Most users choose Plex because of its elegant interface and its ability to handle large libraries of music, movies, and shows. But Plex can do a lot more than stream downloaded content. By using add-ons from Plex, it’s easy to get your favorite web services on your TV and mobile devices.
We went through everything Plex has to offer, tested about 80 add-ons, and made notes on the little tricks you need to know to get everything working. Here are 26 of our favorite Plex add-ons, including 9 unofficial add-ons that you might want to avoid.
Contents
Before you begin: install a VPN for Plex
The way I see it, there are really three reasons why you should run a VPN on your Plex server. Those are:
- Protection: Comparitech does not endorse hacking, but we believe you should protect yourself against ISP speed capping. ISPs have been known to slow down clients streaming content, a VPN will prevent them from spying on your activity and taking any action…
- Privacy: Internet privacy is a big problem, and we cannot rely on legislation to keep our browsing history private. Using an encrypted VPN, like IPVanish, means there is no way for your ISP or anyone else to spy on the sites you use or the streams you watch.
- Convenience: If you’re running official Plex add-ons, you’ll notice that some of them are region-locked. With a VPN, you can make it look like you’re connecting from any country. It’s much easier to get exclusive content on your Plex server if you can spoof your region.
We recommend IPVanish for Windows, Mac, and Linux desktops and all mobile devices, and more personally, I think it is the easiest VPN to use. Works seamlessly with Amazon’s Fire Stick and a host of other devices. Having tried dozens of VPNs, it is one of the few fast enough to stream content without interruption. Importantly, IPVanish doesn’t log your activity, which many VPNs do, so your activity will always remain private, making it a popular choice among torrents and Kodi users as well.
Reader Exclusive Offer: Save up to 60% on IPVanish plans here.
If you need more help installing IPVanish, or want to see how to install a free alternative like OpenVPN, check out our guide on how to selectively route Plex through a VPN.
Our Favorite Official Plex Channels
As of version 1.8, Plex officially supports 89 add-ons in its North American lineup. If you are abroad, some of these add-ons may not appear in the list, and others will be replaced by versions that work in your country. We’ve dug into the details to better point out the quirks of each plugin and look at when a plugin requires subscription fees.
Twitch
If you’re a gamer, chances are you’ve already spent some time watching broadcasts on Twitch. The Twitch Plex plugin is a great way to bring your favorite streams to your TV. It has everything you would expect from a polished Plex plugin, including high definition video and direct content browsing by category.
This plugin is officially compatible with Twitch, but it lacks some features. The biggest problem we have is that there is no option to log in with your Twitch account. But if you’re a gamer who loves to watch your favorite players stream Overwatch, there’s no better way to get that content right in your living room.
Pandora
Pandora is arguably the most popular music streaming service on the web, and it’s the absolute best option for streaming radio on Plex. Google Music and Spotify have unofficial Plex plugins, but setting them up is a hassle and both require paid subscriptions. On the contrary, the Pandora Plex plugin is easy to set up and free to use.
Once you set your username and password, the plugin gets all your stations and preferences. Music will continue to play even if you move out of sight of the station. All Pandora features work as expected, including quick mixes and music suggestions. In my opinion, Pandora is a must-have plugin for your Plex server if you are a music lover.
Vimeo & Dailymotion
Vimeo and Dailymotion are great sites if you are a fan of online videos. The sites are less restrictive than YouTube, and a lot of great content is uploaded to their servers every day.
Vimeo supports your user account and subscribed plugins transfer as expected. If you don’t have an account, you will still be able to watch popular content.
Dailymotion users can browse videos by category and view featured and trending videos. Both plugins are easy to use and responsive, with a professional design and category-based navigation.
Tried
If you enjoyed MythBusters, you might like Jamie and Adam’s new web plugin, Tested. The videos are slightly longer than most web content, and their original programming is really polished and professional. All Tested videos are 1080p, with crystal clear AAC sound.
The Tried Plex plugin is straight to a fault. It is just a source of the latest content from Tested, with his most recent videos at the top. There is nothing to change or configure, but that simplicity means that your Tested.com user account is useless here.
Comedy Central
Comedy Central has a ton of great online content and a really solid Plex plugin. I found myself going back and going through forgotten seasons of old shows more than I bargained for, and I like the huge library of stand-up specials.
