The 6 best Plex plugins to take your media streaming to the next level

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Key findings

  • Plugins are being phased out on Plex Media Server, but some are still available to enhance the streaming experience.
  • WebTools and Kitana are popular plugins that provide access to manage Plex plugins and extend functionality.
  • FileBot, Tautulli, Ombi and Sub-Zero are other useful plugins for better organization and monitoring of media content.



Plugins aren't what they once were on Plex Media Server. The company has announced that it is ending plugin support and even removed the official repository of community-created add-ons. While there are a handful of plugins available that should work with Plex, your experience may be different as development eventually stops and they become completely outdated. I'll share some of my favorites to enhance your Plex streaming experience.

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WebTools is a popular Plex plugin because it acts as a plugin manager with access to the so-called Unsupported App Store (UAS). From here, numerous plugins can be downloaded and installed. It is not just a plugin browser, as WebTools can also control subtitles, search for locally stored media, view log files, and display technical information about the server where Plex is installed. Development was discontinued years ago and a new fork is available, albeit without access to the UAS.


Screenshot of the Kitana Plex plugin

If you don't feel like using WebTools, Kitana is a worthwhile alternative. Similar to the unsupported App Store, Kitana can provide access to managing Plex plugins. Interestingly, a single instance of Kitana can serve more than one Plex Media Server, making it an ideal solution for users with multiple installations. While it does require Docker to get it up and running, it's worth it.

Some file names may not match names you have stored elsewhere, especially if you're grouping together media you've owned for years. That's where FileBot comes in. This handy plugin ensures all your files are named correctly for better cataloging and more accurate metadata crawling matches. The plugin uses online database sources to sort media files, so it's perfect for movies and TV shows, as well as even more obscure entries.


Tautulli Plex Plugin

Do you like diving into detailed stats? Playing Football Manager on the go to get your spreadsheet fix? Tautulli for Plex is the plugin for you! With this plugin installed, you can monitor virtually everything about your Plex Media Server instance. Features include a fully responsive design for mobile and desktop browsers that takes cues from the Plex UI, full library stats and media file information, and sync data for all connected Plex accounts. It's an impressive plugin that I wish was included with Plex.

Screenshot of the Ombi Plex plugin


Having trouble keeping track of media requests for Plex Media Server? A notepad is great for family members to jot down requested media, but a plugin like Ombi can make it much easier to see what content should be purchased and loaded onto Plex for streaming. The plugin automatically syncs with Plex and processes requests through a selected DVR app, so you can sit back and enjoy all the newly added media.

Kitana was originally developed for Sub-Zero but became its own plugin. Still, Sub-Zero is worth installing on Plex if you love subtitles. Like many other plugins, Sub-Zero is no longer being developed. Compared to Plex's subtitle engine, Sub-Zero is feature rich and offers a lot of cool features. The plugin searches up to 10 different providers and you can configure where to save the files. It can even search your library and add missing subtitles automatically.


How to install plugins on Plex

The process of installing a Plex plugin depends on the plugin itself. Some are simple .bundle files that can be dropped into the Plex plugin folder, while others require a slightly longer installation process using Docker or Python. Once you've compiled a shortlist of a few plugins with different installation methods, things can quickly get out of hand. Ultimately, though, it's worth it, at least until Plex does away with plugins completely.

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