Software · head to head
Pluto TV vs Emby
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Pluto TV pluto TV is entirely ad-supported free streaming with no paid tier, available in a stated list of regions including the US, Canada, Latin America, Brazil, Germany/Switzerland/Austria, UK, Spain, France, Norway, Sweden, Italy and Denmark (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024); Emby hardware accelerated transcoding requires Emby Premiere, so a server GPU sits unused without a subscription
- They diverge on capability: Pluto TV covers Live TV channels, Emby covers Personal media server.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Pluto TV and Emby actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Pluto TV
- Live TV channels
- Movies
- TV shows
- Recommendations
- Account management
- Roku support
- Fire-tv support
Only in Emby
- Personal media server
- Library management
- Sync
- Remote access
- Mobile devices
- User management
- Remote access controls
- Desktop support
Both cover
- Streaming
- Smart TVs
- Streaming devices
- Parental controls
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
- Smart-tv support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Pluto TV
- Free streamingnot Emby
- Live TVnot Emby
- On-demand contentnot Emby
Emby
- Running a personal media server for films, television and musicnot Pluto TV
- Streaming a home library to phones, tablets and televisionsnot Pluto TV
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Pluto TV
- Pluto TV is entirely ad-supported free streaming with no paid tier, available in a stated list of regions including the US, Canada, Latin America, Brazil, Germany/Switzerland/Austria, UK, Spain, France, Norway, Sweden, Italy and Denmark (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Pluto TV
Free- FreeFree
- Full content
- Live channels
- Ad-supported
Emby
Free- FreeFree
- Media server
- Local streaming
- Premiere$4.99/month
- Cloud sync
- Remote access
- Sync to devices
Which should you pick?
Choose Pluto TV if
- You need live tv channels.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
- You also want movies.
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 library management.
Questions people ask
- Is Pluto TV or Emby better?
- Neither clearly leads. Pluto TV starts at Free and Emby at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Pluto TV or Emby?
- Pluto TV starts at Free and Emby at Free.
- Does Pluto TV or Emby run on more platforms?
- Pluto TV runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv. Emby runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Desktop.
- Can I use Pluto TV for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Pluto TV best used for?
- Pluto TV is most often used for free streaming, live tv, on-demand content. Of those, free streaming and live tv are not what Emby is typically brought in for.
- What can Pluto TV do that Emby cannot?
- Pluto TV covers Live TV channels, Movies, TV shows, Recommendations. Emby covers Personal media server, Library management, Sync, Remote access. Both handle Streaming, Smart TVs, Streaming devices, Parental controls.