I loved using Plex to stream all my media and had it installed on our primary network-attached storage (NAS) enclosure for years, but the added bloat and introduction of streaming from other sources left a sour taste in my mouth. It's also not completely self-hosted, whereby you need to pass through the Plex servers for logging in, etc. Not to mention it's no longer completely free, which is where these two excellent media streaming alternatives come into play. One's local and the other is the Plex replacement.

2 Kodi

Create the ultimate home theatre

Kodi is a little more local than Plex and some other media streaming platforms, but it's still worth covering if you have all of your own media to catalog. Instead of streaming files across the network (or externally when configured correctly), Kodi outputs directly through ports to the big screen. This package is designed for home theatre setups where a PC drives content directly to the TV. You can use anything, including a single-board computer (SBC), to create and launch a Kodi multimedia server.

Not everyone wants to build out a home lab, hardwire a server through their network, and manage services, which is where Kodi can make your life that little bit easier. It does require one to have their own media to load up (unless using external sources), and you will need to position the system running Kodi near a TV for direct output, but this could be something as small as a mini PC. Just be sure you have ample local storage for stashing all your media files. It's quite the free and open-source solution, however.

An interesting aspect of Kodi is its community plugins, which can expand the functionality of your home theatre setup and make it far more versatile with access to various streams. Although installing a Kodi plugin will not land you in hot water with the law, content available through certain add-ons may not be legal in your country. We recommend caution when accessing movies, shows, and other media using such sources through plugins. Looking to keep everything local without touching your network? Kodi is for you.

1 Jellyfin

The only media server you need

This is the only one that's needed on the list, to be honest. It's the media streaming package that's often recommended by the self-host community to replace Plex, and is completely open-source and free for you to use. Unlike some other solutions that have a particular focus, Jellyfin aims to replace Emby as a viable free alternative to Plex, allowing you to effectively catalog all your movies, shows, and music on a server, be it a NAS or some home lab setup. It's powerful, easy-to-use, and feature-rich. You won't look back, trust me.

Whether you have movies, TV shows, music, or all of the above, Jellyfin can catalog, tag, and stream everything. It's easy to set up, can run on just about anything (so long as you don't require transcoding), and it's just as powerful as Plex for running high-resolution media. I've saved a ton of cash with Jellyfin too. The longer you use Jellyfin, the better, as these savings only increase over time. The sooner you switch from Plex Pass, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and other services, the more you'll save.

The purchase of hardware will drive up the initial cost of hosting and streaming media, not to mention the acquisition of files from various legal destinations, but you're already running Plex, so there's a good chance you have the hardware to run Jellyfin, as it'll need almost what Plex does. Jellyfin can be run as a container, which can be used on any OS of your choosing, be it Windows, Linux, macOS, or some server platform you just so happen to be running in the nearby cabinet.

Replacing Plex is easier than you think

Getting rid of a particular service or package can seem daunting at first, especially when you've configured it to your liking and have a few months or years of experience under your belt. Alternatives to Plex, particularly Jellyfin, are set up in such a way that it doesn't take long to grow accustomed to these new solutions. So long as you go in with an open mind, don't mind working with some migration tool (unless starting fresh), and have a few hours free to get everything moved across, you'll be up and running with a free, open-source Plex alternative in no time.

If you plan to create a dedicated Jellyfin system with new (or repurposed) hardware, other services can run in conjunction with the media streaming app, which can provide other features for your home, making it a much more versatile solution to your Plex woes. The best part about Jellyfin is it's almost identical to Plex in that it can run on plenty of hardware and software configurations.