25 Best Kodi Skins for a Fresh Look in 2024

by
Frederik Lipfert
Dr. Frederik Lipfert Founder, vpncheck
Updated on 7 Nov 2022

About Kodi Skins:

Kodi is arguably the most versatile streaming software. The program lets you install thousands of addons you can use to watch pretty much anything, from live TV and sports to documentaries and kid’s content. But besides the endless streaming possibilities, the software also lets you customize or even completely overhaul its appearance.

This can be done by installing Kodi skins, and there are lots of them designed to help you add a particular theme to Kodi or simply make it more attractive. This guide will look at how to install Kodi skins and show you the 25 best Kodi skins you can install. We’ll also throw in a few Kodi builds at the end as they also come with some excellent skins and a lot more.

Kodi Skins vs. Kodi Builds

If you are not familiar with Kodi skins, these are simply small programs that alter the appearance of Kodi. The Kodi software originally comes with a skin known as Estuary, and it’s not bad, to be fair. However, some people may view it as a bit business-like. Kodi skins allow you to change the interface to something more vibrant with sleek animations and a more modern design.

The difference between Kodi skins and builds is that while the latter also come with skins, they provide a lot more. Kodi builds also install addons, widgets, and heavy graphics, among others. If you’d like an all-in-one solution, you can have a look at our guide on the 25 best Kodi builds.

If you already have enough addons or you just want to change the appearance of Kodi without much fanfare, Kodi skins are an excellent option. They won’t require a lot of space, and they are easy to install.

Stream Safely With a VPN!

Whether you want to use a Kodi build that comes with addons or use a skin with your addons, you need to be careful and stream anonymously. This is because most third-party Kodi addons often provide pirated content, and consumption of such can easily put you in trouble with Johny Law.

Your ISP is constantly monitoring your online activities, and they can always know when you access copyrighted content illegally. Copyright trolls can also contact your ISP, and in such a case, you will end up with a cease-and-desist letter or a DMCA notice.

To avoid these issues, we highly advise using ExpressVPN whenever you are streaming on Kodi. It is the best VPN for streaming as it provides an audited zero-log service and encrypts all data using the AES-256 standard. On top of that, you will be able to stream without buffering, thanks to the VPN’s unbeatable speeds.

How to Install Kodi Skins

Kodi skins are super easy to install as the official Kodi platform already hosts them. 

  1. While on the Kodi main page, click the Settings icon on the top-left side.Kodi Settings button is indicated by a large cog button at the top of the left navigation menu on Home Page
  2. Select Interface at the System Menu.Select Interface at the System Menu
  3. Now, click on Skin.Kodi settings interface, skin tab, skin highlighted
  4. Click on the Get More option.Kodi settings interface, skin tab, get more highlighted
  5. You should now see a list of Kodi skins. Select one you want to install it. For this guide, we’ll use Unity, a material Kodi addon.Kodi settings interface, skin tab, Unity highlighted
  6. After the installation, you will get a preview of the skin, and Kodi will ask you if you want to retain the new skin. Select Yes to activate it.Preview of Kodi skin installed
  7. The skin should now get activated.Kodi skin activated

Enjoy your fresh look!

The Top 25 Best Kodi Skins

To create this guide, we reviewed pretty much every Kodi skin hosted on the official Kodi platform, and below are the top 25.

Pellucid

PellucidPellucid is an awesome Kodi skin that provides a simplistic, super-clean, and intuitive interface. The skin keeps everything simple by providing a few buttons in the middle of the screen, with no subcategories. These include Movies, TV Shows, Games, Music, Weather, and Pictures. The settings option is provided with a small button on the lower side of the screen.

The other standout feature about Pellucid is its superb background images that rotate every now and then, and they ensure that the simplicity of the interface never gets boring. Pellucid is not the most customizable skin, but you can change/edit the menu items, edit several image options, and more significantly, enable low CPU power mode. If simplicity is your thing, ensure you check out this one.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Amber

AmberIf you are looking for a Kodi skin that is elegant enough to be mistaken for a Kodi build, then Amber is the one. The skin sports an amber theme with a horizontal ribbon-styled main menu accompanied by subcategories on the lower side. The main menu items are Movies, TV Shows, Music, Pictures, Games, Add-ons, and Search. Each of these has colorful images that make everything even sleeker.

Besides the superb design, Amber also gives you tons of customization options. You can change the colors, customize the background/artwork, edit the menu items, and even switch the menu layout to vertical, among others. If you are a power user, you should check out this one.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Confluence

ConfluenceConfluence is one of the oldest and most popular Kodi skins, and it was actually the default skin on Kodi 16 Jarvis. The skin lies somewhere between minimalist and flashy skins, and it is used by lots of Kodi builds. 

