Quven or Jellyfin: two free media servers compared

Jellyfin and Quven are both free media servers you run at home, and both include hardware transcoding and remote access you set up yourself at no cost. Quven is a self-hosted media server by Quven Technologies S.R.L., free for personal use, and it builds in what Jellyfin leaves to third-party scripts and plugins. We read Jellyfin’s pages on 7 October 2026, just after Jellyfin 12.2 came out, and every Quven entry below is what the current release does, while the comparison with Plex and Emby covers the paid servers.

What do Jellyfin and Quven both give away?

Jellyfin’s home page says there are “no costs, hidden or otherwise”, transcoding on a graphics card included, and Quven makes the same promise for personal use. Neither server shows advertising, so the real question is how much of everything else you would have to assemble yourself.

Built in or added on: the comparison

	Quven	Jellyfin 12.2
Hardware transcoding	Free on every plan	Free
Remote access you set up yourself	Free on every plan	Free
Reaching the server with no open port	Managed relay, with Pro	Not built in
Watch history and playlists from Plex	Built-in import, free	Third-party scripts
A subtitle written from the audio	Built in, with Pro	Third-party plugin
One sign-in for several servers	Quven Account, free	Users local to each server

Every gap on the right can be filled, although someone has to look after the script or plugin through each update.

Why does remote access take more work on Jellyfin?

Because nothing sits between your server and the internet unless you put it there. That’s by design. Jellyfin’s networking page says: “Since Jellyfin is entirely self-hosted, you must manually expose it to the internet.” Your options:

• Forward the port straight through, which is marked “not recommended!”.
• A VPN into your network, or a reverse proxy where HTTPS belongs, since it’s off by default.

That’s a sound path if you already run it, and Quven keeps it open on every plan. What if your connection has no inbound route at all? Mobile broadband and plenty of fibre lines sit behind carrier-grade NAT, where no router setting helps, and Quven’s Pro plan adds a managed relay that reaches your server through it (guide, how the relay works).

What does a plugin cost you when the server updates?

Jellyfin lists WhisperSubs, which writes subtitles from the audio, among its third-party plugins, and the cost shows at upgrade time: the 12.0 release notes of 8 September 2026 say installed repository plugins “should also be removed before migrating”.

In Quven the same job is part of the server and updates with it: with Pro you choose the audio track and Whisper writes timed text on your own hardware, with the audio staying on the machine (guide). Max adds the cue editor and translation, which can start from a Blu-ray or DVD picture subtitle.

Can I try Quven without giving up Jellyfin?

Yes. A scan renames and moves nothing, so both servers can read the same folders, and nothing has to be switched off while you compare them:

1. Point Quven at the folders Jellyfin already reads.
2. Open the import card under Settings, on the Import tab.
3. Enter the Jellyfin server’s address and an API key from the Jellyfin dashboard, then pick the account.
4. Read the report of what matched before a single entry is written.

Quven brings across what that account has watched, with collections and playlists, and only reads. The same import handles Plex, which Jellyfin’s migration page leaves to “third-party scripts” (guide).

One account for every server you run

Jellyfin’s users page says “Jellyfin users are entirely local”, so a second server at a relative’s house means a second set of accounts. A Quven Account signs you in to every server you link, and a film’s progress follows you between them along with your ratings and watchlist.

Why choose Quven now?

The plans page lists the nine capabilities that stay free whatever else changes. Download Quven, run it beside Jellyfin on the same folders and bring your history across before you decide anything, because the free plan has no time limit, the import only reads, and nothing on the Jellyfin side has to change until you’ve seen both servers play your own films. If you keep it, Lifetime is every Max capability for one payment.

Frequently asked questions