The Ultimate 2026 Media Stack: Migrating from Plex to Jellyfin + Arrs

If you've been running Plex for years, you might have noticed some changes. The platform has shifted toward monetization, with more features locked behind Plex Pass, increased focus on ad-supported content, and growing privacy concerns. Meanwhile, Jellyfin has matured into a fully-featured, completely open-source alternative that gives you everything Plex offers—and more—without any subscriptions or cloud dependencies.

Combined with the Arr suite (Radarr, Sonarr, Prowlarr), you can build the ultimate automated media stack that rivals any commercial streaming service, all running on your own hardware.

Why Migrate from Plex to Jellyfin?

The Plex Problem

Monetization Push:

More features require Plex Pass subscription
Increased emphasis on ad-supported streaming content
Premium features that were once free now cost money

Privacy Concerns:

Centralized account system requires cloud connectivity
Data collection and analytics
Remote access requires Plex's servers as intermediaries

Vendor Lock-in:

Your library metadata is tied to Plex's ecosystem
Limited customization options
Closed-source code limits community contributions

The Jellyfin Advantage

100% Free and Open Source:

All features available without subscription
Active community development
Transparent codebase you can audit and modify

Complete Privacy:

No mandatory cloud accounts
Runs entirely on your hardware
You control all data and metadata

Better for Homelabs:

Integrates seamlessly with other self-hosted services
Extensive plugin ecosystem
Highly customizable interface and functionality

Media server setup with multiple drives — Home media server with storage drives

Understanding the Complete Media Stack

A modern automated media stack consists of several components working together:

Core Components

Jellyfin - Media server and player

Organizes and streams your media library
Handles transcoding, metadata, and user management
Provides clients for all major platforms

Radarr - Movie collection manager

Monitors movie releases
Automatically downloads and organizes movies
Integrates with download clients

Sonarr - TV series collection manager

Tracks TV show episodes
Automatically downloads new episodes
Manages series metadata and organization

Prowlarr - Indexer manager

Centralizes indexer configuration
Supports Usenet and torrent indexers
Simplifies adding new sources

Download Clients (qBittorrent, Transmission, etc.)

Handles actual file downloads
Integrates with Radarr/Sonarr

Planning Your Migration

Pre-Migration Checklist

Backup Your Plex Data
- Export your library structure
- Note custom collections and playlists
- Document user accounts and permissions
Inventory Your Media
- List all movies, TV shows, and other content
- Note file locations and naming conventions
- Identify any special metadata or custom artwork
Hardware Assessment
- Ensure your server can handle Jellyfin (similar requirements to Plex)
- Check transcoding capabilities (CPU/GPU)
- Verify storage capacity
Network Considerations
- Plan for remote access setup (reverse proxy recommended)
- Consider SSL certificates for secure access
- Document port requirements

Installing Jellyfin

Docker Installation (Recommended)

The easiest way to run Jellyfin is with Docker. Here's a complete docker-compose.yml:

version: '3.8'

services:
  jellyfin:
    image: jellyfin/jellyfin:latest
    container_name: jellyfin
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8096:8096"
      - "8920:8920"  # HTTPS
    volumes:
      - ./jellyfin/config:/config
      - ./jellyfin/cache:/cache
      - /path/to/your/media:/data/media:ro
      - /path/to/your/movies:/data/movies:ro
      - /path/to/your/tv:/data/tv:ro
    environment:
      - JELLYFIN_PublishedServerUrl=http://your-domain.com
    devices:
      - /dev/dri:/dev/dri  # For hardware transcoding (Intel/AMD)
    networks:
      - media-network

networks:
  media-network:
    driver: bridge

Start Jellyfin:

docker-compose up -d

Access Jellyfin at http://localhost:8096 and complete the initial setup wizard.

Native Installation

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

# Add Jellyfin repository
sudo apt install apt-transport-https
wget -O - https://repo.jellyfin.org/jellyfin_team.gpg.key | sudo apt-key add -
echo "deb [arch=$( dpkg --print-architecture )] https://repo.jellyfin.org/$( awk -F'=' '/^ID=/{ print $NF }' /etc/os-release ) $( awk -F'=' '/^VERSION_CODENAME=/{ print $NF }' /etc/os-release ) main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jellyfin.list

# Install Jellyfin
sudo apt update
sudo apt install jellyfin

Windows/macOS: Download the installer from jellyfin.org

Hardware Transcoding Setup

One of Jellyfin's strongest features is excellent hardware transcoding support. This is crucial for serving multiple clients simultaneously.