Confluence sports a blue and black theme with the main categories running across the middle-lower side. The categories include Weather, Pictures, Games, Videos, Music, Add-ons, and System. To access Movies & TV Shows, you can use the Videos section then select the addon you need.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Madnox

MadnoxMadnox is a super-cool Kodi skin that is both bright and sleek. The skin has a well-designed menu ribbon that also contains subcategories. The main items are Movies, TV Shows, Videos, Pictures, Music, Music Videos, and System. Each of these has its own background image, and the settings options also have image icons.

Madnox is quite commendable in that instead of just giving you customization options, it comes with extra themes. These are Aeon Auriga, Dark, Purple carbon, and Blue wood. You can also edit the background and artwork, among other things. 

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia

Ace 2

Ace 2Ace 2 is a Kodi skin designed for your bigger screen as it uses large icons, and the skin also maintains simplicity with minimal icons. These are for Movies, TV Shows, Concerts, Music, Live TV, Radio, Favorites, Games, Programs, Images, Weather, and Power. 

The skin doesn’t have any shortcuts or subcategories, but it has many skin settings and options that allow customization. These include customizing the home menu, widgets, backgrounds, artwork, contextual art, and much more. Overall, the skin is attractive, and it has a transparent material feel that makes it worth checking out.

Kodi Versions: Kodi 18 Leia

Rapier

Rapier

Rapier is one of the oldest Kodi skins, and it is compatible with all versions of Kodi. The skin offers a minimalist design to ensure newer Kodi users are comfortable, but it also comes with lots of customization options for experts. The skin lets you change both the theme and the label colors, and you can even switch the font between the default one, Arial, Homizio Nova, Multilingual, Noto Sans, and Raleway.

You can navigate on Kodi using the main section on the lower side of the screen. The main sections are Videos, Movies, TV Shows, Add-ons, Games, Pictures, Music, System, and Power. Selecting a category reveals its subcategories to make navigation easy.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

AppTV

AppTV

AppTV is a Kodi skin designed to bring the Apple TV interface feel to Kodi, and the skin manages to accomplish that. The interface icons are highly similar to those on Apple TV, and the skin also brings commendable simplicity to Kodi. The main options are Videos, Movies, TV Shows, Music, Settings, Addons, and Quit.

AppTV doesn’t have many customization options, but it is worth a try for Apple TV fans as they’ll be able to bring that Apple ecosystem feel to Kodi.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Metropolis

Metropolis

Metropolis is a Kodi skin that brings a retro feel to Kodi. Unlike most Kodi skins, the skin uses a vertical design, and each category is accompanied by its own background images. The categories include Videos, Games, Music, Pictures, Programs, Favorites, Settings, and Shutdown. Each of these then has several subcategories displayed on the other side of the screen.

Besides the main menu, the standout part of Metropolis Kodi skin is its settings page. This section adds a modern feel to its retro theme with vertical icons that look like they’ve been brought straight from a pop-art gallery. The skin ensures you won’t have trouble adjusting the skin to your liking or using Kodi in general.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Bello

Bello

Bello 8 is the eighth iteration of the Bello Kodi skin, and it is meant for Kodi 19 Matrix, but you can still use Bello 7 on Kodi 18 Leia. The two are quite similar, with only a few advancements on the latter design. 

The theme sports a purple interface with neatly arranged categories that make it easy to get whatever you are looking for. These include Movies, TV Shows, Videos, Music, Pictures, Add-ons, Live TV, and Trailers. Besides that, we have to mention the extravagant red cursor that also enlarges the menu item you select. Not a bad touch though, and it works great for those that like emphasized visuals.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Unity

Kodi skin activated

If you like the material design made popular by Google, then Unity is your go-to Kodi skin. The skin brings that stock Android feel to Kodi, and we have to say, it does an excellent job at it too. The theme retains a simplistic feel, with all the categories and subcategories neatly laid out on the lower side of the skin. The main ones are Videos, TV Shows, Music, Programs, Play Disc, and Pictures.

Unity also comes with several skin customization options that let you change the theme color, edit the home window, change multiple background image properties, and more. Its transitions are also as smooth as you like.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Aeon Tajo

Aeon Tajo

Aeon Tajo is simplistic Kodi skin that organizes everything neatly and uses a minimalist design. The skin displays the main categories on the lower side of the screen, and the subcategories are displayed just below them. The main sections are Movies, TV Shows, Live TV, Videos, Games, Apps, Favorites, Weather, Concerts, and Music.

