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2 more ways to get Emby Server
Package managers
- Homebrew
brew install --cask emby - Snap Store
snap install emby-server
About Emby Server
Emby indexes your media, fetches artwork and metadata, and streams it to apps on phones, tablets, televisions and game consoles. It transcodes on the fly when a device cannot play a file directly, handles multiple users with parental controls, and records live TV from a tuner.
The server was open source until 2018 and is now closed. The free tier covers browsing and streaming; hardware transcoding, offline downloads, cover art, cloud sync and the mobile apps' full functionality need an Emby Premiere subscription. Jellyfin is the fork of the last open source version.
Strengths
- Client apps on phones, tablets, smart televisions and consoles
- Live TV and DVR from a tuner card or network tuner
- Multiple users with parental controls and per-user libraries
- Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, NAS boxes and Docker
Limitations
- Closed source since 2018
- Hardware transcoding and offline downloads need a paid subscription
- The mobile apps are limited until you pay
- Jellyfin does most of the same job with nothing locked
Details
- Pricing
- FreemiumThe server is free to use. Emby Premiere is a paid subscription that unlocks hardware transcoding, offline sync, DVR and the full mobile apps.
- License
- Proprietary
- Developer
- Emby LLC
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted, Android, iOS, Web
- How it runs
- Self-hosted, Downloadable app
- Account
- Not required
- Works offline
- Yes
- Best suited for
- Streaming your own library to televisions and phones with polished client apps
- Categories
- Media servers
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Selected from the TechWalrus downloads catalog (Media); facts checked against the developer's own pages, 2 sources on file.
Alternatives to Emby Server
Compare allSoftware that can replace Emby Server for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
Jellyfin
A free media server for your own films, shows and music, with no premium tier and no account.
Jellyfin is free and open source under GPL-2.0 with no premium tier, so hardware transcoding and every other feature are available without paying, though TV client quality varies.
Plex Media Server
A polished media server for your own library, free on the home network, with a paid pass for remote streaming.
Plex is also closed source and freemium, with client apps on more devices, free local streaming, and a paid pass needed for streaming outside the home.
Dim
Self-hosted media manager with automatic metadata fetching.
Dim is a free open-source self-hosted media manager with automatic metadata fetching, but it runs only as a web and self-hosted service with a smaller community.
Universal Media Server
DLNA media server that streams a local library to TVs, consoles and phones.
Universal Media Server is a free GPL-2.0 DLNA server that reaches old TVs and consoles without an app, but it lacks polished client apps and user features.
Emby Server as an alternative
Listings that name Emby Server as an alternative.
Navidrome
A tiny music server for your own collection that works with dozens of existing phone apps.
Emby Server covers music plus video, photos and live TV with its own mobile apps, but it is closed source and the mobile apps are limited until you pay.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
Audiobookshelf
A self-hosted server for audiobooks and podcasts that keeps your place in a book across every device.
Jellyseerr
A request and discovery front end for a home media server, so family and friends can ask for a film without touching Sonarr.
Seerr
Media request and discovery front end for Jellyfin, Plex and Emby.
Ombi
Request system that lets media server users ask for films and shows.
Kodi
Media centre that turns a computer, box or TV stick into a home theatre front end.
