Self-hosting got tiring, so I swapped Plex and Jellyfin for this sideloaded streaming app

After dedicating two years to setting up and maintaining a Plex and Jellyfin server, the author began to tire of the time-consuming upkeep. The author compared the two popular self-hosted media server platforms frequently, but discovered Stremio, an open-source alternative, which offered a simpler way to access their media. Stremio sideloaded onto the author's Google TV prioritized providing content to watch without requiring the author to manage the underlying infrastructure.

With its add-on system, Stremio could integrate various content sources, ensuring metadata, thumbnails, and subtitles remained intact without requiring additional storage on the media server. While not every movie and show available on Stremio is guaranteed, the app's streamlined interface and ease of use made it an appealing option for those who value convenience over curating a pristine library.

To maintain access to their existing Jellyfin library, the author used the Jellio+ community project, which bridged their Jellyfin library to Stremio. The Stremio-Jellyfin integration add-on allowed the author to select which libraries to include, without permanently installing their media server. Stremio enhanced the author's viewing experience by making content discovery more effortless, while still preserving the benefits of their self-hosted setup, such as managing their server and storage, and accessing their personal media library through Jellyfin.