How to run streaming media Apps on Ubuntu

This post explains ways to run streaming media apps on Ubuntu.

As a general answer, none of the streaming media services have an official dedicated app for Linux or Ubuntu. However, its content can be watched from specific browsers (mostly Chrome-based), though we will be losing some functionalities like offline videos.

Alternatively, there are third-party apps (like Kodi or ElectronPlayer) that allow us to watch the streaming media from desktop applications.

Official Streaming Media Service Apps

Streaming Media Services featured on this post:

Netflix
Prime Video
HBO Max
Disney+
Filmin

Netflix

There is an official app from the Windows store or Googe Play Store, but there is no official app for Linux. This is explained on this external link.

There is an unofficial web wrapper app for Linux called netflix-web, that is available from snap. You can install it by opening a terminal and typing:

sudo snap install netflix-web

There used to be an unofficial app called “Netflix Desktop” from repository ehoover/compholio for Linux. Unfortunately, it does not work from 2012 as earliest.

You can watch Netflix from a browser. Chrome-based browsers (like Chromium) work fine. If you do it from Firefox, you may need to enable DRM, that is not enabled as default.

Prime Video

You can watch Netflix from a browser on any OS, but as from any other OS different from Windows and macOS, playback is restricted to standard definition (as informed on this external link).

HBO Max

You can watch HBO Max from a browser. HBO Max recommend you to use a web browser when using PCs, as it can be read on this external link.

You can download HBO Max app from Microsoft store at Windows, but it is just a wrapper for the web versions.

Disney+

There is no Disney+ dedicated app for any PC platform.

You can download Disney+ app from Microsoft store at Windows, but it is just a wrapper for the web version.

Filmin

Filmin is a streaming media service available at Spain, Portugal and Mexico.

There is no dedicated Filmin app for any PC platform (Linux, Windows or macOS), as you can read on this external link.

On the other hand, you can play it from a browser.

Third Party Apps to watch Streaming Media Services

You can use a third party app to watch streaming media services.

Third party apps to watch streaming media services:

Kodi
ElectronPlayer

Kodi

You can configure Kodi to watch streaming media service content.

To install Kodi from terminal:

sudo apt install kodi

There are different add-ons for most streaming media services (Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Prime Video). To find instructions about how to install these add-ons, please read this post.

ElectronPlayer

ElectronPlayer is an application that is a wrapper for different streaming media webs. It makes use of the framework Electron.

It supports Netflix, Twitch and Hulu, among others.

It is open source and developed by Oscar Beaumont. You can find the GitHub repository on this e x t e r n a l link.

It looks like ElectronPlayer is not compatible with Wayland display server, so it does not work on Ubuntu 20.10. You can find more information on this external link.

It also seems that the main trend is to use Kodi add-ons or directly web browsers instead of ElectronPlayer.