5 reasons why I'm switching to Jellyfin after 7 years using Plex on my home NAS (2024)

Plex is usually the most recommended media streaming and cataloging app for NAS and general servers. It's a powerful tool that has expanded over recent years into the streaming game with advertisements and all sorts of shenanigans. Jellyfin and other open-source alternatives have been on the radar for some time, but I've never felt like making the switch. It's the trouble with growing comfortable with software you've enjoyed for nearly a decade. But the time has come to move and Jellyfin will now be streaming all our purchased media from the family Synology NAS.

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5 Jellyfin is fully self-hosted

5 reasons why I'm switching to Jellyfin after 7 years using Plex on my home NAS (2)

Plex doesn't feel self-hosted anymore. I mean ... it clearly is as the server files are installed on the home NAS, but the login process is using the Plex backend, and so too is everything else it seems. Gone are the days when the only content displayed through your localhost Plex server were files hosted directly on an adjacent drive. Without messing around with network settings, which many may not wish to do, you'll be locked to using a Plex account to sign in using Plex servers, which may be an issue should you lose internet access but still wish to stream media over the LAN.

Jellyfin keeps everything local and it feels like I'm connecting to my NAS alone.

4 Similar performance with FOSS

5 reasons why I'm switching to Jellyfin after 7 years using Plex on my home NAS (3)

Switching from Plex Media Server to Jellyfin, I expected some degree of performance drop moving to open-source software maintained by a talented community. Although they know their way around code and have the backing of their userbase, Plex is a commercial entity and as such, should be held to a higher standard. I was pleasantly surprised to see Jellyfin perform as well, if not better than Plex. The web interface seemed more responsive, though this could be due to it not being as feature-rich (or bloated, depending on your views of Plex).

And because Jellyfin is free open-source software (FOSS), you can bet more eyes are on the code from tech-savvy individuals who can provide bug reporting and even recommend some changes. I've monitored the development of Jellyfin in recent months and like where I believe the platform is heading.

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3 No extra "free streaming" clutter

5 reasons why I'm switching to Jellyfin after 7 years using Plex on my home NAS (5)

One major drawback of Plex in recent years has been the slow introduction of "new features" that include injecting external streaming results into local searches. When looking for a movie to play, I don't want to see countless options for sources I don't wish to use, including Plex's own free streaming service. The goal of the home streaming setup is to use media we've purchased and that alone. Plex is primarily a cataloging service with the ability to stream our content anywhere as an added bonus.

With this now seemingly being relegated below Plex's desire to get into the streaming business, Jellyfin takes everything back to the basics. Switching to Jellyfin once again turns the NAS into a media cataloging and streaming device, instead of a gateway into free streaming services. Our household already has Netflix and Amazon Prime, so we're good to go with ad-supported content. Jellyfin lets us disconnect from the outside world and lose ourselves in the best TV has to offer.

2 Community-made plugins

5 reasons why I'm switching to Jellyfin after 7 years using Plex on my home NAS (6)

Because of how open the Jellyfin development is, the community has been able to create some impressive plugins. These can be used to expand the feature set of your Jellyfin installation. I've already installed some, including LDAP and Open Subtitles. Having the ability to install additional content makes Jellyfin a powerful base for creating a media streaming service tailored to your needs.

1 Everything is available for free

5 reasons why I'm switching to Jellyfin after 7 years using Plex on my home NAS (7)

Plex can be installed for free on a server environment of your choosing, but many features are locked behind a paywall. Plex Pass is the optional account upgrade, costing $5 per month or $120 for lifetime access. Upgrading to a Plex Pass would unlock hardware transcoding, downloadable media, sharing and family features, intro skipping, and enhanced music playback. Is it worth the upgrade? I'd say yes if you frequently use Plex, however, Jellyfin offers many of the same functionality and costs absolutely nothing.

