PlayOn Cloud

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to PlayOn Cloud

A curated collection of the 14 best self hosted alternatives to PlayOn Cloud.

Cloud DVR that records streaming video from supported services into cloud-stored MP4 files for download and offline playback. Features include ad-skipping, device sync, scheduled/auto-downloads, quality options (SD/HD/1080p) and credit-based recording.

Alternatives List

#1
Cobalt

Cobalt

Cobalt is a self-hostable web media downloader for saving publicly accessible videos and audio from supported social platforms via a simple paste-a-link interface and API.

Cobalt screenshot

Cobalt is a web-based media downloader designed to fetch files from publicly accessible content on supported social platforms. It provides a simple paste-a-link workflow via a clean web UI and also exposes an API for integrations.

Key Features

  • Download publicly accessible media by URL (video and audio, depending on the source)
  • Web UI plus a dedicated API service (monorepo includes frontend and backend)
  • No ads or tracking, with a minimal, fast user experience
  • Proxy-style streaming approach and no server-side content caching by default
  • Instance configuration via environment variables, suited for self-hosted deployments

Use Cases

  • Save personal copies of public videos or audio for offline viewing/listening
  • Provide a simple internal “download by link” tool for a team or household
  • Integrate media fetching into other tools via the API (automation or archival workflows)

Limitations and Considerations

  • Intended for downloading only free, publicly accessible content; access-controlled or paid content is not supported
  • Platform compatibility can change as third-party sites update their behavior

Cobalt is a focused, low-friction downloader that pairs a straightforward web interface with an API for programmatic use. It is best suited for users who want a fast, privacy-respecting way to save public media without unnecessary complexity.

38.2kstars
3.1kforks
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#2
Sonarr

Sonarr

Sonarr is a smart PVR for TV series that monitors RSS/indexers, grabs releases via Usenet or BitTorrent clients, and organizes your library with renaming and upgrades.

Sonarr screenshot

Sonarr is a smart PVR and automation service for managing TV series downloads via Usenet and BitTorrent. It monitors indexers and feeds for new episodes, sends downloads to clients, and keeps your library organized and up to date.

Key Features

  • Monitors RSS feeds and indexers to automatically detect new episodes
  • Searches for missing episodes by scanning existing libraries
  • Quality profiles and automatic upgrades when better releases become available
  • Failed download handling with automatic retries on alternate releases
  • Configurable episode naming and sorting for consistent libraries
  • Integrations with download clients (e.g., SABnzbd, NZBGet) and media servers (e.g., Plex, Kodi) via notifications and library updates
  • Supports specials and multi-episode releases
  • Web-based UI and API for automation and integrations

Use Cases

  • Automate TV series downloads and organization for a home media server
  • Maintain consistent naming and folder structures across a large TV library
  • Continuously upgrade existing episodes to preferred quality profiles

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires external indexers and download clients to fetch content
  • Correct filesystem permissions are important to avoid import/rename issues

Sonarr is a mature automation tool commonly used in media server setups to keep TV libraries complete, neatly organized, and aligned with preferred quality settings. It fits well alongside download clients and media server software for end-to-end automation.

13.1kstars
1.7kforks
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#3
Tube Archivist

Tube Archivist

Tube Archivist is a self-hosted YouTube media server to download, index, search, and watch your archived videos with subscriptions and watch status tracking.

Tube Archivist screenshot

Tube Archivist is a self-hosted application for archiving YouTube content and browsing it like a personal media library. It downloads videos, stores metadata, and provides a web interface to search and play your offline collection.

Key Features

  • Subscribe to YouTube channels and periodically rescan for new videos
  • Download videos via yt-dlp and manage a download queue
  • Index video metadata and enable fast full-text search via Elasticsearch
  • Web UI for playback and library browsing
  • Track watched/unwatched status for your archive
  • Optional integrations such as a companion browser extension and media-server plugins

Use Cases

  • Build a personal offline YouTube library for long-term archiving
  • Maintain searchable collections for research, tutorials, or education
  • Centralize family or team viewing from a shared server

Limitations and Considerations

  • Playback compatibility depends on the chosen codecs and browser support
  • Any download/extraction limitations of yt-dlp also apply
  • Limited flexibility in the naming of downloaded media files

Tube Archivist is well-suited for users who want ownership of their YouTube collection with strong search and library management. It combines automated downloading, indexing, and a convenient playback UI into a single stack.

7.4kstars
350forks
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#4
Pinchflat

Pinchflat

Self-hosted YouTube media manager that automates downloads from channels and playlists using rules, storing files on disk for Plex/Jellyfin/Kodi or archiving.

