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Universal Media Server vs Rygel: catalog facts
Universal Media Server	Rygel
Free The open-source software is available without a license fee. Hosting, hardware and…	Free Free and open source under the GNU LGPL 2.1.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted	Linux, 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	Integrates with the GNOME desktop Shares audio, video and pictures over UPnP and DLNA
Transcoding is CPU-heavy on modest hardware DLNA browsing is clumsier than a dedicated client app	Linux-focused Fewer library management features than full media servers
Downloadable app, Self-hosted	Downloadable app, Self-hosted
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License: LGPL-2.1
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	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.