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Plex VS Universal Media Server

Compare Plex VS Universal Media Server and see what are their differences

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  3. » Reviews
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Plex logo Plex

Free movies and TV plus all your personal media libraries on every device. Master your Mediaverse.

Universal Media Server logo Universal Media Server

Universal Media Server allows you to host your entire library of video, music, and pictures, and broadcast them conveniently to a wide variety of different devices.
  • Plex Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-22
  • Universal Media Server Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-20

Plex features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Plex offers a clean and intuitive interface that is easy to navigate, even for those who are not tech-savvy.
  • Centralized Media Library
    Plex allows you to centralize your media in one place, making it easy to manage and access your videos, music, and photos from a single platform.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Plex supports a wide range of devices including PCs, smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and streaming devices, providing flexibility in accessing your media.
  • Remote Access
    Plex lets you access your media library from anywhere, as long as you have an internet connection, making it convenient for users who travel frequently.
  • Live TV and DVR
    Plex offers live TV and DVR functionality, allowing users to watch and record live television shows through the platform.
  • Media Enhancement
    Plex automatically enhances your media by adding metadata like posters, descriptions, and ratings, providing a richer media experience.
  • Plex Pass Features
    Plex Pass offers premium features like offline access, early access to new features, and various premium plugins, enhancing the overall experience.

Possible disadvantages of Plex

  • Subscription Costs
    While Plex offers a free tier, many of its advanced features require a Plex Pass subscription, which can be expensive over time.
  • Complex Setup
    Setting up Plex can be somewhat complex and time-consuming, especially for users who want to host their own media server.
  • Streaming Quality
    The streaming quality may vary depending on the user's internet connection and the quality of the source media, which may not always meet expectations.
  • Limited Free Features
    Some of the most appealing features of Plex, such as offline access and advanced metadata, are locked behind the Plex Pass paywall.
  • Server Requirements
    Running a Plex server requires a fairly powerful machine, especially if you want to stream high-definition content or have multiple users accessing simultaneously.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Some users have raised concerns about Plex's data collection practices and how their personal viewing habits and data might be used.

Universal Media Server features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Universal Media Server is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible for users on various operating systems.
  • Wide Range of File Support
    The server supports a wide variety of file formats, including audio, video, and image files, ensuring compatibility with most types of media.
  • DLNA Support
    It offers DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) support, enabling seamless connectivity with a range of DLNA-compatible devices like smart TVs, gaming consoles, and more.
  • Regular Updates
    The software is actively maintained and regularly updated to include new features and address security vulnerabilities.
  • Transcoding Capability
    Universal Media Server can transcode unsupported formats into compatible ones on-the-fly, allowing smoother playback across diverse devices.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The user interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making setup and media management straightforward even for beginners.
  • Free and Open Source
    UMS is free to use and open-source, encouraging community contributions and customization.
  • Plugin Support
    The server can be extended through a variety of plugins, adding functionality such as internet streaming and metadata fetching.

Possible disadvantages of Universal Media Server

  • Resource Intensive
    The software can be quite demanding on system resources, especially when transcoding high-definition content, which may slow down older or less powerful systems.
  • Complex Configuration for Advanced Features
    While the basic setup is straightforward, more advanced features and customizations might require a steep learning curve and detailed configuration.
  • Initial Setup
    The initial setup can be somewhat cumbersome for users who are not technically inclined, requiring the installation of additional software components.
  • Inconsistent Streaming Quality
    Users have reported inconsistent streaming quality, particularly when high-definition content is involved, which might necessitate adjustments in settings.
  • Limited Documentation
    While the support forum is helpful, the official documentation can be sparse and inadequate for troubleshooting more complex issues.
  • Compatibility Issues with Certain Devices
    Certain devices may face compatibility issues or might not work optimally with Universal Media Server, requiring manual tweaks.
  • No Mobile Apps
    UMS does not provide dedicated mobile apps for remote access, requiring reliance on third-party apps or web interfaces.

Analysis of Universal Media Server

Overall verdict

  • Universal Media Server is a reliable and effective media server solution for users looking for an open-source option. Its cross-platform compatibility, broad format support, and active development community make it a strong choice in the media server space.

Why this product is good

  • Universal Media Server (UMS) is considered good because it is a free and open-source DLNA-compliant UPnP Media Server that streams media to a wide variety of devices. It is compatible with major operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it versatile and accessible. UMS supports a wide range of media formats due to its integration with FFMpeg, MEncoder, tsMuxeR, MediaInfo, and more, ensuring that almost any media can be played or streamed. Additionally, the software has a user-friendly interface, receives regular updates, and has an active community that contributes to its development and offers support.

Recommended for

    UMS is recommended for users who require a versatile media server that supports a wide range of devices and formats, those who prefer an open-source solution with regular updates, and users who appreciate cross-platform compatibility and ease of use. It's suitable for both tech-savvy users and those new to media servers due to its straightforward setup and configuration options.

Plex videos

+ Add

PLEX Media Server Review - What is Plex?

