Plex handles music effectively, but unlocking advanced features like autoplaylists, lyrics, and audio fingerprinting requires a Plex Pass subscription. If you're focused solely on music and want to avoid extraneous TV and movie tools, these eight dedicated alternatives offer Plex-like functionality tailored for audio libraries.
Ampache is a robust open-source web app primarily designed for music streaming, though it supports video too. It runs on any PHP-compatible platform, providing a web interface for playback and library management. Pull collections from local or remote sources for a unified library accessible anywhere. Stream via the web, local speakers, or smart devices, with remote control through its Localplay feature.
CherryMusic is a lightweight, open-source music streaming server that works on most devices, including Raspberry Pi. Installation involves a simple Python setup in its directory—detailed guides are available on their site. Access it at https://localhost:8080 post-install. Its intuitive interface supports multiple accounts, playlist sharing, and automatic artwork retrieval.
Originally open-source, Subsonic laid the groundwork for many top music servers. Now closed-source, it excels at audio (with video support). Install on your music drive and access via web portal, much like Plex. Premium apps for devices cost $1/month, unlocking video streaming, Chromecast/Sonos support, podcasts, ad-free playback, and custom domains.
After Subsonic went closed-source, the community forked Libresonic, leading to Airsonic—a committed open-source option. Key features include multi-speaker streaming, on-the-fly audio transcoding, customizable bitrates for slow connections, and handling massive libraries (hundreds of GB) effortlessly. Top 5 Free Music Players for Windows covers offline options if needed.
Mopidy stands out by blending local collections with Spotify, Google Play Music, and SoundCloud—features Plex lacks natively. Available on GitHub with a vibrant plugin ecosystem for expanded streaming support and enhancements. It also runs on Raspberry Pi. Spotify vs. Apple Music vs. Amazon Music Unlimited compares services.
Sonerezh is a user-friendly, self-hosted music server like CherryMusic but with easier setup via a two-click deployment wizard. Point it to your music folder, and it scans automatically. Web-only interface is clean and straightforward, supporting MP3, MP4, OGG, and Vorbis files.
This open-source, self-hosted server shines with music discovery via auto-generated radio from your library, playback from other users' pods, and precise MusicBrainz tagging. Ad-free and ideal for large collections rediscovery.
Google Play Music lets you upload up to 50,000 tracks for anytime streaming. It's polished for smaller collections but lacks deep control for power users or vast libraries.
Plex-style music servers are one way to access your files anywhere. Create a private Netflix with Kodi and cloud storage like Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive: How to Make Your Own Private Netflix. Or turn a Raspberry Pi into a Plex server: How to Turn a Raspberry Pi into a Plex Media Server. Check our guides for details.
