4 Reasons to Use Plex Instead of Jellyfin or Emby

Many people have been tossing around the idea of ​​using Emby and Jellyfin for their home media streaming setup for a while now – but in the end, Plex won out. Its user-friendly setup and interface, broad client compatibility, and universal playlists are just too convenient to switch to one of its direct competitors.

4. Simple and easy to understand setup

On Windows, downloading and installing Plex, Emby, and Jellyfin are all relatively easy. However, Plex does a lot of the backend stuff automatically (and has a few boxes to check), and it ultimately wins out. As someone who wants to explore the usefulness of a media server, choosing the software that offers the path of least resistance is important.

People like Plex because it’s great at pulling metadata, all without your involvement, and much more consistently than Jellyfin and Emby. And since Plex does most of the work, you can skip plugins altogether—at least until you’re ready to start tweaking your server. There are some great plugins for Plex, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessary.

At some point, you'll want to invest in a NAS, and again, Plex would be the perfect choice since it requires nothing more than downloading the server itself.

3. User interface feels better to use

The best way to describe Plex’s UI compared to Emby and Jellyfin is that it feels “fuller”. There’s less negative space, and the tiles are larger and much easier to recognize. With live TV and free movies on the home page, it also gives the UI more life, making it feel more like a streaming platform than just a media server.

When using Plex on my PS5, the UI has a Netflix aesthetic, with little trailers popping up whenever you hover over a movie or show. Emby and Jellyfin feel more like Max, where you have to select something first to get a synopsis.

2. Plex has multiple clients

There is no loyalty to a single platform. Each family member has their own preferences.

Everyone loves Plex in one way or another, we need a media server that can handle them all. Jellyfin doesn't have a console client and Emby doesn't have a PS5 client. You need a client that works with all the devices in your home, not just a few.

1. Plex's streaming service integration is incredibly useful

Plex's free live TV and movies have been criticized a lot, but there are still plenty of people who like it. That's why Plex is used for more than just storing your content collection.

There’s also a really cool feature that lets you use Plex as a hub for your streaming services. You can toggle between your streaming services and populate your search results with content from those platforms. Then, instead of having your watchlist spread across multiple services, you can create your ultimate watchlist in Plex.

It’s understandable why some people prefer Emby and Jellyfin over Plex. The idea of ​​having a completely self-hosted media server is appealing, but until these two services come along, expand their compatibility, and maybe refresh their user interface a bit, many people will stick with Plex for now. Still, Emby and Jellyfin are worthy options.