Emby vs Navidrome: Which Music Server to Self-Host?
Quick Verdict
Navidrome is the better choice for music. It’s purpose-built for music streaming with Subsonic API compatibility, lightweight resource usage, and a polished web UI — all completely free. Emby handles music alongside video but its music features are secondary, and advanced functionality requires a paid Premiere license.
Overview
Navidrome is a dedicated self-hosted music server and streamer. It’s lightweight, supports the Subsonic API (giving you access to dozens of mobile apps), has a modern web UI, and handles large libraries efficiently. It’s written in Go with a React frontend.
Emby is a general-purpose media server for movies, TV shows, music, and photos. Music is one of several media types it manages. Emby has native apps across many platforms, but its music experience is secondary to its video capabilities. Some features require Emby Premiere ($5/month or $119 lifetime).
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Navidrome | Emby |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Music only | Video + music + photos |
| Subsonic API | Yes (full compatibility) | No |
| Mobile apps | Any Subsonic-compatible app (50+) | Emby native app |
| Web UI | Modern, music-focused | General-purpose media UI |
| Smart playlists | Yes | Yes (Premiere required) |
| Lyrics support | Yes (embedded + external) | Yes |
| Internet radio | Yes | Yes |
| Music video support | No | Yes |
| Gapless playback | Yes | Varies by client |
| ReplayGain | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-user | Yes | Yes |
| Scrobbling (Last.fm/ListenBrainz) | Yes | Via plugin |
| Transcoding | Yes (on-the-fly) | Yes (Premiere for HW accel) |
| External database | No (embedded SQLite) | No (embedded SQLite) |
| Docker complexity | Very low (1 container) | Low (1 container) |
| RAM usage | 50-200 MB | 300 MB-1 GB |
| Cost | Free (open-source) | Free (limited) + $5/mo Premiere |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Proprietary |
Installation Complexity
Navidrome is extraordinarily simple. Single container, two volumes (data + music), one port. No database container needed, no claim tokens, no account creation. Start the container, point it at your music folder, open the web UI. Done in under 5 minutes.
Emby is also a single container but has more configuration: user/group ID settings (UID/GID/GIDLIST — not PUID/PGID), media library setup through the web UI, and optional hardware transcoding setup. Emby Premiere is needed for many features.
Performance and Resource Usage
| Resource | Navidrome | Emby |
|---|---|---|
| Idle RAM | ~30 MB | ~200 MB |
| Active RAM (music streaming) | 50-200 MB | 300 MB-1 GB |
| CPU (streaming) | Very low | Low-moderate |
| Disk (app) | ~20 MB | ~200 MB |
| Minimum server | 512 MB RAM, 1 core | 2 GB RAM, 1 core |
| Library scan (10K tracks) | Seconds | Minutes |
Navidrome is dramatically lighter. It runs on a Raspberry Pi Zero with room to spare. Emby needs more resources because it handles video alongside music.
Community and Support
Navidrome: ~13,000 GitHub stars, active development (v0.60+ with major improvements), growing community. The Subsonic API compatibility means access to an ecosystem of mature mobile apps.
Emby: Large user base but proprietary development. Community is active on forums. Updates are regular but source code is not fully open. The development team is small and primarily focused on video features.
Use Cases
Choose Navidrome If…
- Music is your primary or only use case
- You want access to 50+ Subsonic-compatible mobile apps
- Lightweight resource usage matters (Pi-friendly)
- You want a completely free, open-source solution
- Scrobbling to Last.fm or ListenBrainz is important
- You value a dedicated, music-optimized experience
Choose Emby If…
- You already run Emby for movies/TV and want music in the same interface
- You prefer Emby’s native apps over third-party Subsonic apps
- You need music video support
- You don’t mind paying for Premiere features
- You want a single server for all media types
Final Verdict
Navidrome wins for music. It’s purpose-built, lighter, faster, free, open-source, and gives you access to the massive ecosystem of Subsonic-compatible apps (DSub, Symfonium, play:Sub, Amperfy, and dozens more). For music streaming, it’s the better tool.
Emby makes sense only if you already use it for video and want “good enough” music support without running a second server. But if music matters to you, adding Navidrome alongside Emby is the better approach — it’s so lightweight you won’t even notice it running.
Frequently Asked Questions
What mobile apps work with Navidrome?
Any Subsonic/OpenSubsonic-compatible app. Popular choices: Symfonium (Android, $5 one-time), DSub (Android, free), play:Sub (iOS, $5), Amperfy (iOS, free). There are over 50 compatible apps.
Can Emby match Navidrome’s music features without Premiere?
No. Free Emby lacks smart playlists, hardware-accelerated transcoding, and offline sync. With Premiere ($5/month), you get these features but the music experience is still secondary to video. Navidrome provides all music features for free.
Can I run both Navidrome and Emby?
Yes, and many people do. Point each at the same music directory. Navidrome serves music with dedicated features while Emby handles movies and TV. They don’t conflict.
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