We all are fond of music and videos and everybody has its own collection of media files both on computers and smartphones. But you can’t carry every time your huge collection of movies, songs, and other media files with you. In such a situation, the home media server comes in handy. There are a bunch of best open source media server software available online that can set up on your own personal home computer. You can store all your media files at one place on the media server and can access it remotely or locally using the computer or smartphone. For example, you are out of town and want to access your movies or music, what you will do, just take out your smartphone enter your home media server address, and boom!! Using media servers you can create your own personal YouTube, Netflix, and Vimeo. Some Media servers based on lightweight Linux, which means to save electricity and other resources you can install them on Rasberry Pi.

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Best Opensource Media server for Linux, Mac, or Windows

OSMC Media Center

Best Opensource Media server for Linux, Mac, or Windows

Here we have listed Free and Open source Media server software that can be work on both Linux and Windows.

PLEX Media Server (Freemium, not opensource)

We already have a done couple of articles on Plex and it really has some great features that allow it in our best media server list. The Plex Media Server is available for a variety of platforms such as Windows, Linux, Mac, Docker, and third-party NAS (network-attached storage device) Synology, Qnap, Netgear, Seagate, and more…

The Plex media server is not an open-source instead of a freemium software and offers some features on a subscription base only. However, still here because of easy to use and install capabilities.

Whereas the Plex player comes under both freemium and open source license GPL v2. Due to its vast range of devices support the Plex continuously gaining its popularity as a media streamer.

The Plex media server is based on a client-server model. It offers a wide range of client apps for different devices to support and stream its media server content easily. The Plex app is available for Android, Web, Windows, Kodi, Windows Phone, TiVo, SONOS, Android TV, Chrome cast, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Amazon Alexa, Roku, Nvidia Shield, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 & 4 and Smart TV.

Plex Media Server Features:

Account management
Support all format videos and audios
iOS, Windows, and Android Mobile platform support
Privacy and security
Media Libraries Sharing
No Storage Limit
Online channels
Live TV
Plex cloud
Mobile and Cloud Sync
Parental control
Audio Fingerprinting
Remote Controls
Media Optimizer and more…

If you are interested in PLEX, also see: How To setup Plex Media Server on Ubuntu Linux.

Kodi Open Source Home Theater Software

Kodi 100% Opensource Media center software that stores all your digital media files at one place like Plex and gives you a beautiful interface to access them. The Kodi was previously known as Xbox Media center or XMBC. Kodi provides a bit different media server software approach. It works more as a local media streamer rather functions a server-client relationship like PLEX. It was developed as an XMBC open-source media center and still distributed under open source licenses. It plays content from two sources one is locally saved content and secondly is via plugins.

Kodi Open Source Home Theater Software

It has a vast range of Addon for popular web services, applications, and script such as Pluto.TV, PS Vue, HDHomeRun, SoundCloud, Kodi Android Installer, Rooster Teeth, and more… It also provides an add-on to stream, video content from various sources like NBC, CBS, Funimation, and Crunchyroll. It is a perfect mixture of a media center PC/homer sever software. Kodi is also multi-platform support Media center/server software and supports Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and embedded devices like the Raspberry Pi.

Kodi Features:

TV Shows library supports
Supporting all the main video formats
Kodi can play all your music including mp3, flac, wav, and WMA formats
Import pictures and view in different styles such as slideshow
Support Live TV recording
JSON-RPC based remote interface
Smartphone and Tablet Apps
Add-Ons for popular web services, applications, and scripts.
Works popular backends such as MediaPortal, MythTV, NextPVR, Tvheadend, and much more.

Emby Media Server

Emby is a great and best open source Media server Why wont my mac let me download anything. similar to Plex in features and user interface. While the Plex is a closed source or freemium, Emby is totally open-source media server software. In comparison to Plex, the Emby is much easier to install for newbies and you can see our article: How to Install Emby media server, step by step installation process. Emby offers lots of customization, media management, and database options.

Emby Media Server

The Emby Media server is available for Windows, Linux, Nas Devices, Mac OS, Docker, and FreeBSD. Like Plex, the Emby is also has a dedicated Linux installer for Debian, Ubuntu, Arch Linux, OpenSUSE, Fedora, and CentOS. If you are looking for 100% open-source Media server for your office or home then Emby is the best one.

Web-based Management System of Emby to install plugins, edit metadata and subtitles, Sync and more…

Emby also offers Apps for the mobile operating system: Emby Web client, Android, iOS, Windows 10, and Windows Mobile. Apart from the Emby Apps, it also has a good collection of TV Apps as follow:

Android TV
Amazon Fire Tv
Shield Android TV
Apple TV
Chromecast
Roku
Emby Theatre HTML5
Emby Theatre for Windows
LG Smart TV
Samsung Smart TV
PS4
Xbox One
Windows Media Center
Xbox 360
Kodi
PS3

Emby Media Server Features

Emby Server automatically converts and streams the media
Stream Live TV to any device
Web-based tools to edit metadata and subtitles
Easy DLNA
Parental Controls
Easily control content access
Cloud Sync
Chromecast

MediaPortal

MediaPortal is a well-featured open-source HTPC media center and similar to Kodi. It does not have features like Emby and Plex but still, it’s very good open-source media server software. Using it you can watch, schedule, and record live TV like TiVo, streaming media, radio, and TV to any HTPC connected to your network., Check the weather, news, slideshow of pictures & videos, and more. It can access easily the web or mobile device. It also based on Client/Server Architecture.

See:How to Install and Configure the MediaPortal Media server on Windows 10 PC

MediaPortal

Media Portal Features

Watch TV, Videos, and DVD
Watch Online Videos
Listening Music, Radio, and Web Streams
Schedule Recordings
Client/Server Architecture
Skin System
Plug-in System
Check Weather Forecast
Picture and video slideshow Viewer
Multiple Tuner Support
Time Shifting, Pause and Record TV/Radio
Read RSS Feeds

Best Free Streaming Software For Mac