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Jellyfin vs Transistor

Jellyfin logo

Jellyfin

Software

The free software media system

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Transistor logo

Transistor

Software

Professional podcast hosting for businesses and creators

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Jellyfin has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Jellyfin jellyfin is free open source software under the GNU GPL with no paid tier or vendor support contract available; Transistor starter plan at $19 per month caps monthly downloads at 20,000
  • They diverge on capability: Jellyfin covers Media server, Transistor covers Unlimited podcasts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Jellyfin and Transistor actually diverge.

Attributes where Jellyfin and Transistor differ
AttributeJellyfinTransistor
Starting priceFree$19/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Desktop, DockerWeb

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2018).

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 Jellyfin

  • Media server
  • Streaming
  • Library management
  • Open source
  • Self-hosted
  • Smart TVs
  • Streaming devices
  • Mobile devices

Only in Transistor

  • Unlimited podcasts
  • Private podcasting
  • Advanced analytics
  • Team collaboration
  • Custom branding
  • API access
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Jellyfin

  • Open-source media streamingnot Transistor
  • Self-hosted librarynot Transistor

Transistor

  • Hosting and distributing multiple podcasts from one accountnot Jellyfin
  • Running private, subscriber-only podcast feedsnot Jellyfin
  • Publishing podcast websites and inserting dynamic audio adsnot Jellyfin

Where each one falls short

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

Jellyfin

  • Jellyfin is free open source software under the GNU GPL with no paid tier or vendor support contract available

Transistor

  • Starter plan at $19 per month caps monthly downloads at 20,000
  • Private podcast subscribers are capped at 50 on Starter and 500 on Professional
  • Dynamic ad insertion and auto-posting to YouTube require the $49 per month Professional plan or higher
  • Removing Transistor branding requires the $99 per month Business plan
  • Enterprise plans above 250,000 monthly downloads start at $199 per month and require contacting the vendor

Pricing, plan by plan

Jellyfin

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited streaming
    • Open source
    • No ads

Transistor

$19/month
  • Starter$19/month
    • Unlimited podcasts
    • 10,000 downloads/month
    • Basic analytics
  • Professional$49/month
    • Unlimited podcasts
    • 50,000 downloads/month
    • Advanced analytics
  • Business$99/month
    • Unlimited podcasts
    • 150,000 downloads/month
    • Full analytics
  • Enterprise$199/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • 300,000+ downloads
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Jellyfin if

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

Choose Transistor if

  • You need unlimited podcasts.
  • You also want private podcasting.
Transistor review

Questions people ask

Is Jellyfin or Transistor better?
Neither clearly leads. Jellyfin starts at Free and Transistor at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Jellyfin or Transistor?
Jellyfin has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Jellyfin and $19/month for Transistor.
Does Jellyfin or Transistor run on more platforms?
Jellyfin runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Desktop, Docker. Transistor runs on Web.
Can I use Jellyfin for free?
Yes. Jellyfin has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Transistor starts at $19/month.
What is Jellyfin best used for?
Jellyfin is most often used for open-source media streaming, self-hosted library. Of those, open-source media streaming and self-hosted library are not what Transistor is typically brought in for.
What can Jellyfin do that Transistor cannot?
Jellyfin covers Media server, Streaming, Library management, Open source. Transistor covers Unlimited podcasts, Private podcasting, Advanced analytics, Team collaboration. Both handle Web support.
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