When in our down time sometimes it's nice to kick up your legs and watch something on the TV, or wrap up in bed and watch something on the Laptop.

For many, this means a streaming service. In the past it was pretty much just Netflix; now we're inundated with numerous different subscription services. These "services" fragmenting the libraries of content we're interested in and getting evermore restrictive at the same or higher costs.

Home media servers

Why Jellyfin is the Better Option for Your Home Media Server

Even less-technical people are growing an interest in self-hosted home media servers. An easy answer for most people is Plex due to it's polished interface and relative ease of setup. In this blog post I'll attempt to lay out a few reasons why I'd suggest you try Jellyfin first.

1. Free as in Freedom

Jellyfin is Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS). Its source code is publicly available, and contributions come from a passionate community of developers and users who value transparency. This means no hidden surprises in the codebase, no corporate meddling, and no forced updates that could compromise your setup. Plex, while offering a free tier, is still proprietary software. You’re subject to the whims of their development roadmap, and features can be locked behind paywalls or removed altogether without notice.

2. Privacy and Control

With Jellyfin, you control your data. It doesn’t "phone home" to third-party servers or require online accounts to operate. Everything stays on your server, giving you complete control over your media and metadata. Plex, on the other hand, often requires interaction with their cloud services—even if you’re only streaming locally. If you care about keeping your data out of corporate hands, Jellyfin is the obvious choice.

3. No Paywalls, Ever

One of the biggest frustrations with Plex is its monetization model. While its free tier is functional, key features like hardware transcoding, offline downloads, and mobile sync are locked behind the Plex Pass subscription. Jellyfin doesn’t do this. All features are free for everyone, whether you’re setting up remote access, using hardware acceleration, or creating user profiles for your family.

4. Customization for Power Users

As someone who thrives in Linux environments and embraces tools like Nix for declarative systems management, Jellyfin aligns perfectly with the ethos of customization and flexibility. It’s highly configurable, with support for different metadata providers, fine-tuned transcoding settings, and integration with other FLOSS projects like Kodi. If you enjoy tweaking your setup to suit your specific needs, Jellyfin feels like a breath of fresh air compared to the walled-garden approach of Plex.

5. Community-Driven Development

Jellyfin’s community-driven model fosters innovation and inclusivity. Because it’s open source, features are added and bugs are fixed by users like you and me. This results in a product that evolves based on real-world needs, not corporate priorities. For example, recent updates have focused on better transcoding support, UI improvements, and expanded plugin options—all driven by user feedback.

6. The Joy of Owning Your Media Experience

At its core, choosing Jellyfin is about embracing the philosophy of ownership. Whether you're a developer who enjoys the satisfaction of running a self-hosted system or simply someone who values the freedom to use software on your terms, Jellyfin represents the ideal media server solution. It’s about aligning your tools with your values: transparency, privacy, and community.

Summary

For anyone considering setting up a home media server, Jellyfin is a no-compromise option. It respects your privacy, doesn’t penny pinch you at every opportunity, and gives you the freedom to own your experience. Sure, Plex has a smoother onboarding process and a shinier app—but for those of us who believe in FLOSS and the principles it stands for, Jellyfin isn’t just better; it’s the only choice.

So take the leap, install Jellyfin, and rediscover the joy of owning your media on your terms.