You don't need a server.
You need a library.
MyStash is a fast, private, local-first video library for your Windows PC. No server, no account, no subscription — one $15 payment and it's yours forever.
Windows 10 & 11 · 30-day money-back · no account requiredThree reasons you're already looking.
You didn't come here by accident. Something about Plex stopped working for you — here are the three biggest ones, and how MyStash sits differently.
Plex Pass now costs how much?
Plex Pass is now $6.99/month, $69.99/year, $249.99 for 5 years, or $749.99 for lifetime — a dramatic 2025 hike that had longtime paying users publicly hunting for the exit.
MyStash is $15. Once. Forever. Every feature unlocked, every future update included. No tiers, no per-seat, no "Pro Plus," no surprise re-pricing.
An online account for local files
Plex requires a free Plex.tv account to sign in — even to browse your own hard drive.
MyStash never asks you to sign in. Install it, add your libraries, done.
Telemetry, tracking, and ads
Plex phones home by default, and its free-tier UI now shows ads for licensed streaming content mixed into your own library.
MyStash sends nothing, ever. No analytics, no error reporting, no recommendation engine. What you watch is your business.
The whole picture, honestly.
Green ticks where MyStash wins. Yellow where it's neutral. Red where Plex genuinely has us — because pretending otherwise would waste your time.
| Plex | MyStash | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $6.99/mo · $749.99 lifetime | $15 one-time |
| Account required | Yes — Plex.tv | Never |
| Works fully offline | Requires sign-in | 100% offline |
| Telemetry & tracking | On by default | None, ever |
| Ads in the interface | Yes on free tier | None |
| Runs a background server | Always running | Just an app |
| Startup speed | Slow | Opens in a blink |
| Plays modern audio codecs (AC-3, DTS, TrueHD) | Often transcodes | Native |
| Search spoken words inside videos | No | Jump to the moment |
| One-click transcription | Not built-in | Built-in |
| Chapter markers & A-B loops | Limited | Built-in |
| Smart tags & auto-compilations | Not available | Native feature |
| Frame-by-frame scrubbing | No | Yes |
| Clip & GIF export | Not built-in | One click |
| Spatial audio | No | Built-in |
| Ambient lighting behind the video | No | Yes |
| Live power widgets (watch time, top tags…) | No | Beside the grid |
| Interface design | Feels dated | Modern glass UI |
| Multiple local libraries | Yes | Yes — tab per library |
| Remote streaming across the internet | Yes (Plex Pass) | Not a goal |
| iOS & Android apps | Yes | Desktop only |
| Chromecast / cast to TV | Yes | Not supported |
| Automatic movie metadata scraping | Yes | Manual tags |
| Multi-user with permissions | Yes | Single user |
Which one is actually right for you?
Neither app is the answer to every question. Here's the honest split — pick the one that matches how you actually watch.
Stick with Plex if…
These are the things Plex is genuinely good at, and we won't pretend otherwise.
- You need to stream your library to friends and family across the internet.
- You watch on your phone, tablet, or a TV via Chromecast more than you watch on your PC.
- You have a NAS or a 24/7 home server and want a media layer on top of it.
- You care about automatic movie posters, IMDB metadata, and trailers more than manual control.
- You want multiple user accounts with per-user watch history and permissions.
Switch to MyStash if…
This is what MyStash is built for — and the reason most Plex refugees never go back.
- You watch on your own PC — sometimes plugged into a TV — and don't need remote streaming.
- You want your library private, offline, and unowned by a company that can change the rules on you.
- You'd rather tag and organise things your way than fight a scraper's opinion of what your file is.
- You want the app to open instantly, play anything, and stay out of your way — not run a background service.
- You'd take $15 once over $6.99 a month forever — or $749.99 for Plex's lifetime pass — for something you'll use for years.
You didn't want a media server.
You wanted your videos, organised & beautiful.
Try it. If it isn't better, we'll refund you.
Free version has no time limit — use it as long as you like. When you're ready, one $15 payment unlocks everything, forever. If MyStash doesn't beat Plex for the way you watch, we'll refund you within 30 days, no questions.
Windows 10 & 11 · No account · 30-day refund · Lifetime updates