Quick answer: the Nvidia Shield TV Pro is the best box for Kodi, Stremio and Nuvio, then the Google TV Streamer. The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is the budget pick at about ₹5,500. Skip the Fire TV Stick 4K Select and Apple TV 4K for these apps. Also in this guide: install steps for Android TV and Fire OS, and Plex.
The best Stremio streaming device is any box that lets you install apps from outside the official store, and the same goes for Kodi and Nuvio. That’s called sideloading. Android TV, Google TV and Fire OS allow it. Amazon’s new Vega OS and Apple’s tvOS don’t. Once you know which system a box runs, the choice gets simple.
All three are free, legal media players, and I’ve used them on these boxes alongside Plex for my own library. This guide shows which devices run which app, how to install each one, and the three boxes I’d buy for it.
Which streaming devices run Kodi, Stremio and Nuvio
| Device | Kodi | Stremio | Nuvio | How to install |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nvidia Shield TV Pro | Yes | Yes | Yes | Play Store for Kodi and Stremio, APK for Nuvio |
| Google TV Streamer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Play Store for Kodi and Stremio, APK for Nuvio |
| Fire TV Stick 4K Plus | Yes | Yes | Yes | Kodi from kodi.tv, Stremio from the Fire TV Appstore, APK for Nuvio |
| Fire TV Cube | Yes | Yes | Yes | Kodi from kodi.tv, Stremio from the Fire TV Appstore, APK for Nuvio |
| Chromecast with Google TV (4K) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Play Store for Kodi and Stremio, APK for Nuvio |
| Fire TV Stick 4K Select | No | Check the Appstore | No | Amazon’s store only (Vega OS) |
| Apple TV 4K | No | Stremio Lite | No | App Store only (tvOS) |
App stores change, so check each app’s own page on the day you install. Plex is the easy one: it’s a regular store app on Android TV, Google TV and Fire OS, so it needs no sideloading at all.
Sideloading, and why Vega OS and tvOS are different
Sideloading means installing an app from its installer file (an APK) instead of the official store. On Android TV and Google TV you rarely need it, because Kodi and Stremio are both in the Play Store. Nuvio is the one you install from its own page. Fire OS lets you sideload too, which is why the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus and the Fire TV Cube run all three apps.
Vega OS is Amazon’s new Linux-based system, and it only runs apps from Amazon’s own store. The Fire TV Stick 4K Select runs it, and so does the newer Fire TV Stick HD. Amazon has said future Fire TV sticks will run Vega OS too. The 4K Plus stays on Fire OS, and Pocket-lint reports Amazon will keep updating it until 2030. Not sure which one you have? Check the software version in the settings. Kodi Tips says a version starting with 1 means Vega OS, and versions 3 to 14 are Fire OS.
Apple’s tvOS works the same way: App Store only. Stremio has a Lite version there, but Kodi and Nuvio don’t. If Kodi or Nuvio matter to you, skip both the 4K Select and the Apple TV. I’ve compared the two Fire sticks in Fire TV Stick 4K Plus vs Select.
How to install them on Android TV and Google TV
This covers the Shield TV Pro, the Google TV Streamer and the Chromecast with Google TV.
- Sign in with your Google account and open the Play Store.
- Search for Kodi, Stremio and Plex, and install each one like any other app.
- For Nuvio, install a small file-manager app from the Play Store first.
- In the settings, allow that file manager to install unknown apps.
- Download the Nuvio APK from the NuvioTV project page and open it to install.
That’s it. Nuvio then sits on your home screen with the rest. Its project describes NuvioTV as a media player for Android TV; it doesn’t host or provide media itself.
How to sideload apps on a Fire TV Stick
This works on the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus and the Fire TV Cube, both on Fire OS.
- Install Stremio and Plex straight from the Fire TV Appstore. Stremio on a Fire TV Stick needs no sideloading.
- From the Appstore, install a small downloader or file-manager app.
- In the Fire TV settings, allow that app to install unknown apps.
- Use it to download Kodi’s Android build from kodi.tv, then open the file to install it.
- Do the same with the Nuvio APK from its project page.
Sideloaded apps show up under Your Apps.
Plex and a media library: storage and network
If you play your own films through Kodi or Plex, two things matter more than the app: where the files live and how they reach the TV.
