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Emby Server vs Plex Media Server: catalog facts
Emby Server	Plex Media Server
Freemium The server is free to use. Emby Premiere is a paid subscription that unlocks hardware…	Freemium Adding media and streaming it on your home network is free. Streaming your library from…
Windows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted, Android, iOS, Web	Windows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted, Web, Android, iOS
Client apps on phones, tablets, smart televisions and consoles Live TV and DVR from a tuner card or network tuner	Automatic matching of films, shows and music with artwork and metadata Client apps on more devices than any comparable server, including most smart TVs
Closed source since 2018 Hardware transcoding and offline downloads need a paid subscription	Streaming from outside the home needs a paid Plex Pass or Remote Watch Pass Closed source, and sign-in goes through a Plex account on the company’s servers
Self-hosted, Downloadable app	Self-hosted, Downloadable app, Hosted service
Closed source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	Account needed
Works offline	Needs internet
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 20, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.