Best Self-Hosted Media Servers in 2026
Quick Picks
| Need | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Jellyfin | Free, open-source, hardware transcoding included |
| Best client apps | Plex | Most polished apps on every platform |
| Best for music | Navidrome | Lightweight, Subsonic API compatible |
| Best for ebooks/comics | Kavita | Built for reading with OPDS support |
| Best for audiobooks | Audiobookshelf | Progress tracking, podcasts included |
The Full Breakdown
1. Jellyfin — Best Overall
Jellyfin is a completely free, open-source media server. Every feature — hardware transcoding, live TV, mobile apps — is free with no account required. It’s the natural choice for self-hosters who want full control.
Strengths: Free hardware transcoding, no account needed, active development, good plugin ecosystem. Weaknesses: Client apps less polished than Plex on some platforms (Roku, Apple TV).
2. Plex — Best Client Apps
Plex has been the media server king for over a decade. Its client apps are the most polished, Plexamp for music is excellent, and features like Watch Together set it apart. The catch: hardware transcoding requires Plex Pass ($5/month or $120 lifetime).
Strengths: Best client apps, Plexamp music player, Watch Together, intro skipping. Weaknesses: Plex Pass required for key features, account required, phones home to Plex servers, increasingly cluttered with streaming content.
3. Emby — Middle Ground
Emby sits between Jellyfin and Plex. It’s the project Jellyfin forked from (when Emby went closed-source). It offers a polished experience with both free and premium tiers.
Strengths: Good balance of features and polish, Emby Premiere pricing competitive. Weaknesses: Closed source, smaller community than Jellyfin or Plex, premium features locked behind paywall.
4. Navidrome — Best for Music
Navidrome is a lightweight music server with Subsonic API compatibility, meaning it works with dozens of existing music apps (Symfonium, Ultrasonic, play:Sub). If your primary use case is streaming your music library, Navidrome is lighter and more focused than running Jellyfin or Plex just for music.
Strengths: Extremely lightweight, Subsonic API (huge app ecosystem), great web UI. Weaknesses: Music only — no video support.
5. Kavita — Best for Reading
Kavita is a media server built specifically for ebooks, comics, and manga. OPDS support lets you connect reading apps directly. Progress tracking, reading lists, and per-user libraries make it ideal for shared households.
Strengths: Built for reading, OPDS support, manga/comic optimization, reading progress sync. Weaknesses: Reading only — no video or music.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Jellyfin | Plex | Emby | Navidrome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Freemium ($120 lifetime) | Freemium ($119 lifetime) | Free |
| Open source | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Video | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Music | Yes | Yes (Plexamp) | Yes | Yes |
| Ebooks | Plugin | No | Plugin | No |
| HW transcoding | Free | Plex Pass | Premiere | N/A |
| Account required | No | Yes | Optional | No |
| Mobile apps | Free | Paid/$5 each | Paid | Subsonic apps |
| Resource usage | Medium | Medium | Medium | Very low |
How We Evaluated
We prioritized: feature completeness, cost (free wins), open-source status, client app quality, hardware transcoding support, and community size. For self-hosting, open-source and free features weigh heavily — you’re self-hosting to own your infrastructure, not to pay another subscription.
See also: Jellyfin vs Plex | Jellyfin vs Emby | Replace Netflix | Replace Spotify