Silux Media vs Plex
Remote streaming is free
Plex needs a Remote Watch Pass or Plex Pass to watch your personal media outside your home. On Silux Media it's part of the free server.
62% less data at 1080p
In our live tests Plex used about 2.7 GB per hour at its 8 Mbps 1080p setting. Silux Media matched its picture with about 1.0 GB.
Never goes over your limit
Plex overshot the bandwidth cap we set on most clips. Silux Media stays under the limit you choose — important on metered and mobile connections.
No ads, no upsell channels
Silux Media is a media server, not an ad platform. Your home screen is your library.
Hardware transcoding included
Use Intel Quick Sync, NVIDIA or AMD at no cost — Plex reserves this for Plex Pass.
In fairness to Plex
Plex has a larger app catalogue (games consoles and many smart TVs), live TV and DVR, and free ad-supported channels. If those matter more than bandwidth and price, Plex may suit you better today.
Price
Plex: Remote Watch Pass $2.99/month or $29.99/year for each person watching remotely. Plex Pass $6.99/month, $69.99/year, $249.99 for 5 years or $749.99 lifetime for hardware transcoding, downloads and more.
Silux Media: Free forever when self-hosted — including remote streaming and the full low-bandwidth engine. Optional Plus £2.99/mo for the whole household, Pro £4.99/mo, Cloud from £14.99/mo.
Feature by feature: Silux Media and Plex
| Feature | Silux Media | Plex |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted media server | Free | Free |
| Stream your own media remotely | Free | Paid (Plex Pass or Remote Watch Pass) |
| Managed remote access — no router setup | Plus £2.99/mo for the whole household | |
| Hardware transcoding | Free | Paid |
| Data per hour at 1080p (same quality)Measured live — see /bandwidth | ≈ 1.0 GB | ≈ 2.7 GB |
| Built for 1–2 Mbps connections | ||
| Quality adapts every few seconds as your line changesJellyfin/Emby keep one bitrate per transcode session (measured) | ||
| Never exceeds the bandwidth you pickOthers overshot their own caps in our tests | ||
| AV1 + Opus streaming | ||
| Skip Intro and Skip Credits | Free | Plex Pass |
| Watch together (synced playback)Plex removed Watch Together from its new apps in 2025 | Free, every app | Web app only |
| Offline downloads, incl. smaller copies | Free | Plex Pass |
| Live TV and recording from a TV aerial tuner or your TV provider | Free | Plex Pass |
| DLNA server for TVs and consoles | Free | |
| PIN-protected folders, enforced by the server | Free | |
| Ads in the app | Never | Ad-supported free channels |
| Optional fully managed cloud server | From £14.99/mo | |
| Open source |
Switching from Plex
Point Silux Media at the same folders Plex uses — your files stay exactly where they are, and you can run both side by side while you try it. Prefer a hand? Our managed migration service moves everything for you.