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Jellyfin

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Your free, private media server for movies, music, and more

Video & MediaVideo HostingMedia & Entertainment
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Reviews onCapterraSourceForge
208 reviews tracked

The Bottom Line

Entry price

Free, no paid tier

Biggest pro

Completely free and open-source with no hidden costs or subscriptions

Biggest con

Requires users to host and manage their own server infrastructure

TL;DR - Jellyfin

  • Organize and stream your personal media library (movies, shows, music, photos, books, live TV) from your own server.
  • Available on a wide range of devices through official and third-party clients.
  • Completely free, open-source, community-driven, and privacy-focused with no tracking or hidden fees.
Pricing: Free forever
Best for: Individuals & startups
4.1/5 across review platforms

What is Jellyfin?

Editorial review
Jellyfin is a free and open-source media system that allows users to collect, manage, and stream their personal media libraries. It functions by running a server on the user's own system, providing a comprehensive entertainment hub for movies, TV shows, music, live TV, DVR recordings, books, and photos. Users can organize their content with automatic sorting, artwork, and detailed information, making it easy to browse and discover. Designed for accessibility, Jellyfin offers a wide array of official and third-party client applications for various popular platforms, ensuring media is available on the go. Its core philosophy emphasizes privacy, with no tracking, phone-home features, or central servers collecting user data. The project is community-built and sustained by volunteer contributions and donations, ensuring it remains free to download and use without any hidden costs or fees.
how we evaluateSourcejellyfin.org ↗

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Completely free and open-source with no hidden costs or subscriptions
  • Strong emphasis on user privacy with no data tracking or central servers
  • Supports a wide variety of media types including movies, TV, music, books, photos, and live TV
  • Extensive client support for popular platforms like Android, Apple, Roku, and Kodi
  • Community-driven development ensures transparency and user-focused features

Cons

  • Requires users to host and manage their own server infrastructure
  • Relies on community support for development and troubleshooting
  • Initial setup may require some technical knowledge for server configuration

Ratings Across the Web

4.1(208 reviews)
Capterra141 reviews
3.9/5
SourceForge67 reviews
4.3/5

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Preview

Key Features

Stream movies with easy browsing and artworkWatch TV shows automatically sorted by seasonListen to music, artists, and playlistsRecord Live TV and set automatic DVR recordingsRead books, comics, and magazinesOrganize and share photosSyncPlay for remote shared viewing sessionsCustomizable home screen and library views

Pricing Plans

Pricing checked Jul 19, 2026

Jellyfin

Free

  • Collect, manage, and stream your media
  • Movies
  • Shows
  • Music
  • Live TV & DVR
  • Books
  • Photos
  • SyncPlay
Calculate your costView full pricing

Is Jellyfin worth the price?

100/100

Jellyfin's pricing is exceptionally generous, as it is entirely free.

There are no paid tiers, offering a complete media server solution at no cost. This is best for anyone looking for a powerful, private, and open-source media management system without any financial commitment.

Hidden Costs & Gotchas

Requires self-hosting infrastructure

Time investment for setup/maintenance

No official paid support channels

How Jellyfin Compares to Competitors

Compared to Plex, which offers a free tier with limitations and a Plex Pass for $4.99/month or a $120 lifetime pass for advanced features, Jellyfin provides all its features completely free. Emby also has a free tier but locks many features behind a Premier subscription, making Jellyfin a far more cost-effective and feature-rich option for those willing to self-host.

Reviews

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4.1/5

Across 208 verified user reviews on Capterra, SourceForge

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Jellyfin FAQ

What types of media can be managed and streamed using Jellyfin?

Jellyfin allows users to manage and stream a comprehensive range of media types, including movies, TV shows, music, live TV and DVR recordings, books, comics, magazines, and personal photo collections.

How does Jellyfin ensure user privacy compared to other media streaming solutions?

Jellyfin ensures user privacy by operating as a self-hosted solution with no tracking, phone-home features, or central servers collecting user data. It is designed to be open and transparent, focusing solely on serving the user's own media.

Can I share my media library with others using Jellyfin, and how does SyncPlay enhance this experience?

Yes, you can share your media library with others. SyncPlay is a specific feature that allows users to share a movie night remotely, ensuring synchronized playback for a shared viewing experience with friends and family.

What platforms are supported for accessing Jellyfin media, beyond web browsers?

Beyond web browsers, Jellyfin supports a large array of official and third-party clients, including Android, Apple devices, Amazon devices, Roku, and Kodi, ensuring media access on most popular platforms.

Since Jellyfin is free, how is its development and maintenance sustained?

Jellyfin's development and maintenance are sustained entirely by contributions from volunteers within its community and through donations from users. It operates on a community-built model without any fees or hidden costs.

What is the primary licensing model for Jellyfin, and what does it imply for users?

Jellyfin is Free Software, licensed under the GNU GPL. This implies that users are free to use, study, modify, build, and distribute the software, provided that any changes made are also licensed under the same terms.

How does Jellyfin handle the organization of TV shows and movies within a user's library?

Jellyfin automatically sorts TV shows by season, making them ready for binge-watching. For movies, it provides easy browsing with beautiful artwork and detailed information, allowing users to filter and sort to find specific content.

Source: jellyfin.org