While the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify are great for accessing tons of content, a personal media collection is well-worth curating. Through DVD or Blu-ray rips as well as CD and vinyl rips, you can cobble together a massive library of digital files. Using a media server you can access these from virtually anywhere. Check out the best media server software options for building your own Netflix or Spotify!
What is a Media Server and Why Should You Build One?
A media server is essentially like a do-it-yourself (DIY) Netflix, Hulu, or Spotify. Whereas a paid streaming video service allows you to watch or listen to a library of digital media, in this instance you’re hosting your own files such as movies, TV shows, music files, and even photos. By synching that content with media server software, compatible client devices will have access to that content anywhere. You can run a media server from pretty much any PC so long as your media server application of choice remains compatible with that hardware and operating system. I’ve got a ThinkStation TS140 running Ubuntu with Plex, Emby, and Madsonic installed. For a low-cost solution, you can even run programs such as Plex and Emby on a Raspberry Pi or another single-board computer. Aside from a host computer and compatible media server app, you’ll need a client device such as a streaming device, smartphone, tablet, or another PC. And of course a library of digital media files.
Building a media server is a great method of allowing access to your digitized movies, TV shows, and music from anywhere while lending a slick user-interface (UI). Most media server programs automatically download box art and metadata, provided your files are named correctly. Although you might be able to find many mainstream titles on paid streaming services, lots of lesser-known movies, shows, or albums might be unavailable. If you’ve got them in your collection, you can stream them anywhere with your server. A media server ensures that wherever you go, your videos and music travel with you. And it’s a convenient way to avoid having to pull out discs and load them up. Plus with vanishing optical drives on laptops as well as some desktops or even game consoles, a media server comes in handy.
What is a media server: A sort of DIY Netflix or Spority for streaming your personal media collection to client devices.
Home Media Server App Considerations
Several factors will determine which media server program is best for you. First, there’s what operating system (OS) you’re running on your host device. Many server software choices run on Linux, macOS, Windows, and Docker. Underlying hardware is a limiting factor as well. For a traditional server or PC installation almost any program should be fine, but using a single-board computer such as a Raspberry Pi, Odroid XU4, or RockPro64 will narrow down the list of compatible media server solutions. And of course, the client devices you want to stream to are important for selecting a video streaming and music streaming server. Type of media is important. While some home media server software handles videos, music, and photos, others are more specialized. Decide if you’re willing to pay for an app or want everything free, as well as how important open-source software is to you. Consider ease of use as well. User base and frequency of updates remain crucial for determining the longevity of a media server app.
Media server software considerations:
- Host operating system
- Underlying hardware
- Media types: Video, music, photos
- Open-source vs. closed-source
- Cost
- Ease of use
- User base and community size
- Client app compatibility
1. Plex – Best Media Server Software Option Overall
The first media server I ever built was an old laptop with Plex installed. Since then, I’ve upgraded to a dedicated Xeon-powered Lenovo ThinkStation TS140 running Ubuntu. Plex is incredibly easy to use and beginner-friendly. However, despite the low learning curve, Plex boasts a bevy of power-user features as well. There’s excellent client compatibility. You can find Plex apps for mobile devices, PCs, game consoles, smart TVs, streaming boxes, and more. And Plex itself runs on macOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Docker, and a host of NAS devices.
But where Plex truly succeeds is its robust cord-cutting functionality. Referring to Plex as simply a media server app does it a major disservice. While its media server capabilities remain at its core, Plex rolled out a slew of cord-cutting features. There’s a live TV and DVR option for connecting an over-the-air (OTA) antenna, Tidal integration, a podcast section, web shows, and even free, legal ad-supported streaming movies and TV shows. As such, even for home theatre buffs sans a media server, the Plex app is an awesome source of free streaming video. Overall, the balance of usability, functionality, and superb device compatibility, Plex is easily the best media server software you can (and should) use.
Why you should use Plex:
- Great for Movies, TV shows, music, photos
- Tons of compatible Plex client devices
- Podcast aggregator
- Tidal integration
- Live TV & DVR functionality
- Web shows
- Free, legal ad-supported streaming movies and TV shows
- Runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, FreeBSD, and NAS devices
2. Emby – Best Media Server Choice for Power Users
For a superb Plex alternative, check out Emby. Despite the similarities to Plex, Emby targets power users. When comparing Emby versus Plex, Emby is a bit more customizable. For example, you can tailor its user interface to your liking, and even apply custom CSS to its web app for adding new themes. Emby’s metadata searching remains more robust than Plex. Unlike Plex, its live TV and DVR is free to use.
