Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
Plex used to be the de facto media server tool to set up your own Netflix alternative, whether on a network storage device or an old laptop lying around. It has one of the most compelling use cases — you simply save your movies and TV shows in a folder, map it to Plex Media Server, and it automatically organizes and indexes everything, downloads appropriate thumbnails, and populates the metadata.
The tool has been the default for so long that it has become a habit. But I now feel that it’s time to break that habit for good. Plex has been imposing so many restrictions on its users that everyone should start looking for alternatives.
Have you considered switching from Plex to Jellyfin/Emby? 793 votes Yes, already switched 31 % Thinking about it 30 % Not yet, but tempted 18 % Nope, staying with Plex 21 %
Creeping restrictions
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
Plex may have only now added restrictions around remote streaming, but it has been bringing constraints across several features for a while now. Remote access wasn’t a smooth experience anyway, and it’s honestly only getting frustrating. If Plex fails to get a direct connection, it falls back to relay mode, where Plex’s cloud is involved, butchering video quality no matter the bitrate of the original file — for some, it even fell back to relay mode on the local network.
You expect Plex to be a self-hosted service with zero licensing restrictions, unlike Netflix, but that’s not remotely true. Some trailers and artwork aren’t available outside the US, even for content you legally own. This feels like an artificial restriction that doesn’t sit well with the very idea of Plex.
When you come across these restrictions every other day, it takes away your sense of ownership — the very thing you want from your own network storage — and leaves you at the mercy of the platform. And I’m not ready to stay with that feeling anymore.
It’s a full-fledged streaming service now
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