Comparison

Playfyn vs Jellyboxd

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

Head to head
About

Playfyn

Features
Read full description

Playfyn is a beautiful, fast client for your own Jellyfin media server β€” built for people who care how their library looks and plays. Point it at your server, sign in, and your movies and shows are ready on Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad. PLAYBACK THAT RESPECTS YOUR FILES β€’ Full-quality 4K HDR10 and Dolby Vision passthrough β€” your files play as they were mastered, not re-encoded β€’ MKV and more play seamlessly; when a transcode is genuinely needed, Playfyn degrades gracefully and automatically β€’ Surround audio (Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus) with smart track selection that keeps quality high β€’ Automatic intro and credits skipping (with the Intro Skipper plugin) β€’ Continuous playback, resume anywhere, and an Up Next row that keeps your place across devices MADE FOR EVERY SCREEN β€’ Apple TV: a fast, focus-driven interface designed for the big screen, with a Top Shelf and light/dark looks β€’ iPhone and iPad: Picture in Picture, AirPlay, background audio with full lock-screen controls, and cellular data protection that caps streaming quality on the go β€’ iPad multitasking: Split View, Slide Over, and Stage Manager YOUR LIBRARY, YOUR WAY β€’ A rich home screen with a featured carousel, Up Next, favorites, and recently added β€’ Powerful library browsing: filter by genre or resolution, sort your way, search everything β€’ Playback stats HUD for the curious: live codec, bitrate, and resolution info PRIVATE BY DESIGN Playfyn talks only to your Jellyfin server. No accounts with us, no analytics, no tracking β€” the App Privacy label is "Data Not Collected," and we mean it. FREE TO TRY, ONE PURCHASE EVERYWHERE Try Playfyn free. Upgrading to Playfyn Pro unlocks unlimited playback with a subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase β€” and universal purchase means one buy covers Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad. REQUIREMENTS Playfyn requires your own Jellyfin server (free, open-source software β€” jellyfin.org) on your home network or reachable remotely. Playfyn ships with no media content; you bring your own library. Playfyn is an independent project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Jellyfin project. PLAYFYN PRO β€” SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS β€’ Playfyn Pro Monthly β€” $4.99 per month, auto-renewing β€’ Playfyn Pro Lifetime β€” $39.99, one-time purchase, does not renew Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. A monthly subscription renews automatically unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel your subscription in Settings > your Apple Account > Subscriptions. One purchase covers iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Terms of Use (EULA): https://playfyn.app/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://playfyn.app/privacy/

About

Jellyboxd

Features
Read full description

Jellyboxd is a cinematic client for your own Jellyfin server. Big artwork, a clean, immersive design and smooth native playback bring the movies and TV shows of your personal library, the way a streaming service would. β€’ Home with featured titles and "Continue Watching" β€’ Movies, series, seasons and episodes with posters, plots and details β€’ Fast search across your whole library β€’ Native playback with Picture in Picture and background audio β€’ Choose the streaming quality to save data β€’ Multiple servers and accounts, with instant switching β€’ Favorites and watched state synced with your server β€’ English and Italian, following your phone's language (or your choice in Settings) β€’ Your credentials stay in the device Keychain; no analytics, no tracking You need your own Jellyfin server (or access to one). Jellyboxd does not provide any content. Jellyboxd is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Jellyfin project. Jellyfin is a trademark of its respective owners.

Screenshots

Playfyn3 screens
Jellyboxd4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Jellyboxd at none against Playfyn's 2. Jellyboxd also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). Playfyn's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Playfyn sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Jellyboxd asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Playfyn versus Jellyboxd: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlayfynJellyboxd
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyβ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.016.4 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size41 MB53 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperPlayfyn Media LLCMatteo Mezzatesta

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Playfyn

Subscriptions1
  • Playfyn Pro - Monthly$4.991 Month
One-time1
  • Playfyn Pro - Lifetime$39.99
None

Jellyboxd

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Playfyn free?
Playfyn is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Jellyboxd free?
Jellyboxd is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Playfyn or Jellyboxd have ads?
Neither Playfyn nor Jellyboxd shows ads.

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