Pinchflat screenshot

Pinchflat is a self-hosted web app for managing and automating downloads of YouTube content. It uses yt-dlp under the hood, runs as a lightweight single-container service, and saves media to disk for use with external players or media servers.

Key Features

  • Rule-based downloading from YouTube channels and playlists with periodic checks for new content
  • Flexible naming and directory templates to organize files to your preferences
  • Web UI with presets for quick setup and day-to-day management
  • Supports audio-only downloads and handling rules for Shorts and livestreams
  • Integration options for media centers such as Plex, Jellyfin, and Kodi via local files
  • Optional RSS feed endpoints for podcast apps
  • Notifications via Apprise
  • SponsorBlock integration
  • Advanced options for custom yt-dlp arguments and lifecycle scripts
  • Optional retention controls such as scheduled re-downloads and automatic deletion of old media

Use Cases

  • Build and maintain an offline archive of channels or playlists
  • Keep a media server library updated with newly published YouTube content
  • Generate audio feeds for podcast-style consumption in a podcast app

Limitations and Considerations

  • Not intended for watching content in-app; it focuses on downloading and organizing files on disk
  • SQLite performance and reliability can be impacted if the config directory is placed on certain network shares

Pinchflat is a good fit when you want hands-off, rules-driven YouTube downloading with predictable file organization. It prioritizes a simple deployment model and interoperability with existing media workflows.

4.4kstars
112forks
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#5
TubeSync

TubeSync

TubeSync is a YouTube PVR that automatically indexes channels or playlists, downloads new videos, and updates Plex or Jellyfin with organized local media.

TubeSync screenshot

TubeSync is a personal video recorder (PVR) for YouTube that continuously syncs channels and playlists to local storage. It wraps yt-dlp and FFmpeg behind a simple web interface and scheduled task system, aiming for a hands-off “set and forget” workflow.

Key Features

  • Monitors YouTube channels and playlists on a schedule and downloads new media automatically
  • Separates audio-only and video media into dedicated folders for cleaner library organization
  • Integrates with Plex and Jellyfin to refresh libraries after downloads complete
  • Flexible format/quality selection driven by yt-dlp, with FFmpeg handling media processing
  • Automatic retries with back-off timers for improved reliability during temporary failures
  • Web-based administration UI, with optional basic HTTP authentication via environment variables

Use Cases

  • Build a local, offline-accessible library of favorite YouTube channels in Plex or Jellyfin
  • Archive playlists (e.g., educational series or music) with consistent quality settings
  • Run a lightweight YouTube “Sonarr-like” workflow for households or homelab media servers

Limitations and Considerations

  • Focused on recurring channel/playlist syncing; it is not designed for one-off single video downloads
  • Indexing very large channels too frequently can cause excessive crawling and may lead to throttling
  • The web UI is intentionally minimal and avoids JavaScript, so it does not provide a download progress bar

TubeSync is well-suited for users who want automated, repeatable YouTube downloads with media-server integration. It emphasizes scheduling, reliable retries, and predictable file organization to keep libraries up to date with minimal manual effort.

2.6kstars
147forks
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#6
ErsatzTV

ErsatzTV

ErsatzTV is an open-source media server that creates scheduled, EPG-driven IPTV-style channels from local libraries or Plex/Jellyfin/Emby, with hardware transcoding and M3U/XMLTV output.

ErsatzTV screenshot

ErsatzTV transforms a personal media library into scheduled, live TV-style channels with Electronic Program Guide (EPG) support and standard IPTV outputs. It runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS, integrates with Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby, and uses FFmpeg-based profiles for streaming and transcoding.

Key Features

  • Create custom, scheduled channels and playlists from local files or synchronized media servers
  • EPG support with XMLTV export and M3U playlists for client consumption
  • Hardware-accelerated transcoding support (NVENC, QSV, VAAPI, AMF, VideoToolbox) via configurable FFmpeg profiles
  • Integrations with Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby for one-way metadata synchronization
  • Streaming output compatible with common clients (HLS and MPEG-TS modes) and configurable streaming profiles
  • Local library scanning with NFO metadata fallback and path-replacement support for media-server-driven libraries
  • Cross-platform packaging and optional containerized deployment

Use Cases

  • Build a personalized IPTV lineup to stream your movie/TV/music-video collections to TVs and devices
  • Unify multiple media servers (Plex/Jellyfin/Emby) into scheduled channels and EPG-driven guides for client DVR/Live TV features
  • Create always-on background or themed channels (music videos, curated shows, tutorials) for home or small deployments

