What is Kodi?
Kodi is an open source media player which has a wide variety of features. Kodi is quite versatile and can play back both audio and video from online sources as well as local storage. Additionally, this multi-functional media player can be used on many devices such as Windows computers, Mac computers, the Nvidia Shield, Raspberry Pis, Android devices, and iPhones.
See also: Best Kodi movies addons
Warning: Your ISP can view your streaming activity
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) routes your internet connection through secure servers, ultimately protecting your privacy while online by masking your identity. This is particularly important, considering ISPs can not only view all of your streaming traffic, but can pass that data on to third parties requesting access, or for their own profit.
ISPs have also been known to restrict the connection speeds of users who regularly stream content online. Using a VPN will route your connection through a secure, private tunnel that makes it impossible for ISPs to determine what kind of data you’re using. That allows you to avoid video throttling.
Additionally, VPNs can prevent man-in-the middle (MitM) attacks from connection hackers, and can help you bypass geographic content blocking imposed by sites serving content outside of your region.
Of the options we’ve tested for Kodi, we recommend IPVanish. Connection speeds are fast and extremely secure. It’s also compatible with many devices such as Linux computers, iOS devices, and Android devices.
READER DEAL: Save 46% on IPVanish here. This includes a 7-day money-back guarantee so you can try the service risk-free.
What is the Magic Dragon Kodi addon? Should you install it?
The Magic Dragon Kodi addon is a rebranded version of an older addon called The Pyramid. While it provides content such as movies (some in 4K), TV shows, radio, sports, and other forms of entertainment, the source of this content is mainly pirated streams.
Such pirated streams are illegal in many countries. For this reason, we can’t recommend using this addon and suggest that you consider some official alternative addons instead.
Alternatives to Magic Dragon
Many third-party addons are harmless but this does not mean there isn’t any risk involved. There have been instances in the past where developers have used third-party addons with malicious intent. Care should be taken when installing such addons.
We also recommend that you carefully check any third-party addons you might be thinking of installing to ensure that they don’t provide illegal content streams. A good marker for this is if the addon provides content which appears like it should be paid for but is offered for free. If this is the case then the media being presented is likely infringing copyrights.
Best Magic Dragon Alternative: Xumo.tv
Xumo.tv delivers over 100 channels to viewers completely free of cost. It offers content across several categories such as News, TV & Movies, Sports, Kids & Family, Food, Drink & Travel, and Fashion. You can access all of this through the Xumo.tv Kodi addon.
Xumo offers News channels such as MSNBC, NBC News, and CBSN. In terms of TV & Movies there are Filmrise, Gravitas Movies, and The GrapeVine. If you’re into music you will enjoy the billboard channel and the fuse channel. Vogue and GQ are 2 of the standout channels in the Fashion category. In addition to live streaming TV, Xumo’s channels usually offer accompanying on demand content.
You can find the Xumo.tv Kodi app in the official Kodi addon repository. In addition to the Kodi addon, Xumo is available on the Roku, on Android, and on iOS. It can also be found on many Smart TVs.
Xumo offers hundreds of channels across different categories. It is only available in the US however. If you are outside of the US, you will have to connect to a US VPN server in order to watch this service.
Pluto.tv
Pluto.tv is a large collection of streaming TV channels and on demand content offered completely for free. Pluto.tv is offered as a Kodi addon.
This service’s live TV section is organized in a TV Guide format, letting you see what’s showing and when. You will find channels such as The Asylum, News 24/7, and Cracked under categories such as Movies, News, and Comedy. Movies like The Descendents and Requiem for a Dream are available as on demand content. You can also find TV shows like Kitchen Nightmares and Storage Wars: New York.
FilmOn Simple
FilmOn Simple is a treasure trove of content including TV shows, news channels, and live TV stations from countries such as France, the UK, Germany, and Italy. This Kodi addon mirrors the content offered by FilmOn TV.
