Alternatives to Universal Media Server
DLNA streaming to any device
Universal Media Server is one of 11 apps in Media servers; its Alt Score is still building. None of its 10 checklist rows are verified yet.
Home users with a network of smart TVs, game consoles, mobile devices, or other DLNA/UPnP clients who want to stream their personal video, audio, and photo library without manually converting files.
UMS shares your local media library over DLNA, UPnP, and HTTP(S) so it can be browsed and played from other devices on the network. It automatically transcodes and muxes incompatible video, audio, and subtitle formats on the fly using engines like FFmpeg, MEncoder, tsMuxeR, and VLC so playback works on the target device. It supports fine-grained control over transcoding engine order, subtitle selection, and audio track selection. It's free, open-source, and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
You install UMS on a computer that holds or has access to your media files, point it at your media folders, and it detects and shares them on your local network. Compatible DLNA/UPnP devices then browse the server and play the content directly, with UMS transcoding formats in real time as needed for each device.
Why people leave Universal Media Server
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How Universal Media Server compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Media servers checklist | Universal Media Server | Emby | Jellyfin | Kodi | Navidrome | Audiobookshelf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Transcoding (hardware) | ||||||
| Live TV & DVR | ||||||
| Mobile sync/downloads | ||||||
| Multi-user profiles | ||||||
| Metadata scraping | ||||||
| Music support | ||||||
| Photos support | ||||||
| Plugin ecosystem | ||||||
| Client apps (TV platforms) | ||||||
| Fully offline / no account |
FAQ
Yes. Emby, Jellyfin and Kodi have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Jellyfin, Kodi and Navidrome — every license claim links its source.