Plex
Plays the films and shows on your own Plex server, with an official Linux desktop app and server.
Our verdict
Plex works on Linux and you keep your existing account. The desktop player is published by Plex itself on the Snap Store, and Plex Media Server has Linux builds too.
Nothing about your library changes. Sign in and the same films, shows and music appear, with the same watched marks, because all of that lives on the server rather than on the Windows machine. If the server is the computer you are switching, Plex runs it on Linux as well.
There is also a Flathub build. It is a community package rather than one Plex maintains, so if you want the version the company stands behind, take the Snap Store one. Playing your own files is free, and the extras that need a Plex Pass are the same extras that need one on Windows.
What's good
- Official Linux desktop app from Plex, published by the company on the Snap Store
- Plex Media Server also runs on Linux, so the machine holding your files can switch too
- Your library, watch history and account are the same ones you use on Windows
- Free to use for your own files on your own network
What to know first
- Not open source, and some features need a paid Plex Pass
- The Flathub version is a community package rather than one Plex publishes
- Smooth playback of very large files depends on the machine doing the work
The details
- Cost
- Free with paid extras
- Open source
- No (Proprietary)
- How you install it
- App store (Snap), App store (Flatpak)
Windows apps it can replace
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