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Looking for the best Plex alternatives to manage and stream your media files? While Plex Media Server is widely used, there are other excellent media server apps that offer similar or even better features. Whether you're after a free Plex alternative or a more advanced solution, we've got you covered. Discover the top options to store, organize, and access your media anytime, anywhere!

Basic Introduction of Plex Media Server

When speaking of Plex, you might anticipate figuring out the below questions.

What is Plex Media Server?

Plex is a comprehensive media platform that brings all your entertainment together in one place. Whether it's your personal media collection, podcasts, web shows, news, or streaming content like music, videos, and movies, Plex lets you access everything from one app on virtually any device. To stream third-party content such as podcasts, web shows, or TIDAL music, you'll need to create an account.

Plex is compatible with a wide range of systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and major web browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari. It also supports mobile devices on Android and iOS, as well as popular streaming devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Alexa, Chromecast, Roku, Sonos, and TiVO, making it a versatile and reliable media solution.

Features

  • Works on various devices such as smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and web browsers.
  • Automatically organizes your media library with metadata, including artwork, descriptions, and ratings.
  • Enjoy over 600+ live channels, including action, sports, kids’ shows, cooking, news, and more, all available for free on any device, anytime.
  • Discover and watch free movies anytime, anywhere, with Plex’s extensive collection of films for your entertainment.

How Does It Work?

  • Run the Plex Media Server installer on your device (computer, NAS, etc.).
  • After installation, sign in or create a Plex account via the web app.
  • Use the Setup Wizard to configure your server and add media libraries. You can set up a test library and modify it later.
  • Download Plex apps for your devices (smartphones, TVs, etc.).
  • Once connected, explore additional features and functionality across your devices.

Top 8 Best Plex Media Server Alternatives

In this part, we will discuss the Top 8 best Plex alternatives that you might like when it comes to storing, managing, and playing your media files. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Whichever to choose, it depends on your personal needs and preference.

Best for Plex Alternative – PlayerFab All-In-One

Aside from free Plex servers or open-source media servers software, here comes one of the best Plex competitors, PlayerFab All-In-One, which doubles as an all-in-one media server software to manage and play all sorts of media files. It is the best Plex alternative better than Plex. Look at the following flagship features of this best leading 4K media player.

Features

  • Available on Win & Mac, 30-day free trial
  • Play DVDs, (4K Ultra HD)Blu-rays, 4K videos, HEVC/H.264, and other media files
  • The support navigation menu on DVDs, Blu-rays, 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays for flexible playback control
  • Build, organize, and manage local media library for home videos, movies, discs, TV shows, and music via poster walls
  • Integrate an inbuilt file explorer to access your media contents from your hard drives
  • Import DVD & Blu-ray disc to local media library as ISO files automatically
  • Automatically scrape online metadata information on movies, TV Shows, videos and music including poster artwork, plot, etc.
  • Allow users to manually fix the metadata information if the scraped information is inaccurate
  • Fast and precise preview with adjustable thumbnails
  • Custom playlist with considerate & flexible settings

 i  Free Download     i  Free Download   

With this best media player software, you play all sorts of media files including DVDs, Blu-rays, 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays, 4K videos, and regular video files without any hassle. 

Kodi

Also known as XBMC, this is an open-source and free cross-platform software solution that acts as an entertainment hub as well as a software media player. It can be a convenient source of digital media for home theatre PCs and act as one of the free alternatives to Plex. This particular software media solution provides compatibility across multiple hardware platforms and operating systems.

Features

  • Kodi is completely free and open-source, allowing for customization and community contributions.
  • It works on multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
  • Ideal for use as a media center in home theater setups, providing access to digital media content.
  • Kodi supports a wide range of video, audio, and image formats.
  • With numerous add-ons, users can extend functionality for streaming, media management, and more.

Serviio

This acts as a freemium offering that can support Linux, Windows, and Mac operating systems. It can stream media files of different types of but for home-based DLNA devices. Media files can be streamed onto game consoles, TV sets, smartphones as well as Blu-Ray players. It supports a wide range of formats and devices, allowing you to easily share your media across different platforms.

Features

  • Streams audio, video (SD & HD), and images in native or real-time transcoded formats.
  • Supports online content streaming from sources like RSS feeds and live streams.
  • Includes a plugin system for additional online streaming options.
  • Supports most playlist formats and subtitles.
  • Automatically updates the media library with changes to media or metadata files.
  • Compatible with RAW camera images and offers localized browsing options.

