Kodi is an excellent media center. It lets you easily watch your favorite content, Live TV, Sports, Movies, and Shows, giving you access through a wide range of video addons.
As a long-time Kodi user, one feature I truly appreciate is its high level of customization. Among the various ways, applying Kodi skin is one of the most effective ways.
The default Kodi Skin, Estuary, is functional but not very interesting. Fortunately, you can make it more interactive and fun with these top Kodi skins. These skins enhance the interface’s cosmetic appeal and make it more user-friendly.
If you have used Kodi Builds, they also give Kodi a visual makeover with their skins. Several Kodi builds even use some of these skins. However, the problem with the builds is that they install many add-ons and repositories, which makes Kodi bulky.
If you already have your favorite add-ons, you can use a skin to transform Kodi’s appearance and improve your user experience without compromising performance. Whether you prefer a minimalist look or a vibrant, dynamic interface, Kodi skins provide something for every user.
Attention Kodi Users!
Governments and ISPs across the world monitor your online activities. If you use third-party Kodi addons, you should always use a good Kodi VPN and hide your identity so your streaming experience doesn’t take a bad turn. Currently, your IP is visible to everyone.
I use ExpressVPN, the fastest and most secure VPN in the industry. It is very easy to install on any device, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, PC, Mac, and Smartphones. Also, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you don't like their service, you can always ask for a refund. ExpressVPN also has a special deal where you can get 4 months free and save 61% on the 2-year plan.
Read: How to Install and Use Best VPN for Kodi
How to Install a Kodi Skin
Before we start, let me give you the quick steps to install a Kodi skin. It won’t take more than 6 steps. Here is how you do it:
1. Open Kodi Settings.
2. Click Interface.
3. Click Skin on the left and then click Skin on the right.
4. Choose your skin. If the desired skin is not on the list, click Get more…
5. Select the Skin you want to apply.
6. Wait for the skin to download and install.
7. Click Yes when prompted.
8. Wait for the skin to load and apply the new settings. You should see the newly applied skin in a few moments.
Best Kodi Skins
The following is the list of the best Kodi Skins that work on both Kodi 20 Nexus and Kodi 21 Omega. Although several common skins exist between the two platforms, I have picked the ones that matter. The others were not good enough.
1. Aeon Tajo
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
Aeon Tajo is available on both Kodi 20 and Kodi 21. When you are on the home screen, the skin plays light music (which you can turn off in the skin settings). The skin also allows you to use your M3U playlist for background playback.
It is a neat, minimal skin with menu items in large font at the bottom, which makes it incredibly easy to use. Pictures, Music, Movies, TV Shows, Live TV, Videos, and Systems are the primary home menu items with their respective submenus. You can always remove any main menu or submenu item you want or add a custom item. Furthermore, you may choose a custom background image and label for each item.
With many options to customize the look, feel, and functionality and a minimal and easy-to-use interface, Aura is one of the best Kodi skins.
2. Amber
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
I describe Amber as elegant and responsive. Its main menu is horizontally ribbon-styled, with the main categories and sub-categories visible by default. The best part is that you have the option to set the ribbon-styled main menu horizontally or vertically.
Each menu has a background image, which you can customize according to your preference. Further, you can add addons to the horizontal main menu and a fitting background to go with it. You can customize the skin based on Home layout, Background, Media Views, Color options, Title Bar options, Video info, and more.
Add-ons, Videos, Music, Pictures, Games, Favourites, Search, Settings, and Power are the primary home menu items with their respective submenus. With so many options and a neat user interface, Amber is one of the best skins you can try.
3. Nimbus
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
Nimbus is developed by Ivarbrandt. It is comparatively a new Kodi skin. The developer Ivarbrandt has also created Fentastic, the third-party skin specially made for FEN Kodi addon users.
Nimbus is officially available through the official Kodi repository. It is focused on users who prefer light artwork. This skin lets you customize your display through widgets and personalize the menu items on the home screen.
Nimbus is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a simple, minimalist skin that doesn’t deviate too far from the default Kodi skin.
4. Fentastic (Third Party)
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
Fentastic is a third-party Kodi skin remotely based on the FEN Kodi addon. You will find it in the Ivarbrandt’s Repository, an unofficial repository that houses other look and feel and program addons.
Estuary, the default Kodi skin, and Fetastic look quite similar. The menu options on the home page, including power, settings, and search, are also similar. Other sections on this main page include Music, Live TV, Games, Add-Ons, Radio, Videos, and Favorites.
However, the similarities are mainly in appearance, and the functionality is quite different. Fentastic is faster and more customizable than Estuary. The creator of this skin says it is a modded version of Estuary specially made for FEN addon users.
- Repository: Ivarbrandt’s Repository
- Source: https://ivarbrandt.github.io/repository.ivarbrandt
5. Confluence
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
Over the years, I have tested and used many Kodi skins. Many looked promising, but not all stood the test of time. Confluence, however, has been around for a long time, and it is easily one of the best Kodi skins you will find.
