MiniDLNA vs Rygel
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?
| Feature | MiniDLNA | Rygel |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-2.0 | LGPL-2.1 |
| Language | C | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2008 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Plex | Plex |
Why pick each one
Choose Rygel if…
- Released under the LGPL-2.1 license
- Written in Vala
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is MiniDLNA or Rygel better?
MiniDLNA is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Rygel if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are MiniDLNA and Rygel free and open-source?
Yes. MiniDLNA is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Rygel under LGPL-2.1. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MiniDLNA and Rygel with Docker?
MiniDLNA: yes. Rygel: check the project docs for container support.