The standout part about Aeon Tajo is that the skin also comes with some soothing melodies you can play when on the main screen. This functionality is no longer enabled by default, but you can activate it under skin settings. You can also display widgets, enable a Netflix-style screen saver, enable auto-scrolling for plot & review, and play songs automatically while browsing music, among other things. These options are grouped according to All Devices, Powerful Devices, and Most Powerful Devices to ensure that you don’t over-task yours.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

fTV

fTV

If you are a fan of the Amazon Firestick, you can ensure some consistency when using Kodi, thanks to the fTV Kodi skin. The skin is meant for Firestick and Android TV users as it doesn’t work with a mouse, so it only works with a remote. It also works on touch screen devices, although it may not provide the best functionality.

The fTV skin comes with a minimalist design despite providing several menu items. These are Search, Watchlist, TV Shows, Favourites, Videos, Music, Games, Apps, and Photos. There aren’t many skin customization options, but you can expect easy and remote-friendly navigation.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Embuary

Embuary

Embuary is a Kodi skin dedicated to Emby users who also use Kodi to enjoy their favorite movies and TV shows. The skin does a great job at mimicking the Emby web UI, and it still manages to be clean-looking and easy to use. The interface displays all your media, games, and addons on the main page, with the other menu options drawing from the left-hand side.

The best bit about Embuary is that it also brings its Emby information-getting traits, and it comes with programs and scripts that ensure you get movie banners, synopsis, IMDB, and Rotten Tomatoes ratings on all your content. The skin is also very customizable and it is an excellent option for users looking for a comprehensive and flexible interface. However, the skin is only meant for remote-controlled devices, and it doesn’t work with a mouse.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Mimic

Mimic

If you have been using Kodi for a long time, then Mimic Kodi skin will seem a bit familiar. The skin resembles older versions of the default Estuary skin used on Kodi, sporting the same font and a similar vertical menu layout. The interface is largely uncluttered, with all menu items on the left side, but you can also see your movies, TV shows, addons, and other media items on the home screen.

Despite Mimic’s simplicity, the skin also provides lots of customization options. One of the major things you can do is change the menu from vertical to horizontal. You can also edit the menu and widgets, the background, fanarts, and much more. Mimic provides a great way of enhancing Kodi while at the same time retaining familiarity.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Eminence

Eminence

Eminence is a simple, yet futurist skin. The skin employs a sleek dark theme with no fancy icons, and it is intended to bring the TV OS feel (especially LG’s Web OS) to Kodi. This is thanks to the skin’s main menu layout on the lower side of the skin. The menu items don’t display your videos or any subcategories when selected, but it is still very functional and user-friendly.

The skin is quite customizable though, and you can customize the main screen, shortcuts and widgets, background, colors, On Screen Display (OSD), and so much more. The main menu items are videos, Movies, TV Shows, Music, Pictures, Programs, Weather, Settings, and Power. These too, can be customized.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Aeon Nox: SiLVO

Aeon Nox SiLVO

Aeon Nox: SiLVO is a redesign of the hugely popular Aeon Nox Kodi skin, and it now looks more modern and much cleaner. The skin doesn’t come with any home screen graphics, and it uses a dark theme to make everything look glossier. The menu items are Movies, TV Shows, Videos, Live TV, Games, Pictures, Music Videos, Weather, System, and Search. Below these are subcategories that act as shortcuts.

One of the best things about Aeon Nox: SiLVO is the skin’s customizability. It provides lots of configuration options such as changing the main menu items, setting up background images and fan art, moving the menu position, changing colors, and more. If you’d like to play around with your skin, you can check out Aeon Nox: SiLVO.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Arctic: Zephyr Reloaded

Arctic: Zephyr Reloaded is a lightweight Kodi skin meant for streaming devices that use the remote, specifically Firestick & Android TV Sticks/Boxes. The skin works very well on less powerful devices, and it’s quite minimalistic but still highly functional. The skin’s menu is placed at the bottom, and selecting an item pops up the subcategories.

Arctic Zephyr doesn’t have many customization options, but you can still tweak the menu items, widgets, colors, and several other things. The skin doesn’t work with the mouse, but it is a great option for your streaming device.

Quartz

Quartz

Quartz is the definition of a simplistic design. The skin uses a black and white theme with no icons, just text describing the various buttons. The main categories are provided horizontally in the middle of the screen, and they are only five: Movies, TV Shows, Music, Pictures, Add-ons, and Kodi. The latter provides all utility options.

