Emby
Emby Server is a personal media server with apps on just about every device
Plex
Scans and organizes your files into your own media library
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Emby | Plex |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Media Streaming | Media Streaming |
| License | Not documented | Not documented |
| Primary language | C# | Shell |
| GitHub stars | ▲5,005 | 4,043 |
| GitHub forks | ▲853 | 596 |
| Open issues | 139 | 4 |
| Docker pulls | 264,823,570 | ▲921,520,260 |
| Latest version | 3.5.2.0 | helm-chart-1.9.0 |
| Platforms with an official client | 2 — iOS, Linux | 2 — iOS, Linux |
| Third-party clients | 0 | 0 |
| Deployment methods | ▲6 | 5 |
| Data last verified | Oct 25, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 |
▲ = leads on countable metrics only (stars, forks, Docker pulls, official-client platforms, third-party clients, deployment methods). License, language, latest version, open issues and verification dates are shown side by side without a verdict — they are facts, not scores. Verification state per platform is on each app profile page.
Where each side leads
Where Emby leads3
- GitHub stars — 5,005
- GitHub forks — 853
- Deployment methods — 6
Where Plex leads1
- Docker pulls — 921,520,260
Pricing
Emby
Not documented
The schema has no pricing or paid-tier field, so no price is claimed for this app.
Plex
Not documented
The schema has no pricing or paid-tier field, so no price is claimed for this app.
Licence (Not documented vs Not documented) is the only cost-related field the database records, and it is a fact rather than a price.
Frequently asked questions
Is Emby open source?
The license field for Emby is Not documented in the database.
Is Plex open source?
The license field for Plex is Not documented in the database.
Which one has more GitHub stars?
Emby has 5,005 stars and Plex has 4,043, both captured Oct 25, 2026.
Can I run Emby with Docker?
Yes. 2 Docker images recorded: emby/embyserver, linuxserver/emby.
Can I run Plex with Docker?
Yes. 2 Docker images recorded: plexinc/pms-docker, linuxserver/plex.
How much RAM do they need?
Not documented. The database schema has no memory-usage field yet, so this site does not claim a RAM figure for either app.