We have bad news for users who set up their own media servers and share their library with friends. The popular media platform is restricting one of its most important features, which it has offered for free for years. The company has decided to move the Plex remote viewing feature behind a paid wall for TV apps.

What does the Plex restriction entail?

Starting this week, the platform launched a new era in the Roku app. Now, you may have to pay to watch content from a friend’s personal server on your TV. The company will expand this restriction to other platforms such as Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV in 2026. Third-party clients using the API will also join the bandwagon.

The key to the new system is the server owner’s subscription status. If the media server owner (your friend) is a Plex Pass subscriber, you can continue to watch their content remotely for free. However, if the server owner doesn’t have a subscription, the viewer (you) must pay to access the content.

Users have two options. The first is the standard Plex Pass subscription, which costs $7 per month, $70 per year, or $250 for life. The second, cheaper option is the “Remote Watch Pass,” which only grants viewing permissions. This new package is priced at $2 per month or $20 per year.

While the company states that it needs to generate revenue, making a core feature that was previously free a paid service isn’t considered “consumer-friendly.” This could increase interest in alternatives like Jellyfin, which is completely free and open-source.

So, what are your thoughts on the Plex remote viewing feature being paid? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!