New episodes are available in 720p, and old shows that aired before HDTV are in 480p. There is nothing to configure and you do not need a user account or a paid subscription. Videos are organized by category and easy to navigate. It’s probably the Plex plugin that I use most often.
Crackle
Crackle is Sony’s answer to Netflix and Prime Video. They put a ton of their classic shows and popular movies online, for free. I was amazed at how great the content is in Crackle’s Plex plugin.
There is nothing to configure, and all shows and movies are broken down by category. You don’t need a Crackle account to use the plugin, despite what their website says.
ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS
All major wireless networks have online content, but generally, you have to use their clunky websites or subscribe to cable to access on-demand programming. Their Plex add-ons have everything they make available online and on demand, including the latest episodes of their most popular shows.
I know I’m a nerd, but the PBS Plex plugin blew me away. They have over 500 shows online, with episodes dating back to the 80s.
Some networks have support for location-based scheduling, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference, and setting it up isn’t necessary. Getting access to all the programming on the major networks is as easy as installing the plug-in.
In a perfect world, these Plex plugins would have support for network TV live streaming, but unfortunately, that’s not the case. I still feel like they add a lot of value to your Plex server, and they should probably be one of the first things you install.
Nickelodeon & Nick Jr.
If you have kids, or just want to chill out with SpongeBob and Legend of Korra, you shouldn’t miss the Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. Plex add-ons. They have a nice mix of old and new episodes, with a few seasons largely full.
Both plugins are responsive and easy to use, with enough content to keep you entertained for days. Neither requires any setup or paid user accounts.
Reddit Videos
Reddit has a ton of great content, and it’s always changing. If you can’t stop updating the site during the day, you’re going to like the Reddit video plugin. All of the site’s streaming videos are available in an easy-to-navigate interface designed for your TV.
The real strength of the Reddit video plugin is how often new content is rotated. Chances are pretty good that if a video is trending anywhere on the web, it will be at the top of the Hot category.
Fun or die
Will Ferrel and Adam McKay’s popular internet comedy website Funny or Die has an official Plex plugin. You can find videos that go all the way to the beginning of the site. Everything is categorized for easy navigation, and many of his videos are really fun.
The Plex plugin itself isn’t the most polished, but it works well and is responsive and easy to use. My main problem with the plugin is the lack of preview images in the category view, but I think the content makes up for it.
Giant bomb
Giant Bomb has so many great podcasts, previews, reviews, and plays that it’s easy to spend more time on this plugin than you think. Unlike Twitch, Giant Bomb is much more written and polished. Both types of content are fun, and I like having them installed side by side.
I mainly like retro games (which means I’m old) and I found a lot of videos that interested me. But Giant Bomb is clearly aimed at covering industry news and showing exclusive images.
My only complaint is that you need an account to watch premium content, and the plugin doesn’t always make it clear which videos are premium. After entering your API key in the settings menu, everything works perfectly.
Unofficial Plex Channels
The plugins we listed here have been tested and proven to work on the Plex server, but there is no guarantee that they will continue to work when installed. Also, while some unofficial Plex add-ons don’t break any copyright or license agreement, there are some Plex add-ons that you should avoid.
If you’re having trouble getting any of our recommended unofficial Plex plugins to work, and my instructions don’t cut it, check out the WebTools forums and read the support thread for each unofficial plugin.
Crunchyroll
If you’re an anime fan, you already know Crunchyroll, and if you’re not, it doesn’t matter anyway. The site distributes a ton of exclusive US anime series, dubbed or subtitled, to its subscribers. The unofficial Crunchyroll Plex add-on is an easy way to get your favorite series on your TV or tablet.
Crunchyroll is one of the most polished unofficial add-ons from Plex. Setup is simple, with a single screen allowing you to enter your username and password and change the default queue. After logging in, all content is available to navigate through category menus, and everything is streamed in high definition as expected.
Dropbox
In my opinion, one of the best reasons to buy a full Plex subscription is to access the new Plex cloud servers. The unofficial Dropbox plugin is a good solution if you prefer not to pay for it. Setting up the unofficial Dropbox plugin isn’t as easy as adding a cloud server to Plex, but it’s worth spending a little time getting things up and running.
