JellyfinvsUniversal Media Server
Two self-hosted Plex alternatives, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Jellyfin | Universal Media Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 88/100 | 62/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 118 in Media Server | #24 of 118 in Media Server |
| GitHub stars | 58 740 | 2 668 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +1 297 | +14 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 15 | 11 |
| Latest release | v12.4 · 26 Oct 2026 | 15.9.0 · 5 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Main language | C | Java |
Which one should you pick?
Jellyfin scores 88/100 against 62/100 for Universal Media Server, so it is the safer default.
Jellyfin ships more often: 15 stable releases in the past year, against 11 for Universal Media Server.
If you want the quickest setup, Universal Media Server is easier to run; Jellyfin needs more configuration.
Jellyfin is growing faster right now (+1 297 stars in 30 days).
Jellyfin details →Universal Media Server details → All Plex alternatives →