A self-hosted media server is essentially a private, personalized version of a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu that you run on your own hardware, such as a computer or a dedicated Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. Instead of paying a monthly fee to access a library of content that might disappear next month, you collect and manage your own movies, TV shows, and music files, then use software to stream them to any screen in your home or even across the world.
As traditional streaming services slowly become more expensive and their libraries increasingly fragmented, these self-hosting alternatives are rapidly gaining popularity. Hosting media you acquire from various online sources or ripping your own Blu-rays certainly takes more work than simply signing up for a subscription, but it is undeniably cheaper in the long run and allows you to be far more intentional with your media consumption. For many users, building a personal library feels like a refreshing digital version of the old-school Blockbuster experience, where you actually own what you watch.
While there are several self-hosting options available today, Plex and Jellyfin are arguably the most popular and best-known platforms. Many enthusiasts opt for Jellyfin over Plex because it is completely open-source, free to use, and places a heavy emphasis on user privacy. Additionally, vital functional features like hardware transcoding—which allows your server to convert video files on the fly for different devices—and remote content playback are not locked behind a paywall.
This stands in stark contrast to Plex, which requires a paid subscription known as the Plex Pass to access these specific features. However, like many open-source projects, Jellyfin is not perfect. It can occasionally be buggy, and overall, it feels significantly less polished than Plex, especially when you are using it on various smart TVs or mobile devices.
With this in mind, Plex remains the better self-hosting option for the majority of users, provided you are willing to pay for the Plex Pass. As far as self-hosted media platforms go, Plex has grown to feel very corporate over the years, but it is also the most streamlined and plug-and-play solution on the market.
This is exactly what many people are looking for, particularly if they are new to the world of self-hosting and do not want to spend hours troubleshooting their setup. The paid Plex Pass comes with a few pricing tiers, costing seven dollars a month, seventy dollars a year, or a one-time lifetime fee of two hundred and fifty dollars, though this lifetime license frequently goes on sale.
One of the most significant advantages of Plex is that it is available on almost every modern platform imaginable. Whether you want to watch your content on a Mac, stream a new episode of a show you just downloaded on your iPhone, or use an Android device, Plex has you covered. It also supports nearly every major smart TV brand, including Samsung, LG, and Hisense. Even if you are still using older hardware like an Xbox One, there is likely a dedicated Plex app for it.
Almost every version of the official Plex app features a fresh, modern user interface that feels familiar to anyone who has used a mainstream streaming app. On the other hand, while the platform gap for Jellyfin is starting to shrink, it still has a long way to go. For instance, while an official Samsung TV app recently launched, there is still no official Jellyfin app for the Apple TV 4K, leaving users to rely on third-party clients like Swiftfin or Infuse.
There are also no official apps for the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5, and updates for existing Jellyfin apps do not arrive as frequently as they do for Plex. While Jellyfin is improving, Plex still holds a clear lead in terms of where you can actually watch your content.
Remote streaming is another area where Plex truly shines. When setting up a media server, most people want to be able to access their library when they are away from home. With Plex, this often works in a matter of seconds with almost no manual configuration.
Thanks to its automatic system for navigating network barriers, it just works. This also makes sharing your library with friends or family extremely straightforward; they simply accept an invite, and your content appears in their app. With Jellyfin, the experience is much more hands-on. While some users might get lucky and have it work immediately, many will need to manually enable port forwarding on their routers or set up a reverse proxy to stream safely outside of their home network. This DIY approach can take a significant amount of time and technical knowledge to get running correctly.
Finally, the overall stability and user experience of Plex are currently superior. There was a time when Plex had a massive ecosystem of plugins, but the company eventually dropped support for most third-party add-ons to focus on a more unified experience. While some plugins still work, you generally do not need them because the core app is so full-featured and stable.
In contrast, Jellyfin offers a vibrant ecosystem of plugins that allow you to customize the platform to your heart’s content, adding features like intro skippers or automatic library organization. However, many of these plugins feel like they are trying to make Jellyfin look and act more like Plex. Furthermore, Jellyfin can still suffer from glitches and app lock-ups that hinder the viewing experience. If you are looking for a reliable, professional-feeling platform that works across all your devices without a headache, Plex remains the king of the mountain for now.