Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Self-hosting is an increasingly popular alternative for those looking to escape the convoluted (and expensive) content-streaming landscape and return to a more traditional personal ownership approach to their media collection. Once you’ve bought your fancy new Network Attached Storage (NAS) and filled it with your favorite movies, the next step is to figure out what software to run on it.
There are at least two solid options for serving up your media collection; it’s a choice of Jellyfin vs Plex. Plex is the big name in town, but installing it didn’t cross my mind after recently rebuilding my DIY NAS. I don’t like Plex’s increasing insistence on serving up third-party content, and the all too real risk of compromised user data (as a previous data leak showed) doesn’t gel with the true self-hosted ethos. I’m not alone in looking for a solid Plex alternative.
The problem with Plex is it tries to be all things to all people and has ended up down the software as a service rabbit hole. That might be great for some, especially those looking to aggregate content across streaming subscriptions and their physical collection, but it’s not for everyone. Equally, Plex Pass requirements for transcoding and even something as basic as streaming to your Android phone are a turn-off for those looking to break free from the subscription model, like me. I’m not opposed to paying for good software, but why pay up when there are superb open-source alternatives?
Instead, I’d highly recommend checking out Jellyfin as a Plex alternative, especially if you’re not locked into another ecosystem yet. It’s very much Plex-like in its capabilities, just without the nonsense. I’ve used it for years and stuck by it even when the opportunity to switch arose because it’s quite simply brilliant.
What is Jellyfin (besides a Plex alternative)?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Jellyfin is a self-hosted media server, just like popular alternatives Plex and Emby. In fact, Jellyfin is an open-source fork of Emby, which moved development behind closed doors in 2017. Unlike its rivals, Jellyfin, along with all of its features, is entirely free to use and always will be.
If you’re familiar with Plex, you’ll know the basics. But for those who aren’t, the core software sits on your PC/NAS, serving up your personal media files to client devices, such as your laptop, TV, or smartphone. It works on your home network and over the internet if required. Just point Jellyfin to your media collection, and it handles user playback tracking, metadata, subtitles, transcoding, and more for you.
Plex and Jellyfin are both media servers but with different focuses.
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