this post was submitted on 01 May 2025

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That's all folks, Plex is starting to charge for sharing (poptalk.scrubbles.tech)

submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech to c/plex@lemmy.ca

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I was just forwarded this someone in my household who watches our server. That's it folks. I've been a hold out for a long time, but this is honestly it.

They want me to pay to stream content that I bought from my hardware transcoded also on my hardware.

I'll say it. As of today, I say Plex is dead. Luckily I've been setting up Jellyfin, I guess it's time to make it production ready.

Edit I have a Plex Pass. More comments saying "Just buy a plex pass" are seriously not getting it. I have a Plex Pass and my users are still getting this.

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[–] i_stole_ur_taco@lemmy.ca 9 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I have a Plex Pass and my users are still getting this.

To be crystal clear to anyone getting this email: if the server admin has a Plex Pass, users need to do nothing to continue as normal. The streaming pass is only for users who aren’t connecting to a server that has a Plex Pass.

What I find shitty about this is that it’s being indiscriminately sent to every Plex account. There’s bound to be lots of people who don’t understand what this means who will be tricked into buying a streaming pass they don’t need at all. I’ve been getting messages from my users all day asking wtf is going on, and I’m getting tired of trying to convince them to just ignore the email.

[–] scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

That's where my head was. If anything, it threw all of my users into a panic, thinking that they had to suddenly start paying. I had a couple immediately uninstall the apps. I don't blame them, the way it was worded it was pretty much pushing them that they had to. Plex undid years worth of trust right there with them.

[–] sugarfoot00@lemmy.ca 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

What gets me is that they didn't message plex pass holders about this first. I would have gladly let my users know that they need to do nothing. Instead I'm fielding all kinds of panicked messages.

[–] scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Same. Their wording was obviously meant to push them into just buying the membership. They chose language that sounded like you have to buy it ~or talk to your server admin~.

It should have been "Talk with your server owner, <> to see if you need to purchase a subscription or not". Language like that would be very clear - but they chose not to do that.

Or even better. <>, which is ran by <> already has a plex pass subscription, you can continue watching without a subscription! Gee, how nice that would have been.

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[–] Kyle@lemmy.ca 9 points 6 months ago (1 children)

In case people aren't clear on what's happening, here is a graphic that illustrates what's happening.

[–] WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I have never used plex, and never will because I like my privacy, but that 20 usd a year does not sound much. thats less than 2 usd a month

[–] cloud_herder@lemmy.world 5 points 6 months ago

I bought a lifetime plex pass for like $80 in 2016… is Plex getting more annoying? Yes. But is this a huge affront? No.

[–] masterspace@lemmy.ca 1 points 6 months ago

People are angry because everyone's spent too much time on social media and are used to assuming the worst and flying off the handle.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 4 points 6 months ago (16 children)

jellyfin noises intensify

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[–] ClydapusGotwald@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Your users can still stream your content because you have plex pass. This is just notifying everyone who’s on a free account.

[–] RupeThereItIs@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

How is that better? Why is anyone paying to stream your own content?

[–] CaptPretentious@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Because we should support developers.

[–] TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago

You're right. We should support developers.

Here's Jellyfin's 'How to Contribute' page.

The $90 million in venture capital can nourish the leeches at Plex just fine.

[–] DmMacniel@feddit.org 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (2 children)

They can just adjust their pricing like that without a warning before hand? Who do they think they are?

Sad to see Plex becoming another target of enshittification.

enjoy intro pricing on a Remote Watch Pass

why would someone enjoy paying for what was free?!

[–] masterspace@lemmy.ca 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

They announced this ahead of time. I got the email. They gave everyone a heads up with enough time to buy a lifetime Plex pass at the previous rate.

[–] scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 1 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Right? Absolutely ludicrous. I can't get over how they can be so arrogant to think they deserve money for that. It's core functionality that existed before they forked off of emby. They didn't even write that code. Then they have no infrastructure for it, because it transcodes and streams from my server over my network. Any infrastructure they have in that process is nothing I wanted (looking at the auth that for some reason needs to phone home).

No, this is too far, I'm officially leaving Plex.

[–] DmMacniel@feddit.org 1 points 6 months ago (4 children)

And Jellyfin shall welcome you with open sourcey arms.

add some wireguard leases so that you can share access to it with your friends, and presto :)

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[–] masterspace@lemmy.ca 0 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (30 children)

Incorrect.

They are not charging for local streaming on your network. They are just charging for remote streaming, something that wasn't part of emby, does use their servers and network bandwidth, and chews up a huge amount of development time.

For comparison, do let us all know which media server youre jumping to that supports secure and seamless remote streaming across a wide variety of devices and ecosystems

Just buy a lifetime Plex Pass and pay for the software you use. If you had years ago this wouldn't be a problem and you literally would not notice that money being gone at this point.

$150 to perpetually operate a media server with free software updates is a ridiculous deal.

[–] DmMacniel@feddit.org 0 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (2 children)

You know what's a bigger deal? Zero bucks (but please donate to jellyfin as it's only fair) when you already have your server from which Plex streams your content from and add Wireguard for remote access.

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[–] rickyrigatoni@lemm.ee 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

"Yes they are your files on your hardware in your home using your internet bandwitdh. But uh... fuck you."

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[–] LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.ee 1 points 6 months ago

Yeah if I didn't buy lifetime pass for like $50 years and years ago I'd be done with Plex probably.

[–] dirtycrow@programming.dev 0 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

the people giving their bandwidth away for free now want money to pay their bills?

To clarify, I disagree with needing an account (sharing my email) with Plex in the first place, and personally would not purchase what is essentially a CDN or VPN depending on how plex distributes your content to your end users. However, from these comments it seems like this was a free service they offered and now want money for it, because it is not profitable. Enshittification? Sure, but not unexpected. Apparently this doesn’t affect you if you stream locally either.

This does complicate things though since now users have to consider paying a subscription for network security or begin distributing OpenVPN configurations to people. In some cases it won’t be possible, like on your TV.

I’ll share my secret: configure your VPN so only select traffic is sent down it and if you’re on iOS, AirPlay it to the television if it supports it. Or you can connect a raspberry pi up to it.

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[–] hydrashok@sh.itjust.works 0 points 6 months ago (11 children)

Just buy a Plex Pass, damn. If you really like the software and it does everything you want, but you just want all the features for free then move to Emby or Jellyfin or whatever. I do hear Emby and Jellyfin have some good qualities but I haven’t tried them myself.

Personally, the lifetime Plex Pass was one of my best purchases ever, but if you’re against paying for it, then you do you.

[–] deegeese@sopuli.xyz 0 points 6 months ago

Plex requiring a centralized accounts for self hosting was the bullshit I needed to move to Jellyfin and I never looked back.

Charging to share your own content? Hah!

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[–] webghost0101@sopuli.xyz 0 points 6 months ago (3 children)

Been using Jellyfin since plex started to annoy me for using it without an account.

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