Confluence isn’t strictly minimal, but it isn’t too flashy either. The Confluence skin is an excellent choice if you want to upgrade Kodi’s interface from something overly simplistic without venturing into too extravagant.
The home menu is placed closer to the center than the bottom and runs from left to right of the screen. The menu bar contains essential categories, such as Videos, Music, Add-ons, and System, to help you start immediately.
You can customize the skin in many other ways. It lets you add or remove the default home menu categories, add the Now Playing visualization to the background, and, most importantly, add add-on shortcuts to the desired home menu categories. This lets you pick your favorite video add-ons right from the home screen.
Confluence is a decent skin for various devices such as a mouse, touch, and remote-controlled.
6. Copacetic
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
Copacetic is a new entrant to the list of the best Kodi skins. It is compatible with most Kodi versions, including Kodi 20 Nexus and 21 Omega. What I liked most about this skin is the availability of both dark and light themes.
You can install the skin from the Official Kodi repository, which is straightforward.
Several aspects make Copacetic a favorite among Kodi users. These include cool color pallets and down-low themes that make browsing content more appealing. It also gives you lots of options to customize your Kodi display.
These options include the background, primary menu widgets, views, and other extras. For example, under Extras, you can choose to see the embedded lists for sets, TV shows, and artists.
7. FTV
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
This FireStick-inspired Kodi skin is an excellent choice for remote-controlled devices like FireStick and Android TV Boxes. It supports touch functionality, too, but that’s not all that great. With a mouse, it even gets worse. So, use it with a TV device to make the best of it. And don’t forget to disable the mouse at Settings > System > Input.
FTV is a highly minimalistic skin—so much so that it doesn’t even display the date and time on its home screen. A vertical menu bar on the left emphasizes the selected items and fades out the rest. If the selected menu item doesn’t have widgets to display, you might just as well be looking at a blank screen.
Legibility could be a problem. While the highlighted items stand out, the ones not selected do not contrast well against the background.
The customization choices are limited. You can add or remove the main menu items and associated widgets. The skin also lets you customize the shutdown menu and disable/enable Fanart. The custom background is unavailable; you can’t change the skin theme and colors.
FTV doesn’t offer much. However, if you are looking for remote-friendly navigation and a lightweight interface, it is one of the best Kodi skins.
8. Mimic-LR
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
Mimic-LR is a decent official Kodi skin that gives color and warmth to your Kodi display. It doesn’t stray much from Estuary, so it’s great for minimalists who don’t want to change the default skin drastically.
The main menu on the home page are Movies, TV Shows, Music, Music Videos, Addons, Favorites, Search, and Settings. At the top right, you’ll find the date and time information. As I said, Mimic-LR is a simple and decluttered skin.
Besides the simplicity, I also liked that this skin is fast and sleek. Consider Mimic-LR to add a little aesthetic to your Kodi display.
9. Quartz
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
When I first looked at it, I thought Quartz was an unfinished skin—a work in progress. Soon, I realized that rather raw skin leaves much up to you to customize. It provides a fundamental structure, but for the most part, you have to build it up from scratch.
If you are new to Kodi, you might want to try other Kodi skins on our list. However, if you are an experienced user familiar with how the Kodi skins are customized, you might like Quartz.
The home menu is placed from left to right edge in the center and accommodates limited options. Movies, TV Shows, Music, Pictures, Add-ons, and KODI are the only items. Except for the last two, Add-ons and KODI, the other menu items almost do not have any submenu. You can go to Settings from the KODI menu and start building up the submenu items.
You can enable/disable and rename any existing main menu category. However, you can’t add any new category. The developers should have allowed at least this much because it is such a basic skin.
You can link up to 5 add-ons to any category. When linked, these add-ons appear just above the menu bar. You can also add custom background images from the local storage.
Quartz is not the greatest Kodi skin, but it isn’t bad. You may give it a try.
10. Metropolis
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
Metropolis is an official Kodi skin that combines old and modern aesthetics. It is specially designed to display more Kodi media information, including movie and TV show metadata such as titles, genre, rating, year of release, cast, and summary.
These details are provided in large texts with legible fonts and icons to match. Despite these extras, Metropolis maintains a sleek and smooth interface that is easy to navigate for any user, beginner or expert.
Metropolis is one of the longest-standing skins. The developer maintains it and rolls out updates and enhancements as users request.
11. Transparency
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
Transparency might not be the most iconic Kodi skin on this list, but it will rank high among fan art lovers. Do you want to view your displayed content with a fan art touch, whether on full screen or any other view? How about customizing fonts to match the fan art and suit your preference?
The main menu includes Videos, Movies, TV Shows, Music, Pictures, Add-Ons, Weather, and Settings. Weather, date, and time are displayed at the top of the screen. To the right of this top section is a search icon and a power feature to shut down Kodi quickly.
Before you start streaming with Kodi Addons or Builds, I would like to warn you that everything you stream on Kodi is visible to your ISP and Government. This means, streaming copyrighted content (free movies, TV shows, live TV, and Sports) might get you into legal trouble.
