Best Open-Source Media Servers 2026: 6 Options Compared

A media server stores your library on one machine and streams it to the phones, TVs and laptops in your home. The open-source options differ mostly in what they consider media. Jellyfin handles film and TV and is the usual answer to people who want to leave Plex without paying for a subscription, because its server and official clients are free. Kodi is a front end for a screen in the room more than a server, so it fits a single TV box. Universal Media Server shares files over DLNA and UPnP, which suits older smart TVs that cannot run an app. Navidrome streams music only and Audiobookshelf covers audiobooks and podcasts, so they complement a video server rather than replace one. PeerTube is the outlier, a federated video platform for publishing to an audience, not a home library. Your decision depends on the devices that will play the files and on who maintains the server, because every option here is self-hosted: you run the machine, apply updates and back up the media. The honest trade-off is polish for control, since commercial servers offer slicker apps and remote access out of the box while these give you no account, no tracking and no fees. All six below are licensed under the GPL or AGPL.

Jellyfin

Server and official clients are free with no subscription or paid tier, under GPL-2.0. Runs on Linux, Windows, macOS and Docker. The project is funded by donations, so expect fewer polished apps than Plex.

Price: Free (Server and official clients are free with no subscription or paid tier) (Jellyfin pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker. GPL-2.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 58.7k GitHub stars · latest release v12.4 (Oct 26, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: Home film and TV libraries.

Kodi

GPL-2.0 media center for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and tvOS. It plays and organizes media on the device rather than acting as a Plex-style remote streaming server.

Price: Free (Free open-source media center; it plays and organizes media rather than acting as a Plex-style remote streaming server) (Kodi pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, tvOS. GPL-2.0 (open source) (license source).

Best for: A single TV box with a remote.

Universal Media Server

GPL-2.0 DLNA and UPnP server for Windows, Linux and macOS that shares media over the network, including HTTP(S). Useful when your TV supports DLNA but has no server app.

Price: Free (GPL-2.0 DLNA/UPnP media server; the repository lists no price) (Universal Media Server pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Windows, Linux, macOS. GPL-2.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 2.7k GitHub stars · latest release 15.8.2 (Sep 9, 2026) · last commit Oct 28, 2026

Best for: Older smart TVs and DLNA devices.

Worth knowing: Shares media over DLNA, UPnP and HTTP(S) to devices on the network.

Navidrome

GPL-3.0 server for music and audiobook libraries, self-hosted and used through the browser or third-party mobile apps. It is not a video server, so pair it with another option.

Price: Free (Free under the GPL v3; music (and audiobook) libraries only) (Navidrome pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Self-hosted, Web browser. GPL-3.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 24.4k GitHub stars · latest release v0.64.2 (Sep 24, 2026) · last commit Oct 26, 2026

Best for: Streaming a music collection.

Audiobookshelf

GPL-3.0 self-hosted server for audiobooks and podcasts, with per-user progress and an ebook reader. Docker is supported; the Android app is in beta.

Price: Free (Free, open-source self-hosted server; no price listed) (Audiobookshelf pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Self-hosted, Android, iOS (beta). GPL-3.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 14.8k GitHub stars · latest release v2.37.2 (Oct 23, 2026) · last commit Oct 23, 2026

Best for: Audiobook and podcast libraries.

PeerTube

AGPL-3.0 video hosting platform you run yourself. Instances federate through ActivityPub, so it suits publishing to viewers instead of serving a private home library.

Price: Free (Free and open source; you pay only for your own server) (PeerTube pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Self-hosted, Web browser. AGPL-3.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 15.4k GitHub stars · latest release v8.3.2 (Oct 26, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: Publishing videos to an audience.

Worth knowing: Instances federate through ActivityPub.

Which one to pick

• You are leaving Plex and have a film library: Jellyfin
• You want one TV box with a remote: Kodi
• Your TV only supports DLNA: Universal Media Server
• You mainly stream music: Navidrome
• You host videos for other people: PeerTube