Ombi vs tinyMediaManager
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Ombi
Media request tool on Plex/Emby/Jellyfin
VS
tinyMediaManager
Metadata manager and organizer for movie and TV libraries
| Feature | Ombi | tinyMediaManager |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 0 · At risk |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | GPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | C# | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 50 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,103 | ★ 8 |
| First released | 2023 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Netflix, Plex | Plex |
What are Ombi and tinyMediaManager?
Ombi
Media request tool on Plex/Emby/Jellyfin.
tinyMediaManager
tinyMediaManager is a media library manager that scrapes metadata, artwork, and trailers for movies and TV shows so files are organized for Kodi, Plex, or Jellyfin. It can rename, clean up, and enrich large collections in bulk.
- Metadata and artwork scraping
- Bulk file renaming
- Kodi and Plex NFO export
- Trailer downloads
Ombi vs tinyMediaManager: key differences
Ombi is written in C#, while tinyMediaManager is built with Java. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Ombi versus Apache-2.0 for tinyMediaManager. Ombi is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 512 MB for tinyMediaManager. TinyMediaManager is the more established project (first released 2012), while Ombi arrived in 2023. Ombi has the considerably larger community, at 4,103 GitHub stars versus 8. TinyMediaManager lists first-class Docker deployment; Ombi does not.
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 tinyMediaManager if…
- Excellent organization tools
- Headless mode available
Watch out for
- Advanced features need a license
- Not a streaming server
Frequently asked questions
Is Ombi or tinyMediaManager 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 Ombi and tinyMediaManager free and open-source?
Yes. Ombi is licensed under GPL-2.0 and tinyMediaManager under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Ombi and tinyMediaManager with Docker?
Ombi: check the project docs for container support. tinyMediaManager: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Ombi or tinyMediaManager?
Ombi has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for tinyMediaManager. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.