The production of Plex is a great benefit for wire cutters. It gives them the ability to stream all the media they want in their home from a single machine. While Plex continues to be a popular choice, it is no longer the only option on the market. Emby increasingly popular and useful.
Deciding between the two isn’t easy, and you don’t want to pick one and then switch to the other – re-importing all your media would be a headache. Take a look at the pros and cons of each platform so you can choose the right option.
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The Cost of Emby Vs Plex
The main reason people use a media server like Emby or Plex is to keep costs down, whether by eliminating cables or cutting down on subscriptions to Netflix, Hulu, and the like.
The first thing to note is that both Emby and Plex are free to use. Subscription services simply offer more features that users can take advantage of.
Emby offers three rates. The monthly subscription is $4.99 per month, while the annual subscription is $54 per year. You can also pay a one-time fee of $119 for lifetime access to all Emby Premiere features, including Emby DVR, cloud sync, and cinema mode.
Plex also charges $4.99 per month, but it’s a bit more affordable with an annual price of $39.99. The most cost-effective option is a lifetime subscription for $119.99 USD. Plex Pass gives users access to more advanced features such as bandwidth limits, better hardware transcoding, and more.
Emby Vs Plex: Features
Both Emby and Plex are media servers for indoor streaming, but users expect more than the bare minimum. For example, many people look for live TV and DVR functionality – something both Emby and Plex offer. However, these features are often locked behind premium subscriptions.
Plex allows users to stream their content from their primary device to any device on the same network. You don’t need to be a subscriber. Emby, on the other hand, only allows free local streaming through the web app, Roku, and Apple TV — an odd collection of services.
Remote streaming is a paid feature on both platforms. If you want to stream content from your home media server to your phone while you’re out and about, you’ll have to pay a fee. However, this feature also allows you to download content to your device for offline viewing.
Emby has a few features that Plex doesn’t have. First is Cinema mode, giving viewers a cinema-like experience that actually plays trailers and custom intros before a feature film. With many theaters still closed, this allows you to capture that experience right at home.
Another feature is Plugin Cover Art. It offers users more than 30 different treatments and overlays, allowing you to customize the look and feel of your movies. While Plex gives you the option to change the cover photo, it doesn’t have any built-in features like this. You have to rely on third-party plugins.
Help
The strength of services like Emby and Plex lies in their complementary support. These third-party extensions provide a layer of customization that other official platforms don’t have. While both Emby and Plex support a number of different extensions, Plex has better support and a wider range of options.
The App Store is not supported is one of the most popular Plex extensions. That is one of the reasons why many people choose to use Plex over other services. It provides access to unofficial Plex channels with content you can’t find anywhere else. You can also find officially supported add-ons that provide more content.
Both platforms provide access to Trakt Scrobbler, Sub-Zero and other big name extensions. The reason Plex has better support is simply because of its age; because the service has been around for longer, it has more extensions and a larger community.
Compatibility
You want to have access to your content regardless of device. Both Emby and Plex support all major operating systems for both phones and desktops, as well as most streaming boxes. The difference in compatibility is not in what content you can watch but in where you can play audio.
Plex takes a step forward when it comes to compatibility. It supports Sonos and Android Auto, two services that Emby doesn’t have. This may not seem like a moot point, but the ability to play audio through your audio system can make or break a streaming platform.
Emby Vs Plex: Privacy
Users want privacy in their services. You don’t want the service to keep track of your movie library, and you don’t want the service to collect data for which it doesn’t work. In that regard, Emby has the upper hand.
Unlike Plex, Emby is an open source platform. All Emby software, including user management, streaming and more, works locally on your server. It doesn’t need internet access at any point unless you use Emby Connect (remote streaming service).
Plex was fired in 2017 for changing its privacy policy. While the company supported its decision and clarified its language, many users turned to Emby and other platforms. Plex collects user information to help improve its services, but many users – especially those with content obtained by legal means – do not want a company to view their media library .
While Plex is largely a private service, if you want total control privacy of your content, Emby is the way to go. As long as you avoid connecting Emby to the internet, your information will be protected.
Emby Vs Plex: Which is the Best?
In terms of features alone, Plex is the winner. The platform has more features, more add-ons, and a much larger user base than Emby. However, both Plex and Emby offer similar features and services. Emby has the potential to grow further and surpass Plex.
There is no clear winner. Both platforms provide utility in different ways. If you need wider compatibility with a wide range of devices, Plex is the better choice. If you care about total privacy and open source software, Emby is the better choice.
