Plex vs Emby for Music: Which Streams Better?
Quick Verdict
Plex wins for music because of PlexAmp. Sonic Analysis, smart radio, loudness leveling, and a dedicated music UI make PlexAmp the best music streaming experience in self-hosted software. Emby’s music support is adequate but unremarkable — there’s no equivalent to PlexAmp.
Overview
Plex handles music alongside movies, TV, and other media. Its standout feature is PlexAmp, a dedicated music player with Sonic Analysis that understands the audio characteristics of every track. PlexAmp requires Plex Pass ($5/month or $120 lifetime).
Emby also handles music as part of its general media server. It provides a web-based music player, mobile apps with offline sync (Emby Premiere, $5/month or $119 lifetime), and smart playlists. Music is a secondary feature to its video capabilities.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Plex (+ PlexAmp) | Emby (+ Premiere) |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated music app | PlexAmp (Plex Pass) | No (Emby app only) |
| Sonic Analysis | Yes | No |
| Smart radio | Yes (AI-curated mixes) | No |
| Loudness leveling | Yes | No |
| Smart playlists | Yes | Yes (Premiere) |
| Lyrics | Yes | Yes |
| Gapless playback | Yes | Yes (some clients) |
| Crossfade | Yes (PlexAmp) | No |
| Offline sync | Yes (Plex Pass) | Yes (Premiere) |
| Music video | Yes | Yes |
| DLNA | Yes | Yes |
| Scrobbling | Via plugin | Via plugin |
| Premium cost | $5/mo or $120 lifetime | $5/mo or $119 lifetime |
| Cloud account | Required (plex.tv) | Not required |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
The Difference
Both Plex and Emby handle music. Both have premium tiers at similar price points. The difference is what you get for that price.
Plex Pass gives you PlexAmp. PlexAmp analyzes every track in your library, understands tempo, mood, and sonic characteristics, and creates intelligent mixes from your own music. It’s a genuinely unique product.
Emby Premiere gives you smart playlists and offline sync. Useful, but not transformative. Emby’s music player is the same general-purpose interface used for all media types — functional but not music-optimized.
Use Cases
Choose Plex If…
- PlexAmp’s Sonic Analysis and smart radio are appealing
- You want the best music streaming experience available
- You’re willing to create a plex.tv account
- You value a dedicated, beautiful music player
- Loudness leveling and crossfade matter
Choose Emby If…
- You don’t want a cloud account requirement
- Music is a secondary concern (video is primary)
- You want more server-side control than Plex offers
- Basic music playback is sufficient
- You prefer Emby’s admin interface
Final Verdict
Plex wins for music, and it’s not close. PlexAmp has no equivalent in Emby or any other self-hosted media server. If music streaming quality matters to you, Plex Pass is worth the cost for PlexAmp alone.
Emby is fine for casual music listening. If you primarily use your media server for video and occasionally play music, Emby handles it adequately. But if music is important, Plex (with PlexAmp) or a dedicated server like Navidrome is the better choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get PlexAmp without Plex Pass?
No. PlexAmp requires an active Plex Pass subscription. You can use Plex’s standard music player for free, but PlexAmp’s unique features (Sonic Analysis, smart radio, loudness leveling) are Plex Pass exclusive.
Is Emby Premiere worth it for music?
Not specifically for music. Emby Premiere’s music benefits (smart playlists, offline sync) are incremental. Its primary value is in video features (hardware transcoding, DVR). If music is your goal, spend the money on Plex Pass instead.
What about Navidrome as an alternative to both?
Navidrome is a dedicated music server that’s free, lightweight, and supports 50+ Subsonic-compatible apps. It doesn’t have PlexAmp’s Sonic Analysis, but for general music streaming, it’s better than either Plex (without PlexAmp) or Emby.
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