Intel Quick Sync

For Intel processors with integrated graphics:

# In docker-compose.yml
devices:
  - /dev/dri:/dev/dri

In Jellyfin settings:

Dashboard → Playback → Transcoding
Enable "Hardware acceleration"
Select "Video Acceleration API (VAAPI)" or "Intel QuickSync"

NVIDIA GPU

For NVIDIA GPUs:

# In docker-compose.yml
runtime: nvidia
environment:
  - NVIDIA_VISIBLE_DEVICES=all

Install NVIDIA Container Toolkit:

# Ubuntu/Debian
distribution=$(. /etc/os-release;echo $ID$VERSION_ID)
curl -s -L https://nvidia.github.io/nvidia-docker/gpgkey | sudo apt-key add -
curl -s -L https://nvidia.github.io/nvidia-docker/$distribution/nvidia-docker.list | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nvidia-docker.list

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y nvidia-container-toolkit
sudo systemctl restart docker

In Jellyfin, select "NVIDIA NVENC" for hardware acceleration.

Testing Transcoding

To verify transcoding works:

Play a video in a format your client doesn't support natively
Check Jellyfin dashboard → Playback → Active Encodings
Verify hardware acceleration is being used

Setting Up the Arr Suite

The Arr applications work together to automate your media collection. Here's a complete Docker Compose setup:

version: '3.8'

services:
  # Jellyfin (from above)
  jellyfin:
    # ... previous configuration

  # Radarr - Movie Manager
  radarr:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/radarr:latest
    container_name: radarr
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "7878:7878"
    volumes:
      - ./radarr/config:/config
      - /path/to/your/movies:/movies
      - /path/to/downloads:/downloads
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
    networks:
      - media-network

  # Sonarr - TV Series Manager
  sonarr:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/sonarr:latest
    container_name: sonarr
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8989:8989"
    volumes:
      - ./sonarr/config:/config
      - /path/to/your/tv:/tv
      - /path/to/downloads:/downloads
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
    networks:
      - media-network

  # Prowlarr - Indexer Manager
  prowlarr:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/prowlarr:latest
    container_name: prowlarr
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "9696:9696"
    volumes:
      - ./prowlarr/config:/config
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
    networks:
      - media-network

  # qBittorrent - Download Client
  qbittorrent:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/qbittorrent:latest
    container_name: qbittorrent
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
      - "6881:6881"
      - "6881:6881/udp"
    volumes:
      - ./qbittorrent/config:/config
      - /path/to/downloads:/downloads
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - WEBUI_PORT=8080
    networks:
      - media-network

networks:
  media-network:
    driver: bridge

Initial Configuration

1. Configure Prowlarr:

Access at http://localhost:9696
Add indexers (Usenet or torrent trackers)
Configure download client (qBittorrent)

2. Configure Radarr:

Access at http://localhost:7878
Settings → Media Management → Root Folders → Add /movies
Settings → Download Clients → Add qBittorrent
Settings → Indexers → Add Prowlarr

3. Configure Sonarr:

Access at http://localhost:8989
Settings → Media Management → Root Folders → Add /tv
Settings → Download Clients → Add qBittorrent
Settings → Indexers → Add Prowlarr

4. Link to Jellyfin:

In Radarr/Sonarr: Settings → Connect → Add Jellyfin
Enter Jellyfin URL and API key (found in Jellyfin Dashboard → API)

Migrating Your Library

Step 1: Export Plex Metadata (Optional)

While you can't directly import Plex data into Jellyfin, you can:

Use tools like plex-export to export your library structure
Document custom collections and playlists manually
Note any special metadata you've added

Step 2: Point Jellyfin to Your Media

In Jellyfin Dashboard → Libraries
Add Library → Choose content type (Movies, TV Shows, etc.)
Add folder path (your existing media location)
Configure metadata settings
Let Jellyfin scan and organize

Step 3: Reorganize Media (If Needed)

Jellyfin works best with organized folder structures:

/movies
  /Movie Name (Year)
    Movie Name (Year).mkv
    Movie Name (Year).en.srt

/tv
  /Show Name
    /Season 01
      Show Name - S01E01 - Episode Title.mkv

Tools like filebot or tidy can help reorganize existing media.

