Gerbera vs tinyMediaManager
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?
Gerbera
UPnP media server for streaming to DLNA devices
VS
tinyMediaManager
Metadata manager and organizer for movie and TV libraries
| Feature | Gerbera | tinyMediaManager |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,390 | ★ 8 |
| First released | 2018 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Plex | Plex |
Why pick each one
Choose tinyMediaManager if…
- Excellent organization tools
- Headless mode available
Frequently asked questions
Is Gerbera or tinyMediaManager better?
Neither is universally better. Gerbera has the larger community, while tinyMediaManager is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Gerbera and tinyMediaManager free and open-source?
Yes. Gerbera is licensed under GPL-2.0 and tinyMediaManager under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gerbera and tinyMediaManager with Docker?
Gerbera: yes. tinyMediaManager: yes.