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Universal Media Server vs Gerbera: catalog facts
Universal Media Server	Gerbera
Free The open-source software is available without a license fee. Hosting, hardware and…	Free Free to use with no paid tier.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Transcodes on the fly for devices that cannot play a format natively Speaks DLNA, so old TVs and consoles work without an app	Works with standard UPnP/DLNA players, TVs and consoles Optional transcoding for devices with limited format support
Transcoding is CPU-heavy on modest hardware DLNA browsing is clumsier than a dedicated client app	Aimed at the local network rather than streaming over the internet Custom layouts require scripting
Downloadable app, Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

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