However, Emby hides many of its apps behind paywalls. The Emby Android app on my phone works fine, but the Android TV Emby app on my Nvidia Shield TV requires payment after a brief free trial period. Client compatibility is excellent, though not as wide as Plex. I have Plex and Emby both installed, and personally enjoy both. Ultimately, Emby is the best media server choice for power users.
Why you should use Emby:
- Great for Movies, TV shows, music, photos
- Tons of compatible Emby client devices
- Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Docker, FreeBSD, Docker, and NAS devices
- Live TV & DVR functionality
- Highly customizable
- Robust metadata editing capabilities
3. Jellyfin – An Excellent Open-Source Media Server Alternative to Plex and Emby
While Emby began as an open-source platform, development turned closed source. Jellyfin presents a truly outstanding open-source alternative to the likes of Plex and Emby. Whereas Emby and Plex operate on a freemium model, Jellyfin is completely free to use. There’s live TV and DVR functionality, zero data tracking since there are no central servers, and it’s licensed under the GNU GPL license. You’ll find a range of installers for platforms including Linux, macOS, Docker, Windows, and even a portable version capable of running on any machine with a .NET core runtime.
Though the user base is pretty strong, client apps are somewhat lacking. But extremely active development means that’s poised to change. Jellyfin runs in browsers, Android and iOS devices, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Kodi, and more. So even if your preferred client device is awaiting a native Jellyfin app, there’s certainly another client you can use or at least a workaround. Open-source, completely free, and under very active development, Jellyfin is a must-try media server app.
Why you should use Jellyfiun:
- Great for Movies, TV shows, music
- Live TV & DVR
- Completely free
- Open-source
- Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Docker, Docker, and a portable app
- Tons of Jellyfin client devices with more to come
4. PlayOn – A Video Streaming Server Plus PVR and DVR
While the majority of media server software options focus almost entirely on hosting your library, PlayOn tacks on a unique personal video recorder (PVR) or digital video recorder (DVR) element. With PlayOn, you can sync your streaming services including Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. Then, you can save videos from those services to your PC with PlayOn. Technically, it’s absolutely legal since no DRM (digital rights management) circumvention transpires. Still, it’s not intended for piracy, and PlayOn even takes proactive measures to thwart piracy such as adding a title card to recorded videos with your IP address and name. One of the best use cases I’ve found for PlayOn is saving DRM-free copies of movies and TV shows I’ve purchased from the likes of Vudu or Amazon Prime. Disappointingly, they’re limited to 720p and two-channel stereo, but that’s definitely more than adequate.
You can use PlayOn as a media server as well, or to cast videos to PlayOn clients. Unfortunately, PlayOn desktop is Windows-only. I run it on my home theatre PC, but no macOS or Linux installer might deter some media server enthusiasts. Even if you’re running a different media server app, PlayOn is absolutely worth considering for its ability to save videos from streaming services for offline viewing.
Why you should use PlayOn:
- Great for movies and TV shows
- Save videos from streaming services to your PC locally
- Runs on Windows
- Easy to use and set up
5. Subsonic – Best Media Server Software for Music Buffs
For music buffs, Subsonic is a fantastic choice. There’s a clear onus on music streaming, but Subsonic works just fine for videos as well. Sonos integration, free-text searching, the ability to rate or comment on albums, plus easy playlist creation and sharing makes Subsonic a spectacular music streaming jukebox. It supports a slew of file types ranging from MP3, OGG, and AAC to FLAC, WMA, and APE. On-the-fly resampling to lower bitrates with the ffmpeg encoder helpt in limited bandwidth situations. Plus, its transcoding engine works with lossless or lossy formats for on-the-fly MP3 conversion. What’s more, Sonos integration lets you stream to your networked speakers with ease. Though video does work with Subsonic, it’s a bit better for music. You can run Subsonic on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Synology NAS devices. Though you’ll find many client apps, the variety of Subsonic client devices is admittedly a bit limited. Moreover, the free version limits a few features like Sonos support and the ability to create a personal media server address.
