Last updated Oct 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown#
The total cost of this stack depends mainly on one decision: Plex or Jellyfin.
Everything else is open source and free: Sonarr, Radarr, Prowlarr, SABnzbd, and Seerr.
Plex vs Jellyfin: the cost difference#
Jellyfin is fully free. All features, including hardware transcoding and remote access, are included at no cost.
Plex is free for basic local streaming, but the features you need for a proper multi-user setup require Plex Pass: hardware transcoding and remote access outside your home.
| Plex | Jellyfin | |
|---|---|---|
| Media server software | Free (hardware transcoding locked) | Free (all features included) |
| Hardware transcoding | Plex Pass required | Included |
| Remote streaming | Plex Pass required | Included (needs reverse proxy) |
| Plex Pass monthly | $6.99/month | — |
| Plex Pass annual | $69.99/year | — |
| Plex Pass lifetime | $749.99 (was $249.99 before July 1, 2026) | — |
At $749.99, the lifetime pass takes about eleven years to pay off against the $69.99 annual plan, so the annual plan is usually cheaper unless you plan to run Plex for a decade or more. If you do not want to pay for either, Jellyfin gives you the same capabilities for free.
Usenet provider#
Both Plex and Jellyfin setups use the same download stack. The only ongoing cost for either option is the Usenet provider.
This documentation uses Newshosting as the primary provider.
| Plan | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newshosting starter deal | $23/year (~$1.92/month) | Includes EasyNews free for one year |
| Newshosting standard | ~$10–15/month | Full unlimited plan |
The starter deal covers a home setup easily. Check the Providers page for the current promo link.
First-year totals#
| Setup | Year 1 | Ongoing (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Jellyfin + Newshosting starter | ~$23 | ~$23/year |
| Plex (annual Pass) + Newshosting starter | ~$93 | ~$93/year |
| Plex (lifetime Pass, current price) + Newshosting starter | ~$273 one-time, then ~$23/year | ~$23/year after |
| Plex (lifetime Pass, future price) + Newshosting starter | ~$773 one-time, then ~$23/year | ~$23/year after |
If long-term cost is the deciding factor, Jellyfin has no ongoing software cost. Plex lifetime at the current price ($749.99) breaks even with the annual plan in about 11 years. Before July 1, 2026 it was $249.99, which broke even in about 3.5 years.
What you do not pay for#
- Sonarr, Radarr, Prowlarr, SABnzbd, Seerr: all free and open source
- Cloudflare Tunnels for remote access: free tier is sufficient for this use case
- Proxmox VE: free to use (subscription is optional, only required for enterprise support)
- Docker: free
The hardware (server, disks, GPU) is a one-time cost covered in the Prerequisites page.