Immich is a photo timeline (/replace/google-photos). Plex is movies and shows. Jellyfin is that job.

Will my Plex apps work?

Use Jellyfin clients. Some third-party apps speak both. Treat official Plex apps as gone.

Medium

Jellyfin

A media library you host. Jellyfin is GPL — Plex without the library in someone else's building.

The problem

Plex is a media server with a hosted account and then a Pass. You wanted movies, shows, and apps that talk to a library you own. Jellyfin is the GPL media system: server, clients, and no Plex Pass meter. This is not Plex Live TV, every official app, or Immich's photo timeline.

Replaces

Plex

Replace Plex

Estimated SaaS saved

$1,200

per year, small team, before lock-in

Start on Railway

Immich if this is a camera roll, not a media library

Sponsor this stack Tip jar

Placeholder: Jellyfin plus a large volume for the library. Hardware transcode is optional and often a VPS or a box at home. No one-click template in this repo yet — Start on Railway. Photos stay on /stacks/immich-photos.

The stack

Jellyfin
GPL self-hosted media server

Cost table

You stop paying	Typical / year	Self-host instead
Plex Pass / hosted library (small family)	$1,200	Jellyfin + a volume

Agent setup prompt

Replace Plex with Jellyfin (https://jellyfin.org).

- Official image, persist config and the media volume. Bind HTTP. Add one library and play one file.
- Hardware transcode is optional. Write AGENT_PROMPT.md. Do not claim every Plex client or Live TV pack.

Also as markdown: /stacks/jellyfin-media.md

FAQ

Why not Immich?: Immich is a photo timeline (/replace/google-photos). Plex is movies and shows. Jellyfin is that job.
Will my Plex apps work?: Use Jellyfin clients. Some third-party apps speak both. Treat official Plex apps as gone.