Alternatives / Emby
Looking for an open source Emby alternative? We compared 2 open source media systems by license, server and client roles, live TV, and platforms. Jellyfin is a media server like Emby, and Kodi is a media center that runs on the playback device.
Written by Maxime DERAME
Last updated:
| Alternative | Best for | License |
|---|---|---|
| Jellyfin | Closest replacement: a free self-hosted media server | GPL-2.0 |
| Kodi | Media center that plays on the TV itself (a client, not a server) | GPL-2.0-or-later |
We looked for open-source tools that overlap with Emby's core: organizing a personal media library and playing it on your devices. We verified each project's license, recent activity, stars, and releases in its repository. Emby is a media server with client apps, so we separate a true server alternative from a media center that runs on the playback device. See our methodology for the full criteria.
Jellyfin is a self-hosted media server that streams your library to apps on phones, TVs, and browsers, which is how Emby works. Kodi is a media center application that runs on the playback device, such as a TV box or PC, and plays media from local or network storage. It does not stream a library to other devices the way a server does, although it can read from a server.
Jellyfin is the closest, and it started as a fork of Emby's last open-source code. It organizes movies, TV shows, music, books, comics, and photos, supports Live TV and DVR, and offers SyncPlay for watching together, with no premium licenses, tracking, or paid features.
Kodi plays video, music, photos, and games from one interface designed for remote control on a TV, with automatic metadata and artwork, live TV and PVR recording through add-ons, broad format support, and a large add-on ecosystem. It is a good choice when one device plays everything locally.
Jellyfin is GPL-2.0, and Kodi is GPL-2.0-or-later.
Both projects were updated within days of this update. Jellyfin's latest release was 12.1 in September 2026, and Kodi's latest stable release was 21.3 Omega in October 2025.
Emby is a proprietary media server: its server code is closed, and features such as hardware transcoding, DVR, and mobile app unlocks need a paid Emby Premiere subscription or lifetime license. Open-source alternatives are free, have no premium tiers, and let you inspect the code, at the cost of less commercial polish and slower support.
| Alternative | Role | License | Self-hosted | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jellyfin | Media server | GPL-2.0 | Yes | Streaming to many devices |
| Kodi | Media center (client) | GPL-2.0-or-later | Runs on the playback device | Living room playback |
Want a free self-hosted media server like Emby
Jellyfin streams your library to any device with Live TV, DVR, and SyncPlay, and has no premium tier.
Want one device that plays everything on the TV
Kodi is a remote-friendly media center with add-ons, PVR, and wide format support, but it is a client rather than a server.