Free, open source media server for your movies, shows and music
Jellyfin is a free, open source media server for hosting your own movies, TV shows, music, books and photos and streaming them to web, mobile, TV and desktop clients. Forked from Emby in 2018, it has no premium tier or tracking: hardware transcoding, live TV and DVR, multiple users and plugins are all included. The server runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker and many NAS devices.
- features
- 5
- alternatives
- 9
- platforms
- 7
- Updated
- Oct 12, 2026
Features
Our take
Pros
- Completely free, with hardware transcoding and DVR included
- Open source, with no tracking and no premium tier
- Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker and many NAS devices
Cons
- Client apps are less polished than Plex or Emby on some devices
- Remote access needs manual setup such as a reverse proxy or VPN
Editorial assessment by the Alternatives.tools team, based on what the product is known for. Not a user review.
Best Jellyfin alternatives
See all 9 alternatives
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InfuseFreemiumVideo player for Apple devices that streams from your servers and shares
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mpvFreeOpen sourceMinimalist, scriptable media player for the command line
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User reviews
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