Step 4: Import Metadata

Jellyfin will automatically:

Fetch metadata from TheMovieDB, TheTVDB, etc.
Download artwork and posters
Organize episodes and seasons
Match files to database entries

You can manually refresh metadata for specific items if needed.

Advanced Jellyfin Configuration

User Management

Create user accounts with appropriate permissions:

Dashboard → Users → Add User
Set username, password, and display name
Configure access to specific libraries
Set playback restrictions (max bitrate, etc.)

Plugins

Jellyfin has a growing plugin ecosystem:

Trakt: Sync watch history with Trakt.tv
LDAP Authentication: Integrate with LDAP/Active Directory
MusicBrainz: Enhanced music metadata
Auto Organize: Automatically organize new media

Install plugins from Dashboard → Plugins.

Custom Branding

Customize Jellyfin's appearance:

Dashboard → Display → Custom CSS
Add custom CSS for branding
Upload custom logos and splash screens

Remote Access Setup

Reverse Proxy with Nginx

For secure remote access, use a reverse proxy:

server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    server_name jellyfin.yourdomain.com;

    ssl_certificate /path/to/cert.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /path/to/key.pem;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:8096;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }
}

Using Traefik

If you're already using Traefik:

services:
  jellyfin:
    # ... existing config
    labels:
      - "traefik.enable=true"
      - "traefik.http.routers.jellyfin.rule=Host(`jellyfin.yourdomain.com`)"
      - "traefik.http.routers.jellyfin.entrypoints=websecure"
      - "traefik.http.routers.jellyfin.tls.certresolver=letsencrypt"

Automation Workflow

Once everything is configured, your media stack works automatically:

Add Content: Search for a movie/show in Radarr/Sonarr
Monitor: The Arr apps monitor for releases
Download: When available, content is automatically downloaded
Organize: Files are moved to proper locations and renamed
Notify: Jellyfin is notified and scans for new content
Available: Content appears in Jellyfin library automatically

Performance Optimization

Transcoding Settings

Optimize transcoding for your use case:

Hardware Acceleration: Always enable if available
Transcoding Quality: Balance quality vs. performance
Concurrent Streams: Monitor server resources

Storage Optimization

Use SSD for Jellyfin cache and metadata
Organize media on HDDs for cost-effective storage
Consider network storage (NFS/SMB) for large libraries

Network Optimization

Use wired connections for servers
Configure proper network segmentation
Consider dedicated VLAN for media traffic

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Transcoding Failures

Verify hardware acceleration is working
Check GPU drivers are up to date
Review Jellyfin logs for specific errors
Test with software transcoding as fallback

Library Not Updating

Manually trigger library scan
Check file permissions
Verify media paths are correct
Review Jellyfin logs

Arr Apps Not Communicating

Verify all services are on the same Docker network
Check API keys are correct
Ensure ports are properly exposed
Review connection settings in each app

Comparison: Plex vs Jellyfin 2026

Feature	Plex	Jellyfin
Cost	Free (limited) / Plex Pass ($5-10/mo)	100% Free
Open Source	No	Yes
Cloud Account Required	Yes	No
Hardware Transcoding	Plex Pass required	Free
Plugins	Limited	Extensive
Customization	Limited	Extensive
Privacy	Cloud-dependent	Fully local
Mobile Apps	Excellent	Good (improving)

Conclusion

Migrating from Plex to Jellyfin represents a shift toward true self-hosting and data ownership. Combined with the Arr suite, you can build a media stack that's more powerful, more private, and completely free.

The initial setup requires some effort, but the result is a system that:

Gives you complete control
Costs nothing to run (beyond hardware)
Respects your privacy
Automates media collection
Rivals commercial streaming services

Whether you're frustrated with Plex's monetization, concerned about privacy, or simply want to explore open-source alternatives, Jellyfin in 2026 is a mature, capable platform ready for production use.

For detailed migration guides and community support, check out resources like Florian Jensen's Plex to Jellyfin migration guide and the active Jellyfin community forums.