Why you should use Subsonic:
- Great for music, movies, TV shows
- On-the-fly MP3 conversion
- On-the-fly resampling for low bandwidth situations
- Runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Synology NAS devices
6. Madsonic
As the name suggests, Madsonic is a fork of Subsonic. It’s a web-based media streaming server software option for spinning up a jukebox of your personal tunes and videos. Madsonic installs flawlessly on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Highly-scalable, Madsonic handles massive media collections with more than 100,000 files with aplomb. Metadata support lets you connect Last.FM, Musicbrainz, Echonest, and IMDB accounts. There’s Sonos integration, and even a REST API for using Madsonic to create your own apps or addons. Like Subsonic, client apps are slightly anemic with lots of apps but few platforms, and the free tier is a bit limited.
Why you should use Madsonic:
- Great for music, movies, TV shows
- On-the-fly MP3 conversion
- On-the-fly resampling for low bandwidth situations
- Runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Node
- REST API
- Sonos integration
7. Airsonic
Sharing the sonic root, Airsonic is an off-shoot of Subsonic, Madsonic, and Libresonic. Diverging from Subsonic and Madsonic, AIrsonis remains full-features, stable, open-souce, and free. It’s a neat Subsonic fork that’s licensed under the GNU GPL license. Airsonic installers are available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and Docker. A thriving GitHub, top-notch documentation, and a thriving community of users makes Airsonic the best Subsonic and Madsonic alternative available.
Why you should use Airsonic:
- Great for music, movies, TV shows
- On-the-fly MP3 conversion
- On-the-fly resampling for low bandwidth situations
- Runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker
- Free, open-source
8. Serviio – Powerful Media Server Program
The cross-platform compatible Serviio is a spectacular media server software option. Onboard, you’ll find a range of features including DLNA for streaming to other DLNA-enabled devices without the need for an app, an Alexa skill, and Trakt integration. Device compatibility is solid with Serviio client apps for streaming boxes, game consoles, smart TVs, Blu-ray players, mobile devices, and more. Aside from accessing your digital media library, Serviio can stream from online sources like RSS feeds, live audio and video streams, or web pages. Yet, Serviio can be pretty cumbersome to get up and running. Still, it’s a powerful media server app that’s loaded with useful features.
Why you should use Serviio:
- Great for Movies, TV shows, music
- Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS
- Lots of Serviio client apps
- Trakt integration
- Alexa skill available
- DLNA built in
- Streams from online sources i.e. RSS feeds, live A/V streams, web pages
9. Gerbera – A UPnP Media Server for In-home Streaming
Based on the now-defunct MediaTomb, Gerbera is a free media server solution. You can stream your personal media library of movies, TV shows, and music to a smorgasbord of devices ranging from smart TVs and streaming boxes to game consoles and mobile devices. But Gerbera operates differently than the likes of Plex, Emby, Jellyfin, and Subsonic. The UPnP (universal plug and play) media server runs on the UPnP networking protocol and is only for accessing digital media on devices within your home. As such, there’s no remote streaming while you’re on the go. Nevertheless, if you’re simply searching for an easy to use, flexible media server for in-home streaming, Gerbera is a great choice.
Why you should use Gerbera:
- UPnP
- Easy to use
- Great in-home streaming
- Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS
10. OpenFlixr
Technically OpenFlixr isn’t a media server program itself. Instead, this server software simply functions as a means of downloading tons of server software including Plex and Mopidy. Additionally, you can run apps such as Couchpotato, Radarr, Sonarr, SlickChill, Headphones, Lidarr, and a smattering of other software for automating your torrent and Usenet downloads. While it’s not a media server on its own, OpenFlixr is a superb one-stop-shop for all of your media server and downloading needs.
Why you should use OpenFlixr:
- One-stop-shop for media server apps like Plex and Mopidy
- Features torrent and Usenet automation software like CouchPotato, Lidarr, Headphones, Radarr, Sonarr, SlickChill
- Home Assistant and Pi-hole built in
- Comprehensive server software aggregation tool
Best Media Server Software Options – Final Thoughts
There are loads of media server apps for all uses. Personally, I use Plex and Emby, although I’ve been dabbling with Jellyfin as well. While I’ve used Madsonic and Subsonic for music streaming, video handling and lack of apps for my frequently used clients like Android TV made me switch to Plex and Emby. Still, Subsonic, Madsonic, and Airsonic are top picks, particularly for a mostly music server. I use PlayOn regularly for saving videos to my PC for offline playback, so despite its server capabilities, I mostly use it as a PVR and supplement to my media server. For a basic UPnP in-home streaming, Gerbera works like champ. And OpenFlixr is a nifty server software aggregate.
Your turn: What media server software do you recommend?
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