Compare / Jellyfin vs Plex
Jellyfin vs Plex
Pick Jellyfin if you want a GPL media system with no Plex Pass and no account in someone else's building (the published c17 stack). Pick Plex if you already live in its clients and will pay for the features behind Plex Pass.
Facts checked 18 Oct 2026. License, language, and GitHub activity come from the catalog or the project's own repo. "Not in the catalog row" means the public catalog dump does not store that number.
Jellyfin in the catalog Plex in the catalogStart on Railway
How they compare
| Jellyfin | Plex | |
|---|---|---|
| License | GPL-2.0 (catalog) source | Proprietary — not open source source |
| Language | C# (catalog) | Not listed as a public programming-language field |
| GitHub activity | 58,196 stars in the catalog source | No public product source repo |
| Self-host | Published as /stacks/jellyfin-media. Server + a large library volume. | Install Plex Media Server; clients talk to a Plex account. |
| Best for | Movies and shows you already have, no Pass meter. | A library that already lives in Plex apps. |
Self-hosting and resource needs
Jellyfin is /stacks/jellyfin-media: server, clients, and a large library volume. Hardware transcode is optional and often a VPS or a box at home. Plex is a proprietary server plus hosted account; Plex Pass is a paid add-on. Neither is a licensed streaming catalog — they play files you already have.
FAQ
- Is Plex open source?
- No. Jellyfin's README names Plex and Emby as proprietary alternatives. This page says so plainly.
- Do I get Netflix catalogs?
- No. These play files you already have. That is the Jellyfin stack FAQ.
- Jellyfin or Navidrome?
- Jellyfin for movies and shows. Navidrome for music — /compare/navidrome-vs-jellyfin.
- How do I deploy Jellyfin?
- Open /stacks/jellyfin-media. Persist a large volume. Hardware transcode is optional.
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