Jellyfin vs Plex vs Emby: Complete Media Server Comparison
Quick Verdict
Jellyfin for most self-hosters. It’s completely free, fully open-source, and includes hardware transcoding without a paid license. Plex if you share libraries with remote users and want the best app ecosystem (especially Plexamp for music). Emby if you want a polished commercial product without Plex’s ad-supported content and online account requirement.
| Jellyfin | Plex | Emby | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Self-hosters who want free + open | Remote sharing + best apps | Local-first, polished, no ads |
| Price | Free (all features) | Free tier + Plex Pass ($120 lifetime) | Free tier + Premiere ($119 lifetime) |
| HW transcoding | Free | Plex Pass only | Premiere only |
| Account required | No | Yes (online) | No |
| Open source | Fully (GPL-2.0) | No (proprietary) | Partially |
Overview
All three serve the same core function: organize your personal media library (movies, TV shows, music) and stream it to client apps on TVs, phones, tablets, and computers. They share a common heritage — Plex forked from XBMC (now Kodi) in 2008, Emby (originally Media Browser) was built alongside it, and Jellyfin forked from Emby in 2018 when Emby went partially closed-source.
Despite the shared DNA, they’ve diverged significantly:
- Jellyfin chose fully open-source development with no paid tier
- Plex evolved into a media platform mixing personal content with ad-supported streaming
- Emby stayed focused on personal media serving with a commercial support model
Full Feature Comparison
| Feature | Jellyfin | Plex | Emby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (all features) | Free | $120 lifetime | $119 lifetime |
| License | GPL-2.0 (open) | Proprietary | Partially open |
| Hardware transcoding | Free | Paid only | Paid only |
| Online account required | No | Yes | No |
| Ad-supported content | No | Yes (mixed with library) | No |
| Mobile apps (iOS/Android) | Free, open-source | Free (ads), paid removes | Free (ads), paid removes |
| Android TV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apple TV | Community (Swiftfin) | Yes (excellent) | Yes |
| Fire TV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Roku | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Samsung TV | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| LG TV | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| PS4/PS5 | No | Yes | No |
| Xbox | No | Yes | No |
| Web player | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Live TV & DVR | Free | Paid only | Paid only |
| SyncPlay (watch together) | Free | Free | Paid only |
| Offline sync (mobile) | Limited (community) | Paid only | Paid only |
| Music streaming | Yes | Yes (Plexamp is best) | Yes |
| DLNA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Subtitle support | Excellent | Good | Good |
| Remote relay (no port forward) | No | Yes (built-in) | No |
| Plugin/extension system | Community plugins | Removed most support | Plugin catalog |
| User management | Full | Full | Full |
| Parental controls | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| API | REST (documented) | REST (documented) | REST (documented) |
| Third-party clients | Many (open API) | Many (large ecosystem) | Fewer |
| Cinema Mode (trailers) | No | Paid only | Paid only |
Installation Complexity
All three run as single Docker containers with embedded databases. Setup differences:
| Jellyfin | Plex | Emby | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Docker image | jellyfin/jellyfin:10.11.6 | plexinc/pms-docker | emby/embyserver:4.9.3.0 |
| External database | No (SQLite) | No (SQLite) | No (SQLite) |
| Account setup | None required | Plex.tv account + claim token | None required |
| GPU passthrough | Standard device mount | Standard device mount | Standard device mount |
| First-run setup | Web wizard | Web wizard (after claim) | Web wizard |
Plex’s claim token (expires in 4 minutes) and mandatory online account add friction. Jellyfin and Emby start with a local web wizard — no external dependencies.
Winner: Jellyfin/Emby tied (simpler setup). Plex’s claim token adds unnecessary complexity.
Transcoding
Transcoding is what happens when a client can’t direct-play your media format. A 4K HEVC file playing on an older Roku, for example, needs real-time transcoding to a compatible format. This is the most CPU-intensive operation a media server performs.
| Jellyfin | Plex | Emby | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software transcoding | Free | Free | Free |
| Hardware transcoding (Intel QSV) | Free | $120 Plex Pass | $119 Premiere |
| Hardware transcoding (NVIDIA NVENC) | Free | $120 Plex Pass | $119 Premiere |
| Hardware transcoding (VAAPI) | Free | $120 Plex Pass | $119 Premiere |
| HDR tone mapping | Yes (free) | Yes (Plex Pass) | Yes (Premiere) |
| Transcoding quality | Good | Excellent | Good |
This is the single biggest differentiator. Hardware transcoding reduces CPU usage from 100%+ per stream to <10%. Without it, a single 4K transcode can saturate a server. Jellyfin includes this for free. Plex and Emby charge $119-120 for it.
Plex has a slight edge in transcoding quality and compatibility across edge cases, but for typical content, all three produce good results.
Winner: Jellyfin (free hardware transcoding is a decisive advantage).