Quartz is a great option if you want to keep things simple. However, the skin is most suited to users who already have the content they want on their hard disk or network. This is because the skin is designed to use your content’s artwork to make the skin more colorful.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Aeon MQ 8

Aeon MQ 8 is easily one of the best Kodi skins you’ll come across. The skin brings a modern and elegant feel with a dark grey theme that completes its coolness. The skin’s menu is placed on the lower side, and it includes Movies, TV Shows, Concerts, Music, Live TV, Radio, Favorites, Games, Programs, Images, and Weather.

The best part about Aeon MQ 8 is that the skin provides super-cool images for every menu item. This does not only apply to the main menu but also to settings and much more. The only downside about the skin is that it’s only available on Kodi 18 Leia.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia

Revolve

Revolve

If you like out of the ordinary, this one is for you. Revolve uses a burgundy and white-ish theme with a revolving main menu. The main menu items display details about the item such as the number of movies, shows, artists, etc. The revolving style is also carried over to the inner sections of the screen.

Revolve doesn’t let you play around much with the appearance, but you can edit the menu items and certain colors. The strength of the addon lies in the number of ways you can determine how your media appears. However, the addon is only available for Kodi 189.9 Leia.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia

Transparency

Transparency

Transparency is more of a fanart Kodi addon as it contains lots of graphics, and most of them are mostly determined by the fanart on your titles. The skin vertically arranges its menu items, and they include Videos, Movies, TV Shows, TV, Music, Pictures, Add-ons, Weather, and Settings. The menu ribbon doesn’t display subcategories.

The settings page is also full of graphics, and it lets you customize the home window, backgrounds, icons, displays, and more. The skin has not yet been adapted to Kodi 19, but it works very well on older versions of Kodi.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia

Box

Box

Box is a simplistic Kodi addon that excels at organizing content and providing lots of information and options within little space. The skin’s home screen shows only three main items: Movies, Library, and All Recent. To display the rest, you need to draw them from the left hand side. This displays Weather, Programs, Add-ons, Settings, Pictures, and more.

The other thing about Box is that the skin is very customizable. There’s a customization option on the main menu that lets you determine how the home screen behaves, and you can also edit the fanart and add theme color to the background.

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia

Diggz Xenon Plus

Diggz Xenon Plus

Diggz Xenon is a Kodi build, and it has been one of the most popular for some time now. Its latest version is known as Diggz Xenon Plus. The build features an excellent design with a superb outlay and colorful graphics. Its main categories include Networks, Sports, Music, Arcade, TV Guide, Debrid Zone, and Free Zone.

The Free Zone and Debrid sections major on Movies and TV Shows, and they have subsections such as Genres, 1-Click Section, New & Trending, and Movie Trailers, among others. The build’s addon list is also very impressive, and it features addons such as Magic Dragon, Asgard, The Oath, Gratis, Schwifty, Nightwing, Black Lightning, and many more.

Build Repo: Diggz Matrix

Repo URL: http://grumpeh.aion.feralhosting.com/repo/

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Misfit Mods Lite

Misfit Mods Lite

Misfit Mods Lite is another superb option when looking for the best Kodi builds or skins in 2024. The Kodi build is small in size to cater for streaming devices that have minimal space, but that doesn’t mean that it sacrifices in terms of the content. The build offers Movies, TV Shows, Sports, Kids Zone, and Music. There’s also a Real-Debrid section that provides movies in up to 4K!

MisFit Mods Lite comes with lots of popular addons, including FEN, Asgard, The Crew, The Loop, The EndZone, Venom, Rising Tides, and The Oath. The build’s organization is quite simple but still attractive, ensuring that you’ll have no trouble using it. After you open Kodi, you’ll find the latest trending titles on the front page.

Build Repo: MisFit Repo

Repo URL: http://misfitmods.com/mmwiz/repo

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Simplex

Simplex

Simplex is a build from the cman build repo, and it features a well-designed bluish theme. The Kodi build provides Movies, TV Shows, Sports, Live TV, and Kid’s content. There’s also an X-plore section that lets you discover new movies, TV shows, and YouTube videos.

To offer the huge variety of content it does, Simplex comes with several of the best working Kodi addons. These include Patriot, Venom, Seren, Nightwing, Odin, The Oath, Black Lightning, Mad Titan Sports, The EndZone, Torque, TV Tap, Free TV, and more. The skin also comes with widgets that show the latest movies on the top side.

Build Repo: Cman Repo

Repo URL: http://cmanbuilds.com/repo

Supported Versions: Kodi 18 Leia & Kodi 19 Matrix

Wrap Up

If you have been using Kodi for quite some time and want to freshen things up, you can do so easily using a Kodi skin. The guide above lists 25 of the best that you can explore, whether you are using Kodi 18 Leia or Kodi 19 Matrix. But since you’ll most likely be relying on third-party addons, ensure you protect yourself using ExpressVPN.