MiniDLNA vs Ombi
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | MiniDLNA | Ombi |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 4,103 |
| First released | 2008 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Plex | Netflix, Plex |
What are MiniDLNA and Ombi?
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
Ombi
Media request tool on Plex/Emby/Jellyfin.
MiniDLNA vs Ombi: key differences
MiniDLNA is written in C, while Ombi is built with C#. Ombi is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 64 MB for MiniDLNA. MiniDLNA is the more established project (first released 2008), while Ombi arrived in 2023. Ombi has the considerably larger community, at 4,103 GitHub stars versus 200. MiniDLNA lists first-class Docker deployment; Ombi does not.
Why pick each one
Choose MiniDLNA if…
- Tiny footprint
- Runs on routers and NAS
Watch out for
- No transcoding
- No web interface
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 MiniDLNA or Ombi better?
Neither is universally better. Ombi has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are MiniDLNA and Ombi free and open-source?
Yes. MiniDLNA is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Ombi under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MiniDLNA and Ombi with Docker?
MiniDLNA: yes. Ombi: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, MiniDLNA or Ombi?
Ombi has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 64 MB for MiniDLNA. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.