Emby vs Ombi
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Emby
Personal media server for your movies and shows
VS
Ombi
Media request tool on Plex/Emby/Jellyfin
| Feature | Emby | Ombi |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 21 · At risk | 88 · Excellent |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | Proprietary | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C# | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,972 | ★ 4,103 |
| First released | 2015 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Plex, Netflix | Netflix, Plex |
What are Emby and Ombi?
Emby
Emby is a media server that brings together personal video, music, and photo libraries with apps across platforms. It targets users who want a refined media server with optional premium features. It is deployed via Docker or native packages.
- Cross-platform client apps
- Live TV and DVR support
- Parental controls
- Hardware transcoding with Premiere
Ombi
Media request tool on Plex/Emby/Jellyfin.
Emby vs Ombi: key differences
Both projects are written in C#. Licensing differs — Proprietary for Emby versus GPL-2.0 for Ombi. Ombi is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Emby. Emby is the more established project (first released 2015), while Ombi arrived in 2023. Emby lists first-class Docker deployment; Ombi does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Emby if…
- Polished interface
- Good device coverage
- Stable and mature
Watch out for
- Core became closed source
- Best features need Emby Premiere
Choose Ombi if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (4.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in C#
Frequently asked questions
Is Emby or Ombi better?
Neither is universally better. Emby has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Emby and Ombi free and open-source?
Yes. Emby is licensed under Proprietary and Ombi under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Emby and Ombi with Docker?
Emby: yes. Ombi: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Emby or Ombi?
Ombi has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Emby. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.