Limitations and Considerations

  • Plex client integration requires a Plex Pass on the client side and supports MPEG-TS streaming mode for direct Plex playback
  • Hardware transcoding can require careful FFmpeg profile configuration and may exhibit platform- or driver-specific issues (e.g., QSV/encoder edge cases)
  • When syncing from Plex/Jellyfin/Emby, only Movies and Shows are supported; other media kinds require local libraries

ErsatzTV is a community-driven, open-source project designed for self-hosted personal media streaming and channel scheduling. It focuses on flexible channel creation, broad client compatibility, and configurable transcoding pipelines to suit a range of home media setups.

2.4kstars
115forks
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#7
Ganymede

Ganymede

Self-hosted platform to archive Twitch VODs and live streams with real-time chat playback, rendered chat exports, playlists, and channel watching automation.

Ganymede screenshot

Ganymede is a self-hosted archiving platform for Twitch VODs and live streams. It downloads video and chat, provides a real-time chat playback experience, and generates a rendered chat output alongside each archive. Archives are stored in a simple, portable file structure intended to remain usable outside the application.

Key Features

  • Archive Twitch VODs and ongoing live streams
  • Real-time chat playback synchronized with video
  • Rendered chat export for viewing independently of the web UI
  • Watch channels for automatic archiving with filtering options
  • Video and chat processing controls, including custom FFmpeg parameters
  • User, channel, and VOD management with progress saving and playlists
  • Recoverable queue system for downloads and processing jobs
  • Optional SSO via OAuth/OpenID Connect, plus local user management
  • Webhook notifications for events

Use Cases

  • Long-term preservation of Twitch channels, streams, and associated chat
  • Building a personal or community on-prem media archive with metadata and playback
  • Automating stream capture and post-processing workflows for creators

Limitations and Considerations

  • Twitch API credentials are required to download VODs/live streams
  • Storage and bandwidth requirements can be significant for large archives

Ganymede suits homelab and archival-focused setups that want reliable Twitch capture plus a high-fidelity chat replay experience. Its portable output structure and configurable processing make it practical for long-term retention and external playback.

905stars
53forks
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#8
Youtarr

Youtarr

Self-hosted web app to auto-download YouTube channels, organize media with metadata, and schedule downloads for Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, and Kodi.

Youtarr is a self-hosted web application for automatically downloading videos from YouTube channels and organizing them into a media-server-friendly library. It uses yt-dlp for fetching content and can generate metadata so downloaded videos appear cleanly in common media servers.

Key Features

  • Subscribe to YouTube channels to automatically download new videos, shorts, and streams
  • Manual URL downloads with pre-validation and metadata preview
  • Media-server-ready organization with NFO files, thumbnails/posters, and embedded MP4 metadata
  • Channel grouping and multi-library folder support for separating collections (for example kids, music, news)
  • Cron-based scheduling for automated download runs
  • Download history and duplicate prevention
  • Optional integrations such as Plex library refresh, SponsorBlock segment skipping, and Discord webhook notifications
  • Responsive web UI plus a REST API with OpenAPI/Swagger support
  • Built-in authentication with admin controls

Use Cases

  • Build an offline, ad-free YouTube library for home media servers
  • Archive channel content to protect against deletions or videos being made private
  • Curate separate libraries for different audiences (family/kids vs. general content)

Limitations and Considerations

  • Designed to run via Docker; direct Node/npm deployments are not supported
  • Downloading content may be subject to platform terms and copyright restrictions

Youtarr fits homelab and media-library workflows where you want automated ingestion, consistent naming/metadata, and optional media server integrations. It can run standalone without requiring Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, or Kodi, while still producing files structured for them.

818stars
27forks
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#9
RapidBay

RapidBay

RapidBay is a self-hosted torrent video streaming service that searches via Jackett, streams selected files in-browser, downloads subtitles, and supports Chromecast, Apple TV, and Kodi.

RapidBay is a self-hosted torrent streaming web app that lets you search for torrents, select a specific video file, and then download and transcode it into a format playable in browsers and on casting devices. It integrates with common indexer backends and automates subtitles and media conversion to make torrent playback feel like a simple streaming experience.

