Jellyfin vs OvenMediaEngine

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?
FeatureJellyfinOvenMediaEngine
CategoryMedia ServersMedia Servers
LicenseGPL-2.0AGPL-3.0
LanguageC#C++
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM512 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metal, binarydocker
GitHub stars★ 55,528★ 3,207
First released20182026
ReplacesPlex, Emby

Why pick each one

Choose Jellyfin if…

  • No subscription or account needed
  • Active community development
  • Wide client support
Jellyfin details

Choose OvenMediaEngine if…

  • Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Active community (3.2k GitHub stars)
  • Written in C++
OvenMediaEngine details

Frequently asked questions

Is Jellyfin or OvenMediaEngine better?

Jellyfin is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider OvenMediaEngine if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Jellyfin and OvenMediaEngine free and open-source?

Yes. Jellyfin is licensed under GPL-2.0 and OvenMediaEngine under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Jellyfin and OvenMediaEngine with Docker?

Jellyfin: yes. OvenMediaEngine: yes.

Related comparisons