Jellyfin vs Plex: Which Media Server?
Quick Verdict
Jellyfin is the better choice for self-hosters who want full control with zero cost. It’s completely free and open source — no paid tiers, no accounts, no telemetry. Plex has more polished client apps and better out-of-the-box remote streaming, but locks hardware transcoding, offline sync, and several other features behind a $120 lifetime or $5/month Plex Pass. If you’re reading this site, you probably value ownership and privacy — pick Jellyfin.
Overview
Both Jellyfin and Plex organize and stream your personal media library (movies, TV shows, music, photos) to any device on your network or remotely. They scan your files, fetch metadata (posters, descriptions, ratings), and present everything in a Netflix-like interface.
Jellyfin is a 100% free, open-source media server. It forked from Emby in 2018 after Emby went partially closed-source. There are no paid features, no user accounts required, and no telemetry. Development is community-driven.
Plex is a proprietary media server with a freemium model. The free tier covers basic streaming, but hardware transcoding, offline sync, live TV/DVR, and other features require Plex Pass ($5/month or $120 lifetime). Plex requires a plex.tv account for all users, routes auth through their cloud servers, and collects usage data.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Jellyfin | Plex (Free) | Plex (Plex Pass) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free forever | Free | $5/month or $120 lifetime |
| Open source | Yes (GPL) | No | No |
| Account required | No | Yes (plex.tv) | Yes |
| Telemetry/tracking | None | Yes | Yes (can partially opt out) |
| Hardware transcoding | Free | No | Yes |
| Offline sync (mobile) | Free (via apps) | No | Yes |
| Live TV & DVR | Free (with tuner) | No | Yes |
| Multi-user | Free | Free | Free |
| Parental controls | Free | Free | Free |
| Web client | Built-in | Built-in | Built-in |
| Mobile apps | Free (no unlock fee) | Free (1-min preview limit) | Full access |
| Smart TV apps | Limited (LG, Samsung via web) | Extensive (all platforms) | Extensive |
| Roku/Fire TV/Apple TV | Jellyfin has apps | Yes | Yes |
| Android TV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remote access | Manual (reverse proxy/VPN) | Built-in (relay servers) | Built-in |
| Intro/credits skip | Yes (plugin) | No | Yes |
| Watch Together (sync play) | Yes (built-in) | No | Yes |
| Music streaming | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audiobook support | Basic | Basic | Basic |
| Plugin system | Yes (extensive) | Limited | Limited |
| Subtitle management | Good | Good | Good |
| Collections/playlists | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| API | Open, documented | Partially documented | Partially documented |
Installation Complexity
Jellyfin is a single Docker container with no external dependencies. Pull the image, mount your media, start it. No account creation, no claim tokens, no phoning home. Hardware transcoding requires passing through GPU devices, but the setup is straightforward.
Plex requires creating a plex.tv account, generating a claim token (which expires in 4 minutes), and configuring the container before the token expires. The LSIO image simplifies this, but the account requirement adds friction. Hardware transcoding requires Plex Pass.
Winner: Jellyfin. Simpler setup, no external account needed.
Performance and Resource Usage
| Metric | Jellyfin | Plex |
|---|---|---|
| RAM (idle, small library) | ~150 MB | ~200 MB |
| RAM (active streaming) | ~300-500 MB | ~300-500 MB |
| CPU (direct play) | Minimal | Minimal |
| CPU (software transcode, 1080p) | High (1 core per stream) | High (1 core per stream) |
| Hardware transcode | Free (Intel QSV, VAAPI, NVIDIA) | Plex Pass required |
| Tone mapping (HDR→SDR) | Supported (free) | Plex Pass required |
Direct play (when the client supports the media format natively) uses minimal resources on both. Transcoding is where hardware acceleration matters, and Jellyfin gives this away for free while Plex gates it behind a paywall.
Winner: Jellyfin. Same performance, but hardware transcoding is free.
Client Apps and Remote Access
This is Plex’s strongest area. Plex has native, polished apps on virtually every platform: iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung/LG smart TVs, PlayStation, Xbox, and more. These apps are mature, well-maintained, and consistent.
