Gerbera vs MiniDLNA
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Gerbera
UPnP media server for streaming to DLNA devices
VS
MiniDLNA
Lightweight DLNA/UPnP media server daemon
| Feature | Gerbera | MiniDLNA |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,393 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2018 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Plex | Plex |
What are Gerbera and MiniDLNA?
Gerbera
Gerbera is a UPnP/DLNA media server that streams audio and video to compatible TVs and devices on a local network. It targets users with DLNA hardware who want simple local streaming. It is deployed via Docker or native packages.
- Standards-based UPnP/DLNA streaming
- Web UI for managing media
- Transcoding support
- Lightweight footprint
MiniDLNA
MiniDLNA, also known as ReadyMedia, is a simple, lightweight media server that complies with DLNA and UPnP-AV standards. It serves music, photos, and video to network-connected devices with minimal configuration.
- DLNA/UPnP compliant
- Extremely lightweight
- Minimal configuration
- Serves audio, video, photos
Gerbera vs MiniDLNA: key differences
Gerbera is written in C++, while MiniDLNA is built with C. MiniDLNA is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Gerbera. MiniDLNA is the more established project (first released 2008), while Gerbera arrived in 2018. Gerbera has the considerably larger community, at 1,393 GitHub stars versus 200.
Why pick each one
Choose Gerbera if…
- Works with DLNA TVs
- Low resource use
- No client apps needed
Watch out for
- DLNA UX is basic
- No remote streaming
Choose MiniDLNA if…
- Tiny footprint
- Runs on routers and NAS
Watch out for
- No transcoding
- No web interface
Frequently asked questions
Is Gerbera or MiniDLNA better?
Neither is universally better. Gerbera has the larger community, while MiniDLNA is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Gerbera and MiniDLNA free and open-source?
Yes. Gerbera is licensed under GPL-2.0 and MiniDLNA under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gerbera and MiniDLNA with Docker?
Gerbera: yes. MiniDLNA: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Gerbera or MiniDLNA?
MiniDLNA has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Gerbera. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.