this post was submitted on 01 May 2025
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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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[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 month ago (4 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.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It's all great until they eventually revoke your lifetime pass too and make it a subscription. If you think corporations won't do something scummy like that I have a bridge to sell to you.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Call me when it happens. Until then, that’s just speculation masquerading as a justification.

My lifetime pass from 2017 for $100 still works just the same as the day I bought it. I’m almost down to $1 per month for my overall costs. It’s ludicrously cheap compared to other entertainment options.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The thing is, a the length of a lifetime license isn't defined by law.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago (1 children)

So? How does that change my perceived value of the product I’m using today?

“They could change your license tomorrow!!!111!1”.

Ok. And then at that point I look for alternatives. I guess I don’t understand the rage at whatever future possibility you are sure is going to happen any second now.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Then your so called lifetime license of 150 bucks is worthless, all your efforts you will no longer be able to enjoy.

You are enabling this enshitification!

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 month ago

“If you buy this product that might potentially change at some point in the future in a specific way that I can’t definitively say will occur but will absolutely be BAD(tm), you’re enabling the very change I totally said would occur and you’re out your money!”

I bought in 2017. How exactly is my continued use of a purchased product enabling anything? As a Plex Pass user, this does not impact me, or anyone I share with, in any way.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago (1 children)

“My concert ticket from last night is worthless!”

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

Because the concert was canceled just as you were queuing up.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)

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!

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago

If you don’t want the centralized auth, then yes, find a solution that works for your needs. Glad you were able to.

I didn’t like that auth change, but stuck with it and long-term overall it’s been a non-issue for me and my users. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a deal-breaker for others.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

So then all the users of your server are fine, as the email states.

EDIT: Downvote if you want but that’s literally the fourth paragraph of the email you posted.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Even if I wasn't a Plex pass holder, they're removing functionality. How do you not see that that is unacceptable? If they need income they can add new functionality that's paid but this is something that was free before, and is now no longer free. Worse yet, it's my server, I don't know how they need 7 dollars a month for any infrastructure they have to support it when I do the heavy compute and streaming myself.

It's absolutely just greedy. They could have charged for that new UI they released. Or any new feature. They're charging for things that either cost them pennies, or worse yet probably nothing.

And we're not even talking about how with my Plex pass they're still getting emails pushing them to join and how scummy that is

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I could see how you could see that, but previously if you weren’t a Plex Pass holder, you had to pay a one time fee to activate the Plex app to steam for more than 60 seconds (IIRC) remotely. How is this any different? If anything, it makes it cheaper because of the server owner is a Plex Pass holder, none of their users need to pay anything, versus today where it’s $5 per device unless you’re in a Plex Home covered by a Plex Pass.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

what's cheaper is leaving the platform that's trying to shakedown my users for $7 a month for a service that has been free for them for years. If they couldn't tell the difference, then they shouldn't have sent the email.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

what's cheaper is leaving the platform that's trying to shakedown my users for $7 a month for a service that has been free for them for years. If they couldn't tell the difference, then they shouldn't have sent the email.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

Or they can still just pay the $5 permanent activation in Google Play or Apple App Store. You know, the same one they’ve always needed.

https://support.plex.tv/articles/203868088-unlocking-or-activating-plex-for-android/

All the Remote Pass gets you is streaming from any Plex server you have access to, independent of if the server owner has a Plex Pass. If the server owner does, the remote streaming user doesn’t need to buy anything.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago

“Just hand over your money because otherwise you don’t deserve these features”

If you really like the software, find a way to contribute however you can.

Walled gardens and greed are value destroying.