Emby

This platform is a great Plex alternative, allowing you to manage and stream media with automatic metadata and artwork downloads. It enables seamless streaming, along with automatic downloading of metadata and artwork. It also notifies you of server activities, making it a solid free Plex alternative and media server like Plex.

Features

  • Organizes and streams media files with automatic metadata and artwork downloads.
  • Allows easy sharing of files with invited users.
  • Integrates with trusted sources like TheTvdb.com and TheMovieDb.org for metadata.
  • Alerts users about server-based activities.
  • Compatible with various devices and operating systems.

MediaPortal

MediaPortal is a free media center software for Windows, designed to transform your PC into a complete media hub. With the ability to play videos, music, and TV shows, it is a strong contender among Plex alternatives. MediaPortal offers extensive features for home theater PCs (HTPC), making it one of the best Plex alternatives for users looking for a customizable and powerful media server solution.

Features

  • Plays and organizes videos, music, and TV shows, allowing you to manage all your media from a single platform.
  • Offers live TV streaming and DVR capabilities, enabling you to record your favorite shows or movies.
  • Fully customizable with a wide range of skins and plugins to match your personal preferences.
  • Enhance functionality through plugins, including weather apps, movie databases, music streaming, and more.
  • Supports streaming to multiple devices, making it easy to enjoy content on your PC, TV, or mobile devices.
  • Fetches metadata from online sources to keep your media library organized with detailed information.

Universal Media Server

This multimedia platform acts as DLNA support. It can support the streaming of media of different types as well as formats. Universal Media Server also acts as a multi-platform base for game consoles, PlayStations, smartphones, Blu-ray players, and DVDs. It comes as a program that is free for use. Make the best of this free Plex alternative.

Features

  • Compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS, allowing you to stream media from virtually any device.
  • Simple to install and configure, offering a user-friendly experience that’s suitable for beginners.
  • Automatically scans and updates your media library, providing you with a continuously organized and accessible collection.
  • Supports a wide range of devices, including smart TVs, Blu-ray players, PlayStation, Xbox, and more. Works with all DLNA-compliant devices for easy media streaming.
  • Supports streaming of audio, video (SD and HD), and images, making it an all-in-one solution for your media needs.

Windows Media Services

Windows Media Services (WMS) is a robust streaming media server developed by Microsoft. Primarily used for broadcasting media over a network, it can stream audio, video, and other multimedia content to multiple devices. While not as user-friendly or feature-packed as some of the modern Plex alternatives, it offers a reliable, server-based solution for media streaming.

Features

  • Supports streaming of audio and video content to clients on the network, including support for live and on-demand streaming.
  • Seamlessly integrates with the Windows operating system, making it easy to set up and use for users familiar with Windows environments.
  • Allows users to organize and manage their media files, offering basic features for file sorting and categorization.
  • WMS supports live media broadcasting, allowing you to stream real-time events to multiple users, making it an ideal solution for live streaming content.
  • Suitable for both small-scale home networks and larger enterprise solutions, with the ability to scale and handle high traffic loads.
  • Provides strong security controls, including user authentication and authorization, to manage access to media content.

Stremio

Stremio is a media streaming platform that allows users to watch and organize their favorite video content from various sources in one place. It serves as a great Plex alternative for those looking for a powerful yet user-friendly solution to manage and stream content across multiple devices. While Stremio offers excellent flexibility, it also integrates with third-party services, making it a valuable tool for both casual users and media enthusiasts.

Features

  • Stremio aggregates content from various sources, including streaming platforms, torrents, and local media files.
  • Supports a wide range of add-ons for streaming movies, TV shows, live TV, and even YouTube channels.
  • Stremio is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.
  • Like Plex, Stremio lets users organize and categorize their media into libraries for easier access. It can also recommend content based on your watch history.
  • It supports high-definition video streams and offers automatic streaming of subtitles in various languages, which enhances the viewing experience.
  • The interface is clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate, making it an excellent option for users.
  • Users can cast content to other devices such as smart TVs and Chromecast for a better viewing experience.

Conclusion

With the different Plex alternatives discussed above, you can opt for a solution or service as per your specific media streaming requirements and the platform compatibility you are looking for. In a nutshell, if you aim to kill two birds with one stone, PlayerFab All-In-One will be your best choice. It can be used to play media files and manage your local files as well. Act now to have a try.