Threadfin vs Tunarr
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted media servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Threadfin
M3U proxy that emulates an HDHomeRun tuner for IPTV
VS
Tunarr
Create live TV channels from your Plex and Jellyfin libraries
| Feature | Threadfin | Tunarr |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 44 · Fair | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | Media Servers | Media Servers |
| License | MIT | Zlib |
| Language | Go | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,719 | ★ 2,591 |
| First released | 2022 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Cable TV | Cable TV |
What are Threadfin and Tunarr?
Threadfin
Threadfin is an M3U proxy and IPTV manager that emulates an HDHomeRun device so live TV works in Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby. It filters channels, maps EPG data, and buffers streams for reliability.
- HDHomeRun emulation
- M3U and XMLTV management
- Channel filtering
- Stream buffering
Tunarr
Tunarr lets you build custom live TV channels from your existing Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby media libraries. It presents the channels as an HDHomeRun tuner and M3U guide for use in any compatible client.
- Builds live TV channels
- HDHomeRun emulation
- M3U and XMLTV guide
- Web-based channel editor
Threadfin vs Tunarr: key differences
Threadfin is written in Go, while Tunarr is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for Threadfin versus Zlib for Tunarr. Threadfin is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Tunarr. Threadfin is the more established project (first released 2022), while Tunarr arrived in 2024.
Why pick each one
Choose Threadfin if…
- Simple lightweight binary
- Good IPTV integration
Watch out for
- Requires an IPTV source
- Not a full media server
Choose Tunarr if…
- Great for a retro TV feel
- Integrates with existing libraries
Watch out for
- Newer project
- Requires another media server
Frequently asked questions
Is Threadfin or Tunarr better?
Neither is universally better. Tunarr has the larger community, while Threadfin is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Threadfin and Tunarr free and open-source?
Yes. Threadfin is licensed under MIT and Tunarr under Zlib. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Threadfin and Tunarr with Docker?
Threadfin: yes. Tunarr: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Threadfin or Tunarr?
Threadfin has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Tunarr. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.