Plex isn't a terrible media streaming platform

Just because I'm switching the primary method of streaming all my media, it doesn't mean I believe Plex to be a terrible software everyone should avoid. In fact, after setting up Jellyfin on the family Synology NAS as a container, I would recommend Plex for most people who don't want to deal with slightly more advanced configurations. Plex Media Server is easy to set up on just about any supported hardware. Jellyfin takes slightly more work to get it going, but this is a moot point for anyone with the spare time and know-how.

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5 reasons why I'm switching to Jellyfin after 7 years using Plex on my home NAS (2024)

FAQs

5 reasons why I'm switching to Jellyfin after 7 years using Plex on my home NAS? ›

Jellyfin is one of the best Plex alternatives you can get, and that's thanks to its open-source nature and powerful set of features. There are apps for basically every platform and it's completely free to run your very own server.

Should I switch to Jellyfin? ›

Jellyfin is one of the best Plex alternatives you can get, and that's thanks to its open-source nature and powerful set of features. There are apps for basically every platform and it's completely free to run your very own server.

What is the difference between NAS Jellyfin and Plex? ›

Jellyfin is more limited in scope; its sole aim is to host your personal media collection, and it does it all for free. Plex has become much more ambitious, squeezing content aggregation, ad-supported movies, TIDAL integration, and more on top of its original mission.

What can I use instead of Plex and Jellyfin? ›

Best Plex alternatives in 2024: Jellyfin, Emby, and more
  • 1 Jellyfin. My personal favorite. ...
  • 2 Emby. Some extra features for a premium. ...
  • 3 Kodi. Versatility. ...
  • 4 Universal Media Server. If you just want something basic that works and can stream to a multitude of devices, something like Universal Media Server might be up your alley.

Why switch from Plex to Jellyfin? ›

5 Jellyfin is fully self-hosted

Without messing around with network settings, which many may not wish to do, you'll be locked to using a Plex account to sign in using Plex servers, which may be an issue should you lose internet access but still wish to stream media over the LAN.

What is the point of Jellyfin? ›

Jellyfin is a Free Software Media System that puts you in control of managing and streaming your media.

Does Jellyfin have hardware transcoding? ›

Jellyfin is capable of detecting that your device doesn't understand HEVC, and can transcode the video into a format it does, such has H. 264. The transcoding can be done with either "software encoding" or with "hardware acceleration".

Is Plex the best option? ›

Is Plex worth it? Plex can be worth it, especially if you have a personal media collection that you want to organize and stream across various devices. It excels in allowing you to set up a media server where you can store and access your movies, TV shows, music, and photos from anywhere.

Is Jellyfin completely free? ›

No Fees. The Jellyfin server and official clients are free to download, now and always. There are no costs, hidden or otherwise, to use Jellyfin, either for yourself, for your friends, or for your company. All our incidental costs are paid through donations from users like you.

Is it safe to expose Jellyfin? ›

If Jellyfin had a vulnerability, it could be exploited, but this can be mitigated with the proper permissions being set on the server: don't run with admin privileges, limited access to the hard drive, etc. If your server supports it you can limit access geographically although there are obvious ways around this.

Is Jellyfin legal? ›

Jellyfin is Free Software, licensed under the GNU GPL. You can use it, study it, modify it, build it, and distribute it for free, as long as your changes are licensed the same way.

How do you use Jellyfin outside your house? ›

Remotely access the Jellyfin server
  1. Download and install Jellyfin Media Player for Windows from Jellyfin's GitHub page.
  2. Copy the server device's Nord name directly from the NordVPN app.
  3. Launch Jellyfin Media Player and click Add server.
  4. In the Host field, paste the copied Nord name, followed by :8096 .
Jul 10, 2024

Does Jellyfin always transcode? ›

Direct Play: Delivers the file without transcoding. There is no modification to the file and almost no additional load on the server. Remux: Changes the container but leaves both audio and video streams untouched. Direct Stream: Transcodes audio but leaves original video untouched.

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