Tool profile
Serviio: cost, fit and limits
Serviio is a free media server made by Six Lines Ltd. of the United Kingdom that streams music, video and images from a computer to DLNA renderer devices such as televisions, Blu-ray players and game consoles, with an optional paid Pro edition.
What to know first
Serviio streams to renderer devices with device profiles and transcoding, and its free edition is a working server. Pro is a one-time USD 25 license for 2.x versions, for personal use only. Version 3.x needs a new license file, and business use requires a conversation with the vendor. The support page lists a REST API, a plugin developer guide and an Alexa skill. The pages we read name no AI feature.
Serviio at a glance
| Maker | Six Lines Ltd., United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Free |
| API access | Yes |
| Category | Best AI Media Server Software in 2026, rank 10 of 13 |
| Website | serviio.org |
Who Serviio is best for
Home users with older televisions
Device profiles tune the stream for each renderer, which helps televisions and Blu-ray players that cannot play a file in its original format.
Tinkerers who write plugins
The support page lists a REST API and an online plugin developer guide, which suits someone who wants to add a source or script a task.
Buyers who prefer a one-time payment
Pro costs USD 25 once for the current 2.x release and its minor updates, with no subscription, as the buy-pro page describes.
Serviio plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free edition | Free | The free media server shown on the homepage, which works before any purchase and reverts to it if a Pro evaluation ends. |
| Serviio Pro v2.x | USD 25 | Pro features for the current release and minor updates of 2.x; version 3.x needs a new license file, and the license is for personal use only. |
| Business licensing | Custom quote | Business use requires contacting the vendor, according to the buy-pro page, so there is no listed price for companies. |
Checked November 2026.
What Serviio does
- Renderer streaming
- Music, video and images stream to renderer devices such as televisions, Blu-ray players and game consoles, using the DLNA approach most of them support, using the protocols most of those devices already support.
- Device profiles
- Profiles tune the stream for each renderer, and transcoding converts media that the device cannot play directly, so one library can serve several different televisions.
- Pro edition
- Pro adds the features the free edition lacks, which the free-versus-pro page explains. Pro features run during an evaluation period before the software reverts to free.
- REST API and plugins
- The support page lists a REST API and an online plugin developer guide, so outside scripts and extra content sources can be connected, both reachable from the support menu.
- Alexa skill
- An Alexa skill is listed on the support menu, which means voice control of playback is possible if you set up the skill, though we did not read its details.
How Serviio handles your data
The privacy policy on serviio.org covers the vendor's website, and the terms give the registered office of Six Lines Ltd. in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, UK. The pages we read state no retention period for server data, no certifications, no hosting region for the media server itself and no policy on training models, so the vendor's policy was not checked for those. License purchases go through a Serviio store website, so payment and license data pass through that store. The streaming server itself runs on your own computer.
Where Serviio falls short in practice
- Personal use only. The Pro license is for personal use. Business use needs a separate conversation with the vendor, and the buy-pro page lists no price for it.
- License tied to 2.x. The Pro license file covers 2.x versions only. Version 3.x needs a new license, so an upgrade can mean paying again for a later release.
- Evaluation then revert. Pro features run during an evaluation period, after which the software reverts to the free edition unless a license is bought, so a lapse is easy to miss.
Works with
Alternatives to Serviio
Serviio: common questions
How much does Serviio Pro cost?
The buy-pro page lists Serviio Pro v2.x at USD 25 as a one-time license for the current release and minor updates of 2.x. It is for personal use, and version 3.x needs a new license file. Business use requires contacting the vendor, and no company price is published.
Is the Serviio free edition usable?
Yes. The homepage presents the free edition as a working media server. Pro adds features the free edition lacks, and the buy-pro page says Pro runs during an evaluation period before the software reverts to free. Try the free edition on your own televisions before deciding that Pro is necessary.
Where is Serviio based?
The terms and conditions give the registered office of Six Lines Ltd. as Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, in the United Kingdom. That is the vendor's location, not a hosting region, since the server runs on your own computer. License purchases pass through a separate Serviio store website.
Does Serviio have an API?
Yes. The support page lists a REST API and an online plugin developer guide, plus a knowledge base and online content management. These help people who want to script the server or add content sources, though the pages we read do not describe the API's coverage in detail.
Can a company use Serviio Pro?
Not under the personal license. The buy-pro page says Pro is for personal use and that business use requires contacting the vendor. No business price is shown, so a company should write to Six Lines Ltd. first and wait for terms before deploying it at a shop or office.