Key Features

  • Torrent search via Jackett as the indexer/search backend
  • Select individual files within a torrent for streaming
  • Automatic video and subtitle transcoding for broad device/browser compatibility
  • Automatic audio conversion to AAC when needed for browser playback
  • Automatic closed captions/subtitle download (OpenSubtitles support)
  • Magnet link handling (can register RapidBay as a magnet link handler)
  • Automatic disk cleanup to reclaim storage
  • Kodi support (usable as a frontend)

Use Cases

  • Stream torrent-based video to a browser, Chromecast, or Apple TV without managing local players
  • Run a lightweight “torrent-to-stream” service on a server or VPS for personal media access
  • Use Kodi as a living-room frontend while RapidBay handles downloading and transcoding

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires a running Jackett instance for torrent search
  • Subtitles integration may require OpenSubtitles credentials depending on configuration

RapidBay is best suited for users who want an automated torrent streaming workflow with transcoding, subtitle handling, and casting support. It focuses on simplifying playback rather than acting as a full media library manager.

811stars
54forks
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#10
Gaseous

Gaseous

Self-hosted ROM and game library manager that identifies titles from multiple sources, enriches metadata, and lets you play supported systems in the browser.

Gaseous is a self-hosted server for managing game ROM libraries and associated titles. It scans and organizes ROMs, identifies games using multiple sources, enriches them with metadata, and provides basic in-browser emulation for supported platforms.

Key Features

  • ROM and title management with library scanning and organization
  • Game identification and metadata enrichment using external sources (e.g., IGDB) and signature-based matching
  • Web UI for browsing a library, viewing game details, and launching gameplay
  • Built-in browser emulation via a web-based emulator integration
  • User authentication (available in v1.7.0 and later)
  • Supports MariaDB (preferred) and MySQL as the backend database

Use Cases

  • Build a centralized retro game library for a homelab or household
  • Enrich and clean up ROM collections with consistent metadata and artwork
  • Play supported retro titles directly from a browser without installing local emulators

Limitations and Considerations

  • Internet exposure is discouraged by the project; if exposed, it should be protected (e.g., via VPN) and treated as higher risk
  • Switching from older MySQL schemas to MariaDB may require rebuilding the database and re-importing via a library scan
  • Metadata lookups may require an IGDB API key unless using an alternative proxy approach

Gaseous is a practical option for collectors who want a web-managed ROM library with light browser-based play. It focuses on library organization and metadata-driven browsing while keeping the deployment relatively straightforward with a SQL backend.

800stars
33forks
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#11
YTPTube

YTPTube

Self-hosted web interface for yt-dlp to download videos, playlists, channels and live streams with queues, presets, scheduling, notifications and a built-in player.

YTPTube is a web-based GUI built around yt-dlp to simplify downloading and managing media from many video platforms. It focuses on queued and concurrent downloads, automation via schedules, and a UI that works for both technical and non-technical users.

Key Features

  • Concurrent downloads with per-extractor and global limits
  • Download support for single videos, playlists, channels, and live/upcoming streams
  • Scheduling for automatic downloads (including monitoring sources via custom feeds)
  • Presets system to apply reusable yt-dlp options, plus per-link overrides
  • Notifications for download events (including Apprise targets)
  • Built-in video player with support for sidecar external subtitles (ffmpeg required in non-Docker setups)
  • Simple file browser to navigate downloaded content
  • Basic authentication
  • Optional integrations for Cloudflare challenges (via FlareSolverr) and yt-dlp impersonation helpers (Docker-focused)

Use Cases

  • Personal media archiving of channels, playlists, and periodic uploads
  • Automated fetching of live streams or scheduled content drops
  • Home server “download box” with presets tailored for media server ingestion

Limitations and Considerations

  • Some functionality is Docker-focused (for example automatic yt-dlp/pip updates and certain bundled helpers)
  • The built-in player subtitle support may require ffmpeg availability depending on installation method

YTPTube is a practical companion to yt-dlp when you want a browser-based workflow, download automation, and repeatable presets. It is well-suited for homelabs and personal servers where multiple downloads and scheduled jobs are required.

787stars
22forks
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#12
youtube-dl-server

youtube-dl-server

Self-hosted web and REST interface for downloading videos from YouTube and other sites using yt-dlp or youtube-dl; provides Docker images, configurable profiles, and filesystem output.

A lightweight web and REST frontend for yt-dlp / youtube-dl that runs on a server and saves downloaded media to the host filesystem. It provides both a browser UI and an API for triggering and managing downloads, and is commonly deployed via Docker.

