I tried replacing Plex with Jellyfin, but the free, open-source app just can't compete

A personal account of switching from Plex to Jellyfin as a self-hosted media server. After a week of daily use across TV, phone, and tablet, the author returned to Plex. Key advantages Plex retains include polished cross-device UI, seamless remote access without manual configuration, more accurate metadata matching (especially for indie and international content), library sharing, and built-in discovery features. Jellyfin is praised for being free and open-source and works well for single-user setups, but falls short on polish and ease of use compared to Plex's commercial-grade experience.