If you are searching for a substitute for Plex, there is a high chance that you will find more than one. In the good old days, people had limited ways to kill leisure time.
They would either read books or go out with friends or family.
However, in this modern era, things are much different. Today, you will find several ways to kill time.
You can read books, indulge in social media activities, play video games, or stream movies online.
Most of you may know about Plex and what it is all about. However, only some of you may be aware of the several alternatives to Plex.
Unfortunately, this online media streaming service is not free, which makes it beyond reach for many.
However, there are some fantastic alternatives to Plex that you can use, such as Jellyfin, Kodi, Emby, and Media Portal.
What Is Plex?
If you want to access different media types from a single place, Plex is the answer. Plex, Inc. created this American online media streaming service.
This client-server media platform organizes various forms of media, such as photos, audio, and video, from online services and users’ collections.
Plex members can stream these media on their devices.
You must be wondering what all varieties of media you can stream on Plex. You may opt for shows and movies that are free and on-demand.
You also have the option of streaming live TV and music. Plex allows you to stream media on all devices using a single app.
Plex supports a wide array of media file types for different media.
For instance, if you want to stream a movie or a TV show, Plex can support media file types such as AVI, DIVX, MP4, MOV, and MKV.
Regarding streaming music, Plex supports media file types, including WMA, M4A, MP3, and FLAC.
It also supports images or photos that have file types such as JPG, RAW, TBN, and PNG.
What To Look For In A Plex Alternative?
When it comes to a Plex substitute, you will find numerous options on the internet. However, all of them may not be on par with Plex.
Thus, certain factors should be considered while searching for one of the best Plex alternatives.
User-Friendly Features
Many people look for alternatives to an application if they find it challenging to use the tool or platform. This is possible since only some people are tech-savvy.
If you also face challenges using Plex, user-friendliness is the first factor in mind while looking for an alternative to Plex.
Large Variety Of Media
Looking for an alternative to Plex without considering the large variety of media you can stream is not a good idea.
Thus, always choose the Plex alternative, which has numerous types of media for you to stream during your leisure time.
Streaming On Any Device
Many alternatives to Plex allow you to stream music or video only on a computer. However, this may prove useless if you wish to watch something while on the move.
In addition, you cannot carry your laptop everywhere with you.
Thus, look for an alternative that allows you to stream media on any device.
Best Plex Alternative: 10 Top Recommendations
Naturally, only some Plex alternatives will be like the original and prove to be the best replacement for the app. However, it all depends upon your personal needs.
An important point to remember is a free alternative to Plex may provide several features.
However, it may also require many manual configurations. Here are some of the best replacements for Plex.
1. Jellyfin
Volunteers developed this media streaming platform to help you control your media. Like Plex, Jellyfin allows you to stream media on any device and record your favorite shows.
You may also collect the recorded shows whenever you want. In addition, Jellyfin helps you organize your shows according to different episodes and seasons.
Jellyfin can help you make your personal playlists if you prefer to stream music.
This will enable you to listen to your favorite songs without wasting time searching through a massive music library.
In addition, Jellyfin is one of the best alternatives to Plex because it gives you immense control over plugins and customizations.
2. Emby
Most of you may say that Emby was more popular before the introduction of Jellyfin.
Thankfully, it is still a favorite among many people searching for a Plex alternative.
Emby has features that make online streaming of different media types look very simple. It also allows users to manage media quickly and efficiently.
Unfortunately, if you wish to harness the full power of Emby, you need to subscribe to Emby Premiere.
Whether traveling or lying on the couch doing nothing, Emby allows you to stream media on any device. Additionally, it has apps suitable for different operating systems.
You may also use Emby Connect to share all media types with your loved ones without changing the IP address.
Unlike Plex, Emby automatically detects any DLNA-enabled device on your network.
Thus, there is no need to configure new devices all the time.
3. Mezzmo
Conceiva, an Australian software company, created Mezzmo in 2007. The software is a home entertainment product in two forms, freemium model and pro edition.
Since the latter is a paid version, it has more features and advantages over the free version.
You may also use the specially created Android app if you want to access Mezzmo using an Android device.
An added benefit of using Mezzmo is its simple setup. After successfully installing it, Mezzmo will start organizing all your stored forms of media.
You may stream these media on any other device in the network. However, the device should support DLNA or UPnP.
