Ombi 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 | Ombi | Rygel |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-2.0 | LGPL-2.1 |
| Language | C# | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 50 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,107 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2023 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Netflix, Plex | Plex |
Why pick each one
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#
Choose Rygel if…
- Released under the LGPL-2.1 license
- Written in Vala
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Ombi or Rygel better?
Ombi 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 Ombi and Rygel free and open-source?
Yes. Ombi is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Rygel under LGPL-2.1. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Ombi and Rygel with Docker?
Ombi: check the project docs for container support. Rygel: check the project docs for container support.