App Ecosystem
| Platform | Jellyfin | Plex | Emby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android | Jellyfin (official) + Findroid | Plex (excellent) | Emby (good) |
| iOS | Jellyfin (official) + Swiftfin | Plex (excellent) | Emby (good) |
| Android TV | Jellyfin (official) | Plex (excellent) | Emby (good) |
| Apple TV | Swiftfin (community) | Plex (best-in-class) | Emby (good) |
| Fire TV | Jellyfin (official) | Plex (excellent) | Emby (good) |
| Roku | Jellyfin (official) | Plex (excellent) | Emby (good) |
| Samsung TV | Limited/web | Plex (native) | Emby (native) |
| LG TV | Limited/web | Plex (native) | Emby (native) |
| Game consoles | None | PS4, PS5, Xbox | None |
| Music (dedicated) | None | Plexamp (excellent) | None |
| Kodi | JellyCon plugin | PlexKodiConnect | EmbyCon |
Plex has the widest device coverage. Jellyfin’s community is catching up fast (Findroid and Swiftfin are excellent third-party options). Emby sits in the middle.
Plexamp deserves special mention — it’s a dedicated music player with Spotify-like features (radio, sonic exploration, gapless playback) that’s genuinely the best self-hosted music app available. Nothing from Jellyfin or Emby matches it.
Winner: Plex (widest coverage, Plexamp is unmatched for music).
Privacy and Philosophy
| Jellyfin | Plex | Emby | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telemetry | None | Extensive | Minimal |
| Online requirement | None | Yes (server + account) | None |
| Data collection | None | Usage analytics, library metadata | Minimal |
| Works offline | Fully | Limited offline mode | Fully |
| Ad-supported content | None | Mixed with personal library | None |
| Social features | None | Discover, Watchlist, friends | None |
Plex’s direction frustrates many self-hosters. The mandatory online account, ad-supported content mixed into the interface, and social features feel contrary to self-hosting principles. Jellyfin and Emby keep everything local.
Winner: Jellyfin (zero telemetry, zero external dependencies, fully offline capable).
Resource Usage
| Resource | Jellyfin | Plex | Emby |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAM (idle) | ~250 MB | ~300 MB | ~300 MB |
| RAM (1 transcode) | ~500 MB | ~500 MB | ~500 MB |
| CPU (idle) | Low | Low (+ periodic cloud pings) | Low |
| Disk (app) | ~500 MB | ~500 MB | ~500 MB |
| Network (idle) | None | Periodic (cloud services) | None |
All three perform similarly. Plex uses slightly more resources due to cloud communication overhead.
Winner: Jellyfin (lightest, no network overhead).
Use Cases
Choose Jellyfin If…
- You want completely free media streaming with all features
- Hardware transcoding without paying is important
- You value open-source software and community governance
- Privacy matters — no telemetry, no cloud dependency
- You’re comfortable with community-supported apps
- Budget is a constraint
Choose Plex If…
- You share your library with remote users (built-in relay)
- Device coverage matters (game consoles, smart TVs)
- You want Plexamp for music streaming
- You value the most polished app experience
- You rely on the *arr stack (most mature Plex integrations)
- You don’t mind the online account and ad-supported content
Choose Emby If…
- You want commercial polish without Plex’s baggage
- No online account requirement matters
- Samsung/LG TV native apps are needed without Plex’s ads
- You prefer focused personal media serving (no platform bloat)
- Plugin extensibility is important
- You’re willing to pay $119 for hardware transcoding and premium features
Final Verdict
Jellyfin is the best choice for most self-hosters. Free hardware transcoding, zero telemetry, no online account, fully open-source — it aligns perfectly with self-hosting values. The app ecosystem is catching up to Plex rapidly.
Plex is the best choice for sharing. If you share your library with family/friends who don’t live with you, Plex’s built-in relay eliminates the need for reverse proxy setup. Plexamp alone justifies Plex Pass for music lovers.
Emby is the best choice for local-first commercial polish. It’s Plex without the platform bloat — focused on personal media, no ads, no online account. Samsung and LG TV apps give it an edge for living room setups on those platforms.
For most people starting fresh: try Jellyfin first. If you need better smart TV apps or remote sharing without a reverse proxy, consider Plex or Emby. The media files are the same — switching servers later is straightforward.
FAQ
Can I run multiple media servers on the same library?
Yes. Point all three at the same media directory (read-only). Each builds its own database independently. Useful for testing which you prefer before committing.
Which has the best subtitle support?
All three handle SRT, ASS/SSA, and PGS subtitles well. Jellyfin is slightly better at burn-in for ASS/SSA styled subtitles. For most content, the difference is negligible.
Can I migrate between them?
Media files transfer directly (same directory structure). Watch history, collections, and playlists don’t transfer cleanly between platforms. Some community scripts help with partial migration.
What about Kodi?
Kodi is a client, not a server. It pairs with any of these three via plugins (JellyCon, PlexKodiConnect, EmbyCon). Kodi + Jellyfin is a popular combination for living room setups.
Which is best for a Raspberry Pi?
Jellyfin. It’s the lightest, runs well on a Pi 4/5, and supports hardware transcoding via the Pi’s GPU (with limitations). Plex and Emby also run on Pi hardware but are heavier. For Pi setups, prioritize direct play to avoid transcoding entirely.
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