The Shield has two USB 3.0 ports, so a drive plugs straight in. An NVMe SSD in a USB enclosure is quick, silent and small enough to hide behind the TV, and my NVMe SSD enclosure picks work well for it. The Google TV Streamer’s only USB-C port powers the box, so a drive needs a hub. The Fire TV sticks have no room for a drive at all, so stream from a Plex server on your PC instead.
For the network, wired beats wireless. The Shield and the Google TV Streamer have Gigabit Ethernet. The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus needs Amazon’s Ethernet adapter, or a strong Wi-Fi 6 signal. If your router sits in another room, a better Wi-Fi router does more for big 4K files than a faster box.
One more thing for Blu-ray rips: only the Shield passes DTS-HD and TrueHD audio to a receiver. My Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Atmos guide lists what every box supports.
The best Stremio streaming device for each budget
All three run every app on this page. The difference is power, ports and price.
1. Nvidia Shield TV Pro
The best Kodi box in India. Built for a big local library.
Two USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet and DTS-HD and TrueHD passthrough make it the box I’d pick for Kodi and Plex. It has 3 GB of RAM and plays 4K HEVC files from a home server without fuss. Kodi and Stremio come from the Play Store. It’s listed on Amazon.in, and Amazon US delivers it for about ₹37,000 with duty included at checkout. More in my Nvidia Shield TV Pro India guide.
2. Google TV Streamer
Best value. Newer software and more storage for less than half the Shield’s price.
It runs Google TV on Android 14 for TV, with 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, so there’s room for Kodi, Stremio, Nuvio and Plex with space to spare. Gigabit Ethernet is built in. It does both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, but it has no USB port for a drive and doesn’t list DTS or TrueHD. It’s about ₹14,000 on Amazon.in. I’ve put it against the Shield in Shield TV Pro vs Google TV Streamer.
3. Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
Best budget pick. The cheapest stick that still sideloads.
It runs Fire OS, so Kodi and Nuvio sideload in a few minutes and Stremio comes straight from the Appstore. It does Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Atmos on Wi-Fi 6, for about ₹5,500 on Amazon.in. It’s much less powerful than the Shield or Google’s box, and Ethernet needs an adapter. Check the name before you pay: the 4K Select looks the same but runs Vega OS and won’t take these apps.
Two more boxes run all three apps. The Fire TV Cube is on Fire OS, adds Ethernet, a USB-A port and hands-free Alexa, and installs everything the same way as the 4K Plus. The Chromecast with Google TV takes Kodi and Stremio from the Play Store, but Google has discontinued it, so I’d only buy one at a fair price. For a new purchase, the Google TV Streamer replaced it.
Warranty and support
The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is sold in India, so it’s covered like any other Amazon.in purchase. The Shield and the Google TV Streamer aren’t sold officially here, so their maker warranty stays with the country you bought from. Amazon’s return window still covers an Amazon-fulfilled order of either.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best device for Kodi in India?
The Nvidia Shield TV Pro is the best Kodi box in India. It has two USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet and DTS-HD and TrueHD passthrough. The Google TV Streamer is the cheaper alternative at about ₹14,000.
Can I run Stremio on a Fire TV Stick?
Yes, on the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus it installs from the Fire TV Appstore. Kodi and Nuvio sideload on the 4K Plus too. The 4K Select runs Vega OS, so it only takes what’s in Amazon’s store.
Does Stremio work on Apple TV?
Yes, Stremio Lite is in the App Store. Kodi and Nuvio aren’t, and tvOS doesn’t allow sideloading.
What is Nuvio?
NuvioTV is a media player for Android TV, installed from an APK on its project page. It doesn’t host or provide media itself.
Do these apps work on a box imported from the US?
Yes. They install and run the same way on an imported Shield or Google TV Streamer. Store apps follow your account’s country, not where the box was bought. My Amazon US buying guide covers the order itself.
Verdict
For Kodi, Stremio and Nuvio, buy a box that runs Android TV, Google TV or Fire OS. My order is the Shield TV Pro for a big library, the Google TV Streamer for value, and the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus on a budget. Skip the Fire TV Stick 4K Select and the Apple TV 4K for these apps. The full ranking is in my best streaming device in India guide.