Thankfully, there is a foolproof way to keep all your streaming activities hidden from your ISP and the Government. All you need is a good VPN for Kodi. A VPN will mask your original IP which is and will help you bypass Online Surveillance, ISP throttling, and content geo-restrictions.
I personally use and recommend ExpressVPN, which is the fastest and most secure VPN. It is compatible with all kinds of streaming apps and devices.
NOTE: We do not encourage the violation of copyright laws. But, what if you end up streaming content from an illegitimate source unintentionally? It is not always easy to tell the difference between a legit and illegal source.
So, before you start streaming on Kodi, here's how to get VPN protection in 3 simple steps.
Step 1: Get the ExpressVPN subscription HERE. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Meaning, you can use it free for the first 30-days and if you are not satisfied with the performance (which is highly unlikely), you can ask for a full refund.
Step 2: Click HERE to download and install the ExpressVPN app on your streaming device. If you are using a FireStick, I have given the exact steps starting with Step 4 below.
Step 3: Click the Power icon to connect to a VPN server. That's all. Your connection is now secure with the fastest and best VPN for Kodi.
The following are the steps to install Kodi VPN on your Fire TV devices. If you have other streaming devices, follow Step 1-3 above.
Step 4: Subscribe to ExpressVPN HERE (if not subscribed already).
Step 5: Go to Fire TV Stick home screen. Click Find followed by Search option (see image below).
Step 6: Type Expressvpn in the search bar and select when it shows up.
Step 7: Click Download.
Step 8: Open the ExpressVPN app and Sign in using the email ID and password that you created while buying the ExpressVPN subscription.
Step 9: Click the Power icon to connect to a VPN server. That’s all. Your FireStick is now secured with the fastest VPN.
12. Aeon Nox: SILVO
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
Aeon Nox: SILVO is another official Kodi skin that can transform your Kodi interface into an appealing home entertainment hub. The skin’s enable and disable options allow you to make it as minimalistic as possible.
For instance, if you only want to see movies, TV shows, search, and system settings on the home screen, you can disable other sections such as images, music, games, apps, and favorites.
This skin is compatible with both Kodi 20 Nexus and Kodi 21 Omega. It is popular among Kodi users for its simplicity of navigation. If you’re looking for a skin that lets you decide how simple or complex your display will be, try Aeon Nox: SILVO.
13. Arctic Zephyr Reloaded
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
Arctic Zephyr Reloaded is one of the many creations of Jurialmunkey, a trusted creator among Kodi users. It is an advanced version of the original Arctic Zephyr skin by the same creator.
This official skin lets you customize your Kodi user interface through a simple, minimalist, appealing display. The menu includes categories like Videos, Music, Pictures, Programs, Settings, and Power.
The weather and date information are conveniently displayed at the bottom right corner of the screen. This leaves the central part of the screen for displaying important information like movie and TV show posters and other metadata.
Looking around Kodi users’ online forums will confirm that Arctic Zephyr Reloaded is one of the most popular and loved skins for Kodi 20 and Kodi 21.
14. Arctic Horizon 2 (Third Party)
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
This is yet another beloved Kodi skin from Jurialmunkey. However, this one is not available through the official Kodi repository. You need to install it from a third-party repository called Jurialmunkey Alpha Repository.
Arctic Horizon 2 gives your Kodi screen an appealing display with well-organized collections. The collections include All Movies, All TV Shows, Live TV and radio, and Music. The skin comes pre-installed with add-ons that automatically provide metadata for on-demand content.
The display is what you’d expect from an entertainment-focused skin. It provides detailed information about available movies, TV shows, music, and live TV channels. The weather and date section sits at the top right corner and includes your location’s time, day, date, and weather conditions.
- Repository: Jurialmunkey Alpha Repository
- Source: https://jurialmunkey.github.io/repository.jurialmunkey
15. Arctic Fuse (Third Party)
Kodi 20 and Kodi 21
As you can tell from the name, Arctic Fuse is a sister skin to Arctic Horizon 2. They are both housed in the Jurialmunkey Alpha repository.
Arctic Fuse is a futuristic and visually appealing skin that will bring warmth and excitement to your Kodi experience. It may look basic when you first set it up, but the whole display changes drastically when you add relevant content addons.
Like its sister skins from Jurialmunkey, this skin provides extensive metadata to make your browsing and viewing as informed as possible. It collects and organizes information on available on-demand content, such as release year, summary, genre, title, and cast.
The same goes for music and live TV. In the music section, you can see the song title, album, release year, etc., and the TV guide for the live TV section.
- Repository: Jurialmunkey Alpha Repository
- Source: https://jurialmunkey.github.io/repository.jurialmunkey
Wrapping Up
So, here is our list of the best Kodi skins for Kodi 20 Nexus and Kodi 21 Omega. I have personally tested these skins and written this article based on my experience. I hope that you find it useful. Please let us know via the comments section below if you have any questions, suggestions, or feedback.
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