Fladder vs Jellyfin
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Fladder
Cross-platform Flutter client for Jellyfin
VS
Jellyfin
Free software media system for streaming your library
| Feature | Fladder | Jellyfin |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 87 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | MIT | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Dart | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,599 | ★ 57,445 |
| First released | 2024 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Plex, Emby Theater | Plex, Emby |
What are Fladder and Jellyfin?
Fladder
Fladder is a cross-platform Jellyfin client built with Flutter, supporting Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and the web. It provides library browsing, media playback, and downloads in a single unified codebase.
- One codebase for all platforms
- MPV-based playback
- Offline downloads
- SyncPlay support
Jellyfin
Jellyfin is a free software media server that organizes and streams movies, TV, music, and photos to many devices. It is aimed at users who want a fully free, no-account media solution. It is typically deployed via Docker or native packages.
- Completely free with no paywalled features
- Hardware-accelerated transcoding
- Apps for TVs, phones and consoles
- Live TV and DVR support
Fladder vs Jellyfin: key differences
Fladder is written in Dart, while Jellyfin is built with C#. Licensing differs — MIT for Fladder versus GPL-2.0 for Jellyfin. Fladder is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Jellyfin. Jellyfin is the more established project (first released 2018), while Fladder arrived in 2024. Jellyfin has the considerably larger community, at 57,445 GitHub stars versus 2,599. Jellyfin lists first-class Docker deployment; Fladder does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Fladder if…
- Truly cross-platform
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Younger project
- Requires Jellyfin server
Choose Jellyfin if…
- No subscription or account needed
- Active community development
- Wide client support
Watch out for
- Apps less polished than Plex
- Remote access setup is manual
Frequently asked questions
Is Fladder or Jellyfin better?
Neither is universally better. Jellyfin has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Fladder and Jellyfin free and open-source?
Yes. Fladder is licensed under MIT and Jellyfin under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Fladder and Jellyfin with Docker?
Fladder: check the project docs for container support. Jellyfin: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Fladder or Jellyfin?
Fladder has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Jellyfin. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.