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Emby vs Toon Boom Harmony

Emby logo

Emby

Entertainment

Your personal entertainment server

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Toon Boom Harmony logo

Toon Boom Harmony

Video Production

Creating worlds of Animation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Emby has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Emby hardware accelerated transcoding requires Emby Premiere, so a server GPU sits unused without a subscription; Toon Boom Harmony licensing is subscription only across Essentials, Advanced and Premium tiers, with no perpetual license option offered on the pricing page

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Emby and Toon Boom Harmony actually diverge.

Attributes where Emby and Toon Boom Harmony differ
AttributeEmbyToon Boom Harmony
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, DesktopWeb
CategoryEntertainmentVideo Production
Founded2014Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Emby

  • Personal media server
  • Streaming
  • Library management
  • Sync
  • Remote access
  • Smart TVs
  • Streaming devices
  • Mobile devices

Only in Toon Boom Harmony

Nothing recorded that Emby does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Emby

  • Running a personal media server for films, television and musicnot Toon Boom Harmony
  • Streaming a home library to phones, tablets and televisionsnot Toon Boom Harmony

Toon Boom Harmony

  • Traditional frame by frame animation productionnot Emby
  • Cut-out character animation with rigsnot Emby
  • Studio animation pipelines on the Premium editionnot Emby

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Emby

  • Hardware accelerated transcoding requires Emby Premiere, so a server GPU sits unused without a subscription
  • The mobile, Fire TV, Xbox and PlayStation apps need Premiere for full access, with only basic playback unlockable per app
  • Offline downloads to phones and tablets are Premiere only
  • Premiere is $4.99 a month or $54 a year, with a lifetime option at $119

Toon Boom Harmony

  • Licensing is subscription only across Essentials, Advanced and Premium tiers, with no perpetual license option offered on the pricing page
  • Access beyond the 14 day free trial requires purchasing a subscription through the shop

Pricing, plan by plan

Emby

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Media server
    • Local streaming
  • Premiere$4.99/month
    • Cloud sync
    • Remote access
    • Sync to devices

Toon Boom Harmony

On request
  • Harmony Essentials$null/month
    • Fundamental drawing, painting, and animation tools
    • Designed for enthusiasts
  • Harmony Advanced$null/month
    • Full traditional, paperless style animation
    • Simple cut-out style animation
    • Designed for students and professional animators and studios
  • Harmony Premium$null/month
    • Sophisticated cut-out rigs
    • Natural and realistic character movement
    • Unlimited special effects for any style of animation

Which should you pick?

Choose Emby if

  • You need personal media server.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Desktop.
  • You also want streaming.
Emby review

Choose Toon Boom Harmony if

Nothing in the data separates Toon Boom Harmony from Emby on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Toon Boom Harmony review

Questions people ask

Is Emby or Toon Boom Harmony better?
Neither clearly leads. Emby starts at Free and Toon Boom Harmony at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Emby or Toon Boom Harmony?
Emby has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Emby and On request for Toon Boom Harmony.
Does Emby or Toon Boom Harmony run on more platforms?
Emby runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Desktop. Toon Boom Harmony runs on Web.
Can I use Emby for free?
Yes. Emby has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Toon Boom Harmony starts at On request.
What is Emby best used for?
Emby is most often used for running a personal media server for films, television and music, streaming a home library to phones, tablets and televisions. Of those, running a personal media server for films, television and music and streaming a home library to phones, tablets and televisions are not what Toon Boom Harmony is typically brought in for.
What can Emby do that Toon Boom Harmony cannot?
Emby covers Personal media server, Streaming, Library management, Sync.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Emby: How much does Emby cost?

Emby does not publish pricing information on its website. The service mentions Emby Premiere as an optional premium tier with bonus features including mobile downloads and hardware accelerated transcoding, but no cost is specified.

Source
Toon Boom Harmony: What tiers are available for Toon Boom Harmony?

Toon Boom Harmony is available in three subscription editions: Essentials (with fundamental drawing and painting tools for enthusiasts), Advanced (with full traditional and simple cut-out animation for students and professionals), and Premium (with sophisticated cut-out rigs and unlimited special effects, recommended for studios and educational institutions).

Source
Toon Boom Harmony: What does the Harmony Premium tier add?

The Harmony Premium tier adds sophisticated cut-out rigs, very natural and realistic character movement, and unlimited special effects for any animation style. It is recommended for professional studios, freelancers, and educational institutions, whereas Advanced is more suited for students and professional animators.

Source
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