Jellyfin’s client apps are improving but less polished. The web client is excellent. Android and iOS apps are functional and actively developed. Smart TV support is more limited — there’s an LG webOS app and Samsung Tizen app, but they’re community-maintained and less feature-rich than Plex’s offerings.
Remote access is another Plex strength. Plex includes relay servers that make remote streaming work without port forwarding or VPN configuration. Jellyfin requires you to set up a reverse proxy or VPN for remote access — which gives you more control but requires more setup.
Winner: Plex, clearly. More platforms, more polished apps, easier remote access.
Privacy and Control
Jellyfin wins on privacy and control by a wide margin:
- No account required. Your users authenticate directly against your server.
- No telemetry. Jellyfin collects nothing. Your watch history, library contents, and usage patterns stay on your server.
- No cloud dependency. If Jellyfin’s website goes down, your server keeps working. If Plex’s auth servers go down, nobody can log in to your Plex server.
- Fully open source. You can audit, modify, and fork the code.
Plex requires a cloud account, routes authentication through plex.tv, collects usage analytics, and has been criticized for adding features users didn’t ask for (ad-supported movies, Discover, Watchlist) while neglecting the core media server experience.
Winner: Jellyfin, definitively.
Community and Ecosystem
| Metric | Jellyfin | Plex |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 40k+ | N/A (proprietary) |
| Subreddit | r/jellyfin (~130k) | r/PleX (~400k) |
| Plugin ecosystem | Growing (50+ plugins) | Limited (Plex killed most plugins) |
| Third-party tools | Jellyseerr, Jellystat | Overseerr, Tautulli, Ombi |
| Community development | Active, accepting contributions | Closed development |
Plex has a larger user base overall, but Jellyfin’s community is more engaged in development. Plex systematically removed plugin support and third-party integrations over the years. Jellyfin actively encourages them.
The *arr stack (Sonarr, Radarr, Prowlarr) works equally well with both.
Use Cases
Choose Jellyfin If…
- You want 100% free with no paywalls, ever
- You don’t want to create a third-party account to use your own server
- Privacy matters — no telemetry, no cloud dependency
- You want free hardware transcoding
- You want an active plugin ecosystem
- You’re comfortable setting up a reverse proxy for remote access
- You value open source and community-driven development
Choose Plex If…
- You need the most polished client apps across all platforms
- You need easy remote streaming without configuring a reverse proxy
- Your family/friends are non-technical and need the simplest possible experience
- You specifically need Roku or smart TV apps with the best UX
- You’re willing to pay $120 lifetime for Plex Pass features
- You already have a large Plex library and don’t want to migrate
Final Verdict
Jellyfin is the right choice for self-hosters. The entire point of self-hosting is control, privacy, and avoiding vendor lock-in. Jellyfin delivers all three with zero cost. Hardware transcoding is free, there’s no cloud dependency, and the project is fully open source.
Plex is a better product in terms of client app polish and remote access convenience. If you’re setting up a media server for non-technical family members who need it to “just work” on every TV and phone, Plex with a lifetime Plex Pass is a reasonable choice.
But Plex’s trajectory — adding ads, social features, and content discovery while neglecting the core server experience — makes it harder to recommend long-term. Jellyfin is moving in the opposite direction: focused improvements to the core experience, driven by users who actually use it for personal media.
For new setups in 2026: start with Jellyfin. You can always switch later — both use the same media file structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I migrate from Plex to Jellyfin?
Yes. Your media files don’t change — just point Jellyfin at the same media directories. Watch history can be migrated using third-party tools. Metadata will be re-fetched automatically.
Does Jellyfin support 4K HDR?
Yes. Jellyfin supports 4K, HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision (profile 5/8) for direct play. Tone mapping (HDR to SDR transcoding) is supported with hardware acceleration.
Can I use both at the same time?
Yes. Point both at the same media directories. They don’t interfere with each other. This is a good way to test Jellyfin before fully switching from Plex.
Related
Get self-hosting tips in your inbox
New guides, comparisons, and setup tutorials — delivered weekly. No spam.