More videos:

  • Review - Free Movies And TV With Plex Review 2020
  • Demo - Plex Review - 🚫WAIT🚫DON'T BUY WITHOUT WATCHING THIS DEMO FIRST🔥

Universal Media Server videos

+ Add

How to use Universal Media Server

More videos:

  • Review - Universal Media Server | Review
  • Review - Universal Media Server Part 1 - Installation

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Plex and Universal Media Server)

Plex

Universal Media Server

Video & Movies
100 100%
Video & Movies
0% 0
Video
25 25%
Video
75% 75
Media Player
54 54%
Media Player
46% 46
Media Players And Streaming Platforms
30 30%
Media Players And Streaming Platforms
70% 70

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Plex and Universal Media Server

Plex Reviews

10 Best Kodi Alternatives You Should Use (2023)
Plex is one of the most competitive alternatives to Kodi. With almost the same features, plex is a considerable media player. It is better than Kodi in some ways, like it works on the server-client model. The interface is more robust and better than Kodi. But many features can only be accessed in the premium model.
Source: techdator.net
Reelgood vs. JustWatch vs. Plex: Battle of the streaming guides
Linking from Plex to other apps is also inconsistent across platforms. It doesn’t work at all on Fire TV (even though it did at launch), and I had trouble linking out from Peacock and Paramount+ on a Chromecast with Google TV. Plex’s Apple TV app fared better overall, but linking to Paramount+ content still didn’t work.
Source: www.techhive.com
Top 10 Best Linux Media Server Software
Unlike Kodi, Plex is not open-source. It does offer a free account for its users. But it also offers premium pricing plans that allow you to unlock more features and have greater control over your media, while also being able to get detailed insights into who’s using Plex and what they’re using it for.
Source: itsfoss.com

Universal Media Server Reviews

10 Best Kodi Alternatives You Should Use (2023)
Universal Media player is a simple alternative for Kodi. This player lists the top 10 Kodi alternatives due to its simple and easy interface. The setup time is quite time-consuming, but its compatibility is extensive. Besides media, you can also connect gaming consoles to enjoy gaming.
Source: techdator.net
7 Best Home Media Server Software Choices (2022)
Universal Media Server is an open-source and fully free media solution, that though quite a bit more complicated than Plex, is just as stable and reliable. This software can be set up on a PC or NAS open-source software, with about the same setup burden, but if any steps of the process get you hung up, a fairly robust support community will be able to help you out.
Source: heavy.com
Top 10 Best Linux Media Server Software
Yet another simple addition to this list. Universal Media Server does not offer any fancy features but just helps you transcode/stream video and audio without needing many configurations.
Source: itsfoss.com
Top 10 Alternatives to Plex Media Server
Universal Media Server is a DLNA supporting multimedia platform for the purpose of streaming media of all type and format. Universal Media Server is a multiplatform platform that is available for PlayStations, game consoles, smart TVs, smartphones, DVD & Blu-ray player and much more. Universal Media Server is a free to use program who get itself updated time to time for free.
Source: www.easefab.com
Alternatives to Plex: an overview of the best media centers
The Universal Media Server is also an example of an open source program, written in Java. The spin-off program from PS3 Media Server was developed in May 2012 by the developer SubJunk, who had previously played a decisive role in the media server for Sony’s game console. As an alternative to Plex, the software is particularly impressive because of its broad device...
Source: www.ionos.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Plex seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 653 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Plex mentions (653)

  • Ask HN: Who wants to be hired? (June 2025)
    Location: Connecticut (CT), Hartford Area Willing to relocate: Yes Technologies: React, Typescript/Javascript, Next.js, Tailwind, NestJS, Node.js, Express, MongoDB, Prisma, Jest, Playwright, Docker, Linux, Bash, MUI, HTML, CSS, Git, ... (see resume for more) Résumé: https://christophergeiger.dev/resume.pdf Email: christophergeiger.dev@gmail.com https://christophergeiger.dev https://github.com/christophergeiger3 ),... - Source: Hacker News / 2 days ago
  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (April 2025)
    Location: Hartford, CT, USA Remote: Yes Willing to relocate: Yes Technologies: React, Typescript/Javascript, Next.js, NestJS, Node.js,Express, MongoDB, Prisma, Jest, Playwright, Docker, Linux, Bash, HTML, CSS, Git Résumé/CV: https://www.christophergeiger.xyz/resume.pdf Email: christophergeiger.dev@gmail.com Website: https://christophergeiger.xyz Hello, I'm a fullstack engineer who specializes in building intuitive... - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • Ask HN: Who wants to be hired? (March 2025)
    Https://plex.tv Currently I'm seeking a frontend or full-stack role as either a mid-level or senior developer. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Setting Up The Home Lab: Terraform and Cloud-Init
    You might notice that the Terraform template definition is pretty close in structure to the one I used in my last article. That's intentional - I set up the last one with cloud-init, but didn't do much with it. This one actually provisions the VM with cloud-init. You can also use Ansible playbooks to provision a VM, and I might talk about that in a future post, but in my next post I'm going to talk about doing... - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
  • Apple Buys DarwinAI Ahead of Major Generative AI Updates Coming in iOS 18
    It's not for everyone but I've never been happier with OpenAudible [0] + Plex [1] + Prologue [2] [0] https://openaudible.org/ [1] https://plex.tv/ [2] https://prologue.audio/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
View more

Universal Media Server mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Universal Media Server yet. Tracking of Universal Media Server recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Plex and Universal Media Server, you can also consider the following products

Jellyfin - Jellyfin is a personal media server.

Kodi - Kodi is an award winning free and open source media player that got its start on the Xbox console.

Stremio - Watch videos, movies, TV series and TV channels instantly.

Serviio - Web on Big Screen. Serviio enables playback of online sources like RSS feeds, live streams or web site content so that you can listen to your favourite podcasts or watch latest TV programmes published online.

Emby - media server for personal streaming movies tv music photos in mobile app or browser for all devices android iOS windows phone appletv androidtv smarttv and dlna.

Infuse - Media player and media server with subtitles and wide codec support.

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