Emby vs Kyoo
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Emby
Personal media server for your movies and shows
VS
Kyoo
Open-source media browser for movies and TV shows
| Feature | Emby | Kyoo |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | Proprietary | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C# | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,945 | ★ 2,489 |
| First released | 2015 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Plex, Netflix | Plex, Netflix |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Emby or Kyoo better?
Emby is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Kyoo if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Emby and Kyoo free and open-source?
Yes. Emby is licensed under Proprietary and Kyoo under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Emby and Kyoo with Docker?
Emby: yes. Kyoo: yes.