--- title: Plex paywalled the features I need, so I started using... description: A long-time Plex user describes growing frustration with features being moved behind Plex Pass paid subscriptions, including remote streaming. As an... canonical: https://daily.dev/posts/plex-paywalled-the-features-i-need-so-i-started-using-jellyfin-alongside-it-emliumg9d twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:site: @dailydotdev og:type: website og:site_name: daily.dev og:title: Plex paywalled the features I need, so I started using Jellyfin alongside it | daily.dev og:description: A long-time Plex user describes growing frustration with features being moved behind Plex Pass paid subscriptions, including remote streaming. As an... og:url: https://daily.dev/posts/plex-paywalled-the-features-i-need-so-i-started-using-jellyfin-alongside-it-emliumg9d og:image: https://api.daily.dev/og/posts/EmliumG9D.png og:image:alt: Plex paywalled the features I need, so I started using Jellyfin alongside it og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 630 og:locale: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Plex paywalled the features I need, so I started using Jellyfin alongside it **[XDA Developers](https://daily.dev/sources/xda-developers)** · 3 min read · 1 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary A long-time Plex user describes growing frustration with features being moved behind Plex Pass paid subscriptions, including remote streaming. As an alternative, the author started running Jellyfin alongside Plex, finding that most Plex Pass features (hardware transcoding, SyncPlay watch parties, HDR-to-SDR tone mapping, Live TV/DVR) are free and built-in or available via plugins. Rather than fully switching, the author now runs both servers side by side, using Plex for its polished interface on devices like Nvidia Shield and Jellyfin for hardware transcoding and paywalled functionality. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Questions this post answers ### Which Plex Pass features are available for free in Jellyfin? Most Plex Pass features are free in Jellyfin, including hardware encoding, SyncPlay watch parties, HDR-to-SDR tone mapping, and Live TV/DVR with a compatible tuner built in. Remote streaming and intro/credit skipping require a plugin or manual configuration. Jellyfin is open source, so none of these features require payment. _Comparing self-hosted media server features side by side is easier with roundups like this on daily.dev._ ### How much does Plex Pass or Remote Watch Pass cost for remote streaming? Remote streaming on Plex requires either a Plex Pass subscription, priced at $7/month, $70/year, or $750 for lifetime access, or a cheaper Remote Watch Pass at $2/month or $20/year. This change moved remote access behind a paywall after previously being free, prompting some self-hosters to look at alternatives like Jellyfin. _Developers weighing self-hosted tool subscription costs can track pricing shifts like this on daily.dev._ ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [6 Jellyfin plugins that add free features Plex charges you for](https://daily.dev/posts/6-jellyfin-plugins-that-add-free-features-plex-charges-you-for-14frw3g6t) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [I switched to Jellyfin, but Plex's one real advantage keeps pulling me back](https://daily.dev/posts/i-switched-to-jellyfin-but-plex-s-one-real-advantage-keeps-pulling-me-back-zw7hhtkni) · XDA Developers · 1 upvotes · 0 comments - [Jellyfin finally replaced Plex for me, and the migration took less time than I expected](https://daily.dev/posts/jellyfin-finally-replaced-plex-for-me-and-the-migration-took-less-time-than-i-expected-ffqfbhbwf) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [I replaced Plex with this open-source app, and I haven't looked back](https://daily.dev/posts/i-replaced-plex-with-this-open-source-app-and-i-haven-t-looked-back-l6mot3jb3) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [I used Plex and Jellyfin for a month, and there's one clear winner for true hardware ownership](https://daily.dev/posts/i-used-plex-and-jellyfin-for-a-month-and-there-s-one-clear-winner-for-true-hardware-ownership-miwgsyxah) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments --- Tags: [#open-source](https://daily.dev/tags/open-source), [#self-hosting](https://daily.dev/tags/self-hosting), [#jellyfin](https://daily.dev/tags/jellyfin) [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/plex-paywalled-the-features-i-need-so-i-started-using-jellyfin-alongside-it-emliumg9d) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/dailydotdev","https://github.com/dailydotdev","https://www.linkedin.com/company/daily-dev-ltd"]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://daily.dev/#website","url":"https://daily.dev","name":"daily.dev","publisher":{"@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization"},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://daily.dev/search?q={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle","headline":"Plex paywalled the features I need, so I started using Jellyfin alongside it","url":"https://daily.dev/posts/plex-paywalled-the-features-i-need-so-i-started-using-jellyfin-alongside-it-emliumg9d","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/plex-paywalled-the-features-i-need-so-i-started-using-jellyfin-alongside-it-emliumg9d"},"datePublished":"2026-09-02T19:01:59.550Z","dateModified":"2026-09-02T20:44:14.088Z","description":"A long-time Plex user describes growing frustration with features being moved behind Plex Pass paid subscriptions, including remote streaming. 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