With Mezzmo, you can opt for multi-user capabilities that can simplify life for its users.
4. MediaPortal
MediaPortal may answer your query if you want a free alternative to Plex.
This online media streaming portal has hundreds of skins and plugins that let you customize your experience on the platform.
If you wish to access MediaPortal remotely, you must get MPExtended. It has numerous apps to allow you to stream media on any device.
If you prefer playing games in your leisure time, you will love to use MediaPortal.
You can find several games on the platform, such as Clickmania, Connect4, Simon Says, and Chess, to name a few.
5. Stremio
Regarding an open-source replacement for Plex, Stremio is among the best names to reckon with.
It has over 50 add-ons that allow you to discover, enjoy, and organize videos from any available source.
In addition, Stremio will enable you to watch videos from any source and cast the same content to another device with a click.
The best part is that Stremio also allows you to drag-and-drop torrent files.
The numerous Stremio add-ons let you search for online content and enjoy any media stored locally. It gives you access to podcasts, television shows, sports, standard TV, and online channels.
Whether you use a Windows computer or a Mac, Stremio has desktop apps suitable for all operating systems.
6. Kodi
Kodi is another popular replacement for Plex. Although it was created as a media player solution for Xbox, it soon became available for other platforms.
You can expect all the primary features of a reputed media center when using Kodi.
For instance, you can easily organize your media content and enjoy it through the user interface.
Kodi also retrieves metadata from the internet to provide vital information about archived content.
One of the most significant advantages of Kodi over its competitors is that it is platform-independent.
You will find installation packages suitable for operating systems such as Linux, Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS.
7. Medusa
When considering an automated video library manager, knowing what to look for is essential.
An automated video library manager uses various means to find out about new episodes of your favorite TV shows.
It checks torrents and searches online for the latest episodes of your shows. When it finds one, it downloads the episode and converts it to your preferred quality.
Medusa is an online content streaming platform that does all this for you.
Medusa, the automated video library manager, uses Trakt to sync your shows and update the episodes of your favorite TV shows.
However, you can manually search for new episodes based on release, provider, and seeds. Besides using torrent trackers, it supports Usenet with BinSearch, NZBs, and Usenet Crawler.
8. MediaMonkey
Do you spend your leisure time streaming online music? In that case, you can use MediaMonkey as an alternative to Plex. It is one of the best media managers for music lovers.
However, if you love to watch videos, MediaMonkey will not be able to live up to your expectations.
This online streaming platform can manage over 10,000 audiobooks, songs, and podcasts.
Although MediaMonkey is a free alternative to Plex, you can upgrade your membership with more features and benefits.
You can also make it more interesting by installing skins and add-ons per your tastes.
Since MediaMonkey supports music streaming, it is one of the best for DJs, collectors, and anybody who loves music.
9. Serviio
This streaming media platform helps to categorize movies and other forms of video into different segments. This categorization is based chiefly on the genre and duration of the videos.
Serviio is another free replacement for Plex that can quickly integrate itself with Trakt.
One of the best features of Serviio that has helped this tool climb the ladder of popularity is the ability to use voice commands.
Serviio works with Alexa, which enables it to follow voice commands.
This streaming media platform has the capability of updating your media library automatically.
It does so when there are changes in your media files.
Serviio can also stream TV shows and movies in HD format and from a different online sources to create a working hub.
10. Universal Media Server
This online media streaming tool is one of the best Plex replacements for streaming and online browsing.
It is a feature-rich tool that lets users work smoothly on the application.
In addition, Universal Media Server creates a robust database that arranges the media content sequentially in your machine or computer.
One of the plus points of Universal Media Server is its platform-independent feature.
This media streaming tool works with numerous devices, making it very convenient for users to stream media while on the move.
In addition, Universal Media Server offers a robust data privacy feature.
This ensures that the media you have watched to date remains secure and safe.
Due to its compatibility with many devices and multiple features, Universal Media Server is one of the best alternatives to Plex for many users.
Conclusion
When it comes to using applications to organize your media collections on your computer or smartphone, Plex is considered to be one of the best.
However, many users prefer to use a suitable Plex replacement for several reasons.
There are several alternatives to Plex that provide numerous features and functionalities.
The above list of the best substitutes to Plex should help you find a suitable one without wasting much time.