provider called Free-TV, which is why a fresh install shows content without you adding anything. That is a preloaded provider, not documentation of what is in it — decide for yourself whether you want it before you rely on it.
Can Hypnotix run on Windows or macOS?
No. It is a GTK application for Linux. The dependencies named by the project are libxapp 2.6 or newer, libmpv and python3-imdbpy.
Does Kodi open an M3U playlist directly?
Not on its own. Live TV in Kodi comes through a PVR back-end or add-on that you install and configure — MediaPortal, MythTV, NextPVR and Tvheadend are the ones the project names.
Does either one record?
Hypnotix does not record. Kodi records through the PVR back-end you configured, so whether recording works depends on that back-end rather than on Kodi alone.
Do I need a paid subscription?
No. Both are free software. What you pay for, if anything, is the service that provides the channels — and that is separate from either player.
The same list, on every device you own
Megacubo opens M3U playlists and Xtream logins on Windows, Linux, macOS and Android. No account, no back-end, no preloaded provider.
- One installer per device — nothing to configure first
- GPL-3.0, source on GitHub
- Windows 10/11, Linux, macOS, Android and Android TV
Grátis e de código aberto (GPL-3.0) · Windows, Linux, macOS e Android · Sem conta