To complete the setup, you’ll need to create a Dropbox app for your account here and then give it full access. Once you’ve created your Dropbox app, use your site to generate a new access token and paste it. After that you will need to do something similar with TMDb to automatically download artwork and metadata.
Most users will be able to get the plugin up and running in an hour or two. Once installed, you can keep your media in the cloud, instead of on your hard drive. That’s worth a bit of a hassle.
Live leak
Live Leak is famous for hosting just about anything you choose to upload. They have a reputation for extreme content, but there is much more than images of robberies and riots. Using Live Leak, I found that tons of viral content is first uploaded to their servers before it is streamed on Buzzfeed and social media.
The Live Leak Plex plugin works just as well as Vimeo and Dailymotion, but the content can be much more interesting. The only setting for the plugin is a toggle for safe mode, which limits the number of explicit videos that will display quite a bit, but it’s not perfect. Despite that, I think Live Leak is one of the best unofficial Plex add-ons.
Library Updater
It doesn’t add any new content, but I like the library update plugin when I’m on a mobile device and I’m not watching a show or movie that I just added. Plex is actually pretty good at keeping their content up to date, but they don’t have a tool in their mobile apps to update individual libraries. The library update plugin fixes that, so I think it’s a solid addition to just about any Plex server.
MST3K
It’s good that Mystery Science Theater 3000 doesn’t need an introduction because I’m not sure how to explain the appeal of a bunch of robots poking fun at terrible movies. You either love it or you hate it, and I love it.
The best part about this plugin is that it is complete. All episodes, even from the good old Minnesota KTMA days, are available for streaming along with all the DVD extras and special features. If you’re a fan of great horror movie jokes, you won’t regret installing this.
Web Episodes
The unofficial Webisodes Plex plugin allows you to add and track your favorite shows on a handful of different video streaming sites. YouTube has endeavored to produce serialized content, from what I can see that a plugin like this is really useful to a lot of fans. The plugin needs a bit of setup to run, but after adding the shows you want to watch it does a good job of staying up to date.
I’m not sure why this functionality hasn’t been better implemented in the official streaming apps for the various devices, but it’s nice to have it here. I like that the Webisodes plugin can pull content from so many different sites and keep all of your online shows easily accessible in one place. It seems like this is a smart addition to your Plex server if you find yourself waiting for new episodes from your favorite creators.
Two to avoid: full movies on Reddit
Full Movies on Reddit’s unofficial Plex plugin allows users to watch movies that have been uploaded to YouTube and shared on Reddit. Unlike the Reddit video plugin I mentioned earlier, users watch a lot more long-form content, both movies and TV shows.
Why not use it? While these videos are usually of high quality, it is important to note that most of these videos have been uploaded without permission. Not only does this mean that these videos are copyright infringement, but occasionally the plugin will display an error message. The error messages generally mean that YouTube has removed the offending video. You can find a good amount of legal free video content here, but we don’t recommend this plugin as it focuses on pirated content.
Mangahere and Mangafox
Designed more for tablets and smartphones, Mangahere and Mangafox add-ons are the ones that we don’t recommend for manga fans. While the libraries are huge, these plugins break some of the old copyright laws on books (for example, literally copying written text without permission). Using these plugins, users access the manga at no cost.
There is also little difference between the two plugins. Both are legally questionable regarding the manga they provide, most of which are scanned and uploaded by individuals.
Why not use it? The manga usually comes at a cost. Which is offered here for free, and even the new manga that was recently released means that this plugin is infringing on copyrights. We do not support or endorse this plugin.
Before installing new channels
There are a couple of things you need to do before you start adding new plugins.
Install the Plex server
This guide assumes that you already have your Plex server installed and configured. If you haven’t gotten that far yet, take a look at our guide to setting up Plex.
Once your Plex server is up and running, open the web client to start installing new Plex plugins.
Manage Official Plex Channels
Plex makes it easy to install their line of official add-ons. The server doesn’t have a full app store with ratings and reviews, but it makes an effort to show you the most popular and useful plugins.
Add official Plex channels
To start adding official Plex plugins, connect to your server through the web client. If you are reading this on the computer that doubles as your Plex server, click here to open the web client in a new tab.
After opening the web client, click on the Plugins menu item on the left side of your screen.
