Introduction to Plex

So what is Plex anyway?

You can think of Plex as a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu that is operated by someone you know instead of a huge company. What this means is that they have complete control over what content is available, and can often obtain shows and movies that you're looking for (even if they aren't available on other streaming platforms).

Is Plex free?

Server owners typically provide access to close friends and family only and don't charge for it.

Many server operators do pay a monthly or yearly fee for some additional features known as Plex Pass¹ from the company that makes the Plex software. This helps to support ongoing efforts to make the Plex software better.

Additionally, Plex servers are a significant investment for the owner. The server hardware and storage devices are expensive to obtain and can be difficult to maintain and operate.

As a viewer, you can connect to and watch content on Plex servers for free through the Plex.tv website. However, viewing on the website often requires that the server transcode the media for you (more on that later). By using a Plex player that's specific to your hardware and platform, you'll get a better playback experience.

Is Plex legal?

Plex is just a collection of software encompassing servers and clients. Plex itself is perfectly legal.

You can use Plex to stream content anywhere without worrying about copyright notices or the need to use a VPN or other means to hide your traffic.

How does all of this stuff work?

I run multiple servers from my home that provides Plex, Jellyseerr, and all of the backend services that help everything download and process smoothly. If you want more information on the logistics of my setup, you can check out the Additional Info (for nerds) page

Footnotes

1. I have purchased a Lifetime Plex Pass, so I do not have any recurring costs for my server apart from electricity, internet, and the cost of maintaining my server (e.g., replacing/upgrading hard drives). ↩