Key Features

  • Web-based user interface plus a REST API for programmatic downloads and integration
  • Supports yt-dlp or legacy youtube-dl backends for broad site support
  • Docker image and docker-compose examples for easy deployment; can also run directly with Python
  • Configurable via a YAML config file including global options, cache and output paths, and a metadata DB path
  • Profiles support to define reusable download option sets (format, audio extraction, output directories, etc.)
  • Saves downloaded files to a host-mounted directory and stores metadata in a local database (configurable path)
  • Bookmarklet and simple curl/fetch examples for one-click or scripted submissions
  • Frontend implemented with a JavaScript framework alongside a Python ASGI backend

Use Cases

  • Centralized server for archiving YouTube videos, podcasts, lectures, and playlists
  • Triggering downloads from other services or browser bookmarklets via the REST API
  • Running scheduled or bulk downloads in a containerized environment with configurable profiles

Limitations and Considerations

  • The project does not bundle HTTPS termination; it is intended to be placed behind a reverse proxy for TLS
  • Upstream youtube-dl releases may be outdated; using yt-dlp is recommended for better site compatibility
  • Some format conversions and audio extraction require external tools such as ffmpeg to be available
  • No built-in authentication or access-control features are documented, so deploy behind an authenticated proxy for public access

In summary, youtube-dl-server provides a simple, Docker-friendly web and API front end to yt-dlp/youtube-dl for managing server-side downloads. It is configuration-driven with profiles and is suitable for automating or centralizing media downloads on a server.

306stars
33forks
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#13
ChannelTube

ChannelTube

Fetch and synchronize video or audio from YouTube channels on a schedule using yt-dlp. Runs in Docker and can trigger Plex/Jellyfin library scans.

ChannelTube is a lightweight service for synchronizing and fetching content from YouTube channels using yt-dlp. It provides a web-configurable scheduler and download pipeline to keep a local collection of videos or audio up to date.

Key Features

  • Scheduled sync by hour list (comma-separated hours) with a small scheduling deadband
  • Uses yt-dlp to download video or audio formats with configurable format IDs and fallback codecs
  • Options for subtitles handling (none, embed, external) and selectable subtitle languages
  • Supports cookies file for authenticated/restricted content
  • Docker image and docker-compose support for easy deployment
  • Configurable runtime options: user/group IDs, thread limit, defer hours, include video ID in filenames, verbose logging
  • Optional media server integration: trigger library scans for Plex and Jellyfin after downloads

Use Cases

  • Maintain a local archive of one or more YouTube channels for offline viewing or backup
  • Automatically fetch new uploads and populate a Plex or Jellyfin library for home media servers
  • Extract audio from channel uploads for podcasting or offline listening

Limitations and Considerations

  • Functionality and site compatibility depend on yt-dlp; updates to yt-dlp may be required for continued compatibility
  • May require cookies or authenticated sessions for age-restricted or private content
  • Not a transcoding pipeline; downloaded formats depend on yt-dlp/ffmpeg availability and configured format IDs
  • Scheduling has a noted deadband of up to ~10 minutes from the scheduled start time

ChannelTube is suited for users who want an automated, deployable tool to pull channel content and integrate it into local media workflows. It focuses on reliable fetching and simple media-server integration rather than advanced transcoding or metadata enrichment.

279stars
19forks
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#14
Channels DVR Server

Channels DVR Server

Self-hosted DVR server for live TV, recording, and streaming to Channels apps from a computer or NAS, with optional hardware transcoding and TV Everywhere support.

Channels DVR Server screenshot

Channels DVR Server is a standalone media server that powers the Channels apps for watching and recording live TV. It runs on a computer or NAS on your home network, stores recordings locally, and can stream playback to TVs and mobile devices.

Key Features

  • Live TV and DVR recording with local storage for recorded content
  • Web interface for server configuration (default port 8089)
  • Automatic discovery on the local network via Bonjour/ZeroConf for easy app pairing
  • Optional hardware-accelerated transcoding on supported Intel/NVIDIA systems
  • Supports running on many platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and NAS devices
  • Docker deployment option, including an image variant intended for TV Everywhere support

Use Cases

  • Centralized DVR for antenna or tuner-based live TV throughout a home
  • Recording TV series and movies to a NAS for a personal media library
  • Streaming recorded TV to multiple devices on the local network (and while away, depending on client setup)

Limitations and Considerations

  • TV Everywhere support may be limited on some platforms (notably Raspberry Pi and some native NAS packages)
  • Docker host networking is typically required for automatic discovery, which is not available on Docker Desktop for Mac/Windows

Channels DVR Server is well-suited for users who want a reliable, locally controlled DVR and streaming backend. It is lightweight enough for modest hardware while benefiting from better CPUs/GPUs when transcoding is needed.

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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running