Jellyfin
A media server that also handles music, because apparently your albums can live beside your films.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-08-11
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- GPL-2.0
- Hosting Model
- Self-host (your server)
- Platforms
- desktopmobilewebself-hosteddocker to self-host
- Installation
- Native server package for Windows/macOS/Linux/NAS, or Docker/Podman
- Operational Setup
- You must keep a server running, map media and config storage correctly, and configure networking/TLS for access outside the home
- Where Your Data Lives
- Media stays in mounted filesystem folders; Jellyfin stores settings, users and indexed metadata in its local server data directory, including a SQLite database
- The Catch / Trade-off
- It has no licensed catalogue or Spatial Audio service, and its music experience is secondary to a general-purpose video media server rather than a first-class Apple-native music app.
Replaces 5 paid apps
up to $64.45/mo ($773/yr) in subscriptions
Jellyfin FAQ
Common questions
Is Jellyfin free and open source?+
Jellyfin is an open-source tool licensed under GPL-2.0 that runs on self-host. A media server that also handles music, because apparently your albums can live beside your films.
What paid software does Jellyfin replace?+
Jellyfin serves as a free replacement for 5 paid SaaS applications: Apple Music, Netflix, Spotify Premium, TIDAL, YouTube Music Premium, saving up to $64.45/month ($773/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up Jellyfin?+
Installation: Native server package for Windows/macOS/Linux/NAS, or Docker/Podman. Setup notes: You must keep a server running, map media and config storage correctly, and configure networking/TLS for access outside the home
What is the catch or trade-off with Jellyfin?+
It has no licensed catalogue or Spatial Audio service, and its music experience is secondary to a general-purpose video media server rather than a first-class Apple-native music app.