The plugin management page will open. On a fresh install of Plex, don’t be surprised if your page is much emptier than this. Click the Install Add-ons button in the upper right corner of the screen to start adding your own.
The plugin directory page will open and you will be shown featured plugins by default. You will see that you have the option to explore the Plex plugins available to install in different ways. I like to explore all the plugins available while choosing what to install.
To see all the official add-ons, start by clicking the More… menu option.
Then click on the All Available Add-ons menu item at the top of the list.
From here, you can browse all the plugins in alphabetical order. All the official Plex add-ons that I cover below are on this list.
To install a plugin, select it from the plugin guide and click the Install on pc button.
After clicking, the Install on pc button will turn into a progress arrow while the plugin is downloading. Then you will see the popup change to look like above, with Browse , Update , and Uninstall buttons. That is your indication that a plugin has been installed successfully.
Remove official Plex channels
Uninstalling official Plex add-ons is even easier than installing them. To remove a plugin, start by opening the web client. If you are reading this on your Plex server, you can click here to open it in a new tab.
Then click on the Add- ons menu item in the Online Content menu on the left.
Once the plugin management page opens, hover over the plugin you want to remove and click the red x .
When the plugin has been successfully removed, you will see a green notification window appear. That’s all about it.
If you need more information on how to add, remove, or manage official Plex plugins, check out our guide to setting up your Plex server.
Manage unofficial Plex channels
Some of the best Plex add-ons are not available from the add-on management screen. For these unofficial plugins to work, you have to install a plugin manually, but after doing so, it is quite easy to navigate and add unofficial plugins. Here we’ll explain to you how to do it.
Download and install WebTools
Installing the WebTools plugin will give you access to the unofficial app store and allow you to install and manage dozens of new Plex plugins. To get started, you will need to download the WebTools. You can click here to go to the download page for the latest version.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and find the correct installer for your platform. If you are using Windows, click on the link shown above.
After the file has downloaded, double-click on it to launch the installer. You will need to click the Install on pc button to start the process. All the necessary files will be downloaded and installed in the plugins directory of your Plex server.
Once the installation is complete, a pop-up window will appear to alert you. Click the Okay button and close the installer.
Now when you open the plugin management page of your Plex server, you will see that the WebTools plugin has been installed.
Open the plug-in and you will be taken to a page that tells you how to connect to WebTools. You can enter the address manually or click here to open the WebTools in a new window. Please note that my IP address will be different from yours, so use the local IP address of your Plex server instead of what is mentioned above.
WebTools will ask you to log in with your Plex username and password before you are allowed to make changes to your server. Enter your credentials and click the Register button.
You will be directed to the WebTools administration page. In the upper left corner, you will see a list of available modules. To install unofficial Plex add-ons, click the Unsupported App Store button.
Finally, you will be directed to a list of unofficial Plex add-ons that you can install and update.
Add unofficial Plex channels
After the WebTools has been successfully installed, you can start adding unofficial Plex plugins to your server.
It’s as easy as clicking the Install on pc button under the unofficial plugin you want to add.
WebTools will take a moment to download the plugin from Github. Once the process is complete, you will see the message above. The new unofficial plugin will now be available to launch on your Plex server.
Remove unofficial Plex channels
Uninstalling unofficial Plex add-ons isn’t as easy as removing official add-ons, but it’s close. Here we’ll explain to you how to do it.
First, click here to open the WebTools client and open the unofficial app store.
To make it easier to explore the plugins, I like to check the Show only installed box.
Then click the Uninstall Package button to remove the plugin.
Note that these add-ons will also appear alongside the official Plex add-ons on the add-on management page. They can be uninstalled from that page, but the files will not be removed from your Plex server unless you uninstall the WebTools package.
Confirm that you want to remove the plug-in and after a moment this screen will appear. That is your indication that the unofficial plugin has been completely removed.
That’s 26 Plex add-ons and counting
Since we started researching this article, we have found a ton of new content that we would never have thought to download to the Plex server. Having access to web-based streams and on-demand videos has added a lot of functionality to the Plex server.
If you’re only using Plex to stream downloaded content to your TV and devices, we recommend that you take a look at some of these add-ons. They can completely replace pay-TV apps like Sling, but they do a lot to fill the gap.