K7vsUniversal Media Server
Two self-hosted Plex alternatives, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| K7 | Universal Media Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 51/100 | 62/100 |
| Rank in category | #59 of 118 in Media Server | #24 of 118 in Media Server |
| GitHub stars | 344 | 2 668 |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +14 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 10 | 11 |
| Latest release | v1.17.1 · 25 Oct 2026 | 15.9.0 · 5 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Main language | C# | Java |
Which one should you pick?
Universal Media Server scores 62/100 against 51/100 for K7, so it is the safer default.
Universal Media Server ships more often: 11 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for K7.
If you want the quickest setup, Universal Media Server is easier to run; K7 needs more configuration.
Universal Media Server is growing faster right now (+14 stars in 30 days).
K7 details →Universal Media Server details → All Plex alternatives →