There are many free offerings on FilmOn TV in standard quality, however, if you wish to access high-quality streams, and on-demand content you should consider purchasing a subscription. On-demand content such as Marilyn Monroe, Bob Marley: Freedom Road, Skateboard Tricks And Tips, Fight Night – Urban Destruction, and Double Crossed can be viewed through FilmOn Simple. There are also several documentaries available to watch.
Overall, FilmOn provides you with a wide range of content making it very difficult to get bored with what is being offered.
FilmOn Simple can be downloaded from the official Kodi addon repository.
Other Magic Dragon Alternatives
Although FilmOn Simple is an excellent option as a Magic Dragon alternative, there are other addons which are legally available that also offer great programming.
Tubi TV
Tubi TV is a collection of content from studios such as Paramount, Lionsgate, and MGM. All of Tubi TV’s large collection of movies and TV shows are available for free. The service is ad-supported to remain free, but using it through Kodi filters out the ads completely.
Don’t let the fact that this content is free fool you though. The massive library has some B and C-level content, but a hundreds of titles with high ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb. That stretches across both older to newer titles. Some titles are even available in HD. You can access all of this through the Tubi TV Kodi addon.
There are newer movie titles such as Limelight, which is an independent drama from 2018, and Essex Vendetta, a crime drama from 2016. If you are a fan of anime, there are titles such as Fairy Tail, World Trigger, and Attack on Titan available. Content is well organized on Tubi TV. There are categories such as Martial Arts, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, and Romance, which make it easy to find great content.
In addition to being a Kodi addon, Tubi TV is available on the Roku and other devices such as Samsung Smart TVs and the 4th generation Apple TV. The Kodi addon is available directly from Github.
There are thousands of movie titles and TV shows available through Tubi TV. You should note, however, that some content is restricted to certain geographic locations. There are content libraries specifically for the US, Canada, and the UK. If there is a show you really want to watch, consider using a VPN to gain access to Tubi TV’s full library.
Crackle
Crackle is a free video on demand (VOD) service offered by Sony. There aren’t many new titles available through this service but the content that is available is of high quality as it’s all owned by Sony
Like Tubi TV, Crackle is completely free and ad-supported. Also like Tubi TV, you can watch Crackle ad-free through Kodi.
There are titles such as Rocky I–V, Hitch, and Lethal Weapon.The Crackle Kodi addon is found in the eracknophobia repository.
Red Bull TV
Red Bull TV is all about the coverage of sports, culture and lifestyle events. There is a focus on action sports such as cliff diving and mountain biking. You will also find coverage of music events and other events related to the entertainment industry.
Redbull is known for putting on a good show regardless of the sphere of entertainment they are involved in. This is seen from ventures like their Formula One team which is one of the most competitive and exciting teams in that sport. You can enjoy the best of Red Bull TV through the available Kodi addon.
Red Bull TV is available in the official Kodi addon repository.
iPlayer WWW
BBC iPlayer enables users to play live and on-demand content from the BBC. The iPlayer WWW Kodi addon brings the functionality of BBC iPlayer directly to Kodi.
You can find shows such as The Apprentice and Clique on BBC iPlayer. You can even catch live TV or radio through the service.
In order to effectively use iPlayer WWW, you will need a valid UK TV license. A VPN will work to bypass location restrictions for those traveling outside of the UK.
Top Documentary Films
The Top Documentary Films Kodi addon is has a large and free selection of documentaries.
You can find documentaries such as Children Full of Life and Cosmos: A Personal Voyage on this addon.
Top Documentary Films is available for download from the official Kodi addon repository.
Feel free to try multiple addons
The Magic Dragon Kodi addon offers many types of content such as TV shows, movies, and documentaries all from one addon. This content is largely provided from pirated streams, however.
The legitimate streaming options provided above can be used to substitute for a lot of content you might find on Magic Dragon, and may offer far more than you can find through there.