Rygel vs Stremio Web
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Rygel | Stremio Web |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Vala | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 13,954 |
| First released | 2008 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Plex | Plex |
What are Rygel and Stremio Web?
Rygel
Rygel is a home media solution that allows you to share and stream audio, video, and images to UPnP and DLNA devices on your network. It is part of the GNOME project and integrates with the Linux desktop.
- UPnP/DLNA sharing
- GNOME desktop integration
- Pluggable backends
- Transcoding support
Stremio Web
Stremio Web is the open-source web interface for Stremio, a modular media center that organizes movies, series, and other content through add-ons. The web app can be self-hosted to run a private instance in any browser.
- Add-on based content sources
- Runs entirely in the browser
- Library and progress tracking
- Self-hostable instance
Rygel vs Stremio Web: key differences
Rygel is written in Vala, while Stremio Web is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — LGPL-2.1 for Rygel versus GPL-2.0 for Stremio Web. Rygel is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Stremio Web. Rygel is the more established project (first released 2008), while Stremio Web arrived in 2017. Stremio Web has the considerably larger community, at 13,954 GitHub stars versus 200. Stremio Web lists first-class Docker deployment; Rygel does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Rygel if…
- Released under the LGPL-2.1 license
- Written in Vala
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Linux desktop oriented
- No standalone UI
Choose Stremio Web if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 14k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Rygel or Stremio Web better?
Neither is universally better. Stremio Web has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Rygel and Stremio Web free and open-source?
Yes. Rygel is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and Stremio Web under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Rygel and Stremio Web with Docker?
Rygel: check the project docs for container support. Stremio Web: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Rygel or Stremio Web?
Rygel has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Stremio Web. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.