Comparison

LiquidFin vs Kernel Media Server

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

LiquidFin

Stream your Jellyfin media library with a fast and elegant client. Enjoy movies, TV shows, music, audiobooks, and live TV with offline downloads and built-in admin tools. Designed for Apple devices.

Highlights
  • Stream movies, TV shows, music, and audiobooks
  • Live TV streaming
  • Offline downloads for playback
  • Jellyseerr integration for media requests
  • Built-in server administration tools
  • Dedicated viewing modes for different media types
  • Seamless switching between multiple Jellyfin servers
Features
Read full description

LiquidFin delivers a fast, elegant, and powerful way to stream your Jellyfin media across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. Built for both viewers and server administrators, LiquidFin combines a beautiful, native playback experience with administration tools. Watch & stream everything: - Movies, TV shows, and collections - Live TV streaming - Full music and audiobook support - Books library browsing - Picture-in-Picture & background playback Built for music & audiobooks: - Dedicated music mode & library view - Dedicated audiobooks mode - Playlist support - Chapter support for audiobooks - Seamless background playback Offline downloads: Take your media anywhere with download support for offline playback. Jellyseerr integration: Search, discover, and request new media directly from your server. Built-in admin tools: Refresh libraries, start tasks, disable users, see storage details and more Focused viewing modes: Switch between dedicated experiences for Movies & TV, Music, Books or Live TV Effortless server switching: Quickly switch between multiple Jellyfin servers. Even more: Small quality of life features like support for preroll plugins, ... Designed for Apple devices - iPhone & iPad - Apple TV - macOS - Apple Watch - Liquid Glass design LiquidFin is free to download, with optional premium features to unlock the full experience. Terms of service: https://bcnlab.org/legal/tos

About

Kernel Media Server

Features
Read full description

Kernel Media Server Your Ultimate Home Media Solution Kernel Media Server transforms how you experience your personal media collection. Built for speed and efficiency, this powerful media server software lets you organize, stream, and enjoy your entire library of movies and TV shows, plus Live TV—all from one elegant interface. Stream Anywhere, Anytime Take your media collection wherever you go. Access your favorite movies and TV shows from any device, whether you're at home or on the go. Kernel Media Server delivers high-quality streaming optimized for your network conditions and device capabilities. Supercharged Performance Experience lightning-fast library scanning and seamless playback. Kernel Media Server is meticulously engineered to maximize efficiency, minimize resource usage, and deliver exceptional performance even on modest hardware. Seamless Metadata Integration Compatible with existing tools: Works with Sonarr/Radarr metadata NFO file support: Utilizes local NFO files for rich media information No redundant scanning: Leverages your existing metadata workflow Complete Media Management Intelligent Organization: Efficiently organizes your existing media collection Advanced Search: Find exactly what you want with powerful filtering capabilities Customizable Views: Personalize how you browse and discover your content Seamless Live TV Integration Cut the cord without losing your favorite channels. Kernel Media Server's Live TV capabilities let you: Watch and record broadcast television Browse comprehensive program guides Schedule recordings Pause, rewind, and fast-forward live broadcasts Beautiful User Experience Navigate your entire media world through our intuitive, responsive interface. Designed with users in mind, Kernel Media Server offers: Clean, modern design that puts your content front and center Customizable views and sorting options User profiles with personalized watch history Parental controls for family-friendly viewing Technical Excellence Built by media enthusiasts for media enthusiasts, Kernel Media Server delivers: Hardware acceleration for efficient transcoding Adaptive quality streaming based on network conditions Robust multi-user support Low resource utilization even with large libraries Comprehensive format support for virtually any media file Private and Secure Your media stays yours with Kernel Media Server: Self-hosted solution keeps your data under your control Strong encryption options for remote streaming No data mining or tracking of your viewing habits Getting Started Setting up Kernel Media Server is straightforward. Simply install the server software on your preferred system, point it to your media libraries, and let it work its magic. Within minutes, you'll have a beautiful, organized media server ready to stream to all your devices. Transform your media collection today with Kernel Media Server—where performance meets elegance. Note: Internet connection required for remote streaming. Media library capabilities require local storage for your media files. Live TV features require compatible TV tuner hardware (sold separately).

Screenshots

LiquidFin4 screens
Kernel Media Server4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Kernel Media Server at none against LiquidFin's 6. Kernel Media Server also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. LiquidFin sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Kernel Media Server asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
LiquidFin versus Kernel Media Server: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLiquidFinKernel Media Server
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews55.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV
Requires iOS26.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size106 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperANDREAS WACKLERKernel Media LLC

In-app purchases

5 purchases

LiquidFin

Subscriptions3
  • Pro Monthly2 variants$1.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly$9.991 Year
  • Pro Yearly$12.991 Year
One-time2
  • Pro Lifetime$29.99
  • Pro Lifetime$39.99
None

Kernel Media Server

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is LiquidFin free?
LiquidFin is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Kernel Media Server free?
Kernel Media Server is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do LiquidFin or Kernel Media Server have ads?
Neither LiquidFin nor Kernel Media Server shows ads.

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