Jellyfin vs Universal Media Server

Struggling to choose between Jellyfin and Universal Media Server? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Jellyfin is a Media & Entertainment solution with tags like opensource, selfhosted, media-library, streaming, transcoding, automation.

It boasts features such as Media library management, Metadata retrieval, Transcoding, Streaming to clients, User management, Client apps for various devices, Plugin support and pros including Free and open source, No subscription fees, Self-hosted, Customizable via plugins, Works with many devices.

On the other hand, Universal Media Server is a Video & Movies product tagged with media-server, video-streaming, audio-streaming, image-streaming, transcoding, dlna.

Its standout features include Streams video, audio and images to various devices, Supports a wide range of media formats, Transcodes media on the fly, DLNA/UPnP media server, Web UI for remote control and configuration, Supports subtitles, Live TV streaming, Chromecast support, AirPlay support, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux), Lightweight and easy to set up, Supports many devices and formats, Active development and community support.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Jellyfin

Jellyfin

Jellyfin is a free, open-source media server for organizing and streaming your personal video, music, and photo collections. It is a community-driven fork of Emby with an emphasis on free software without ties to proprietary ecosystems.

Categories:
opensource selfhosted media-library streaming transcoding automation

Jellyfin Features

  1. Media library management
  2. Metadata retrieval
  3. Transcoding
  4. Streaming to clients
  5. User management
  6. Client apps for various devices
  7. Plugin support

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

No subscription fees

Self-hosted

Customizable via plugins

Works with many devices

Cons

Can be complex to set up

Less polished UI than some competitors

Limited native client apps

Less active development than some competitors


Universal Media Server

Universal Media Server

Universal Media Server is a free open source media server that allows you to stream video, audio and images to devices like smart TVs, gaming consoles, mobile devices and media players. It supports a wide range of media formats and allows transcoding on the fly.

Categories:
media-server video-streaming audio-streaming image-streaming transcoding dlna

Universal Media Server Features

  1. Streams video, audio and images to various devices
  2. Supports a wide range of media formats
  3. Transcodes media on the fly
  4. DLNA/UPnP media server
  5. Web UI for remote control and configuration
  6. Supports subtitles
  7. Live TV streaming
  8. Chromecast support
  9. AirPlay support

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Lightweight and easy to set up

Supports many devices and formats

Active development and community support

Cons

Lacks some advanced configuration options

Not all formats work perfectly

No mobile apps

Some stability issues