Plex vs forked-daapd

Struggling to choose between Plex and forked-daapd? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Plex is a Video & Movies solution with tags like media, video, music, photos, streaming, server, library, organization.

It boasts features such as Media server that allows you to store, organize and stream video, music and photos, Intuitive interface and dashboard for browsing libraries, Client apps for many platforms including mobile, smart TVs, gaming consoles and desktop, Remote access so you can stream from anywhere, Automated library organization using metadata, Support for many file and media formats, Plug-ins and add-ons available, Parental controls and managed user accounts, Hardware transcoding to stream to any device and pros including Easy to set up and use, Works great for personal media libraries, Support for many different file types and formats, Apps available on most platforms, Can stream remotely when away from home, Automated organization saves time, Completely free personal use option.

On the other hand, forked-daapd is a Audio & Music product tagged with audio, music, player, daemon, streams, airplay, spotify.

Its standout features include Plays audio files stored locally or streamed over the network, Supports common audio formats like MP3, AAC, OGG, FLAC, WAV, Can discover music libraries on the local network, Web-based user interface for remote control and playback, Supports multi-room audio with synchronization, Supports AirPlay streaming, Supports internet radio and podcasts, Supports Spotify Connect, Supports MPD and iTunes/DAAP clients, Available on Linux, FreeBSD, macOS, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Active development community, Wide protocol and client support, Easy to install and configure, Low resource usage.

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.

Plex

Plex

Plex is a popular media server that allows you to store, organize, and stream your personal video, music, and photo collections to all of your devices. It has an intuitive interface and works with many file types and platforms.

Categories:
media video music photos streaming server library organization

Plex Features

  1. Media server that allows you to store, organize and stream video, music and photos
  2. Intuitive interface and dashboard for browsing libraries
  3. Client apps for many platforms including mobile, smart TVs, gaming consoles and desktop
  4. Remote access so you can stream from anywhere
  5. Automated library organization using metadata
  6. Support for many file and media formats
  7. Plug-ins and add-ons available
  8. Parental controls and managed user accounts
  9. Hardware transcoding to stream to any device

Pricing

  • Free
  • Subscription-Based

Pros

Easy to set up and use

Works great for personal media libraries

Support for many different file types and formats

Apps available on most platforms

Can stream remotely when away from home

Automated organization saves time

Completely free personal use option

Cons

Can be resource intensive on server computer

No offline viewing support in free version

Some features require paid Plex Pass subscription

Limited codec support in free version

Requires internet connection for remote streaming

Can be complex for larger libraries or multiple users


forked-daapd

forked-daapd

forked-daapd is an open source networked audio player similar to iTunes and Squeezebox. It runs as a daemon on Linux, FreeBSD, and macOS and plays audio files stored locally or from other sources like AirPlay devices, Spotify, and internet radio streams.

Categories:
audio music player daemon streams airplay spotify

Forked-daapd Features

  1. Plays audio files stored locally or streamed over the network
  2. Supports common audio formats like MP3, AAC, OGG, FLAC, WAV
  3. Can discover music libraries on the local network
  4. Web-based user interface for remote control and playback
  5. Supports multi-room audio with synchronization
  6. Supports AirPlay streaming
  7. Supports internet radio and podcasts
  8. Supports Spotify Connect
  9. Supports MPD and iTunes/DAAP clients
  10. Available on Linux, FreeBSD, macOS

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Active development community

Wide protocol and client support

Easy to install and configure

Low resource usage

Cons

Setup can be complex for novice users

Lacks some features of commercial offerings

Dependent on command line for some advanced functions

Not as polished UI as proprietary alternatives