Swiftfin vs Infuse vs Streamyfin vs Ensō

Swiftfin vs Infuse: which Jellyfin app should you use on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV? This page sets them next to Streamyfin and Ensō and compares only what we could check at each app’s own sources in October 2026.

How we compared

• Sources. Everything said about another app comes from its own website, its App Store page or its repository (README, documentation, release notes), read on 7 October 2026; for the Jellyfin project’s own apps that includes the project’s client list. No reviews, no forum posts, no hearsay. The links are at the end of the page.
• “Not stated” means those sources say nothing about it. That is not the same as “no”.
• Ensō’s column holds only what the app does today, checked against its code. Ensō is not in the App Store yet, so unlike the other three it cannot be downloaded there.
• Facts, not taste. We did not test the other apps ourselves; the table shows what each of them says about itself. We say plainly where another app is the better choice.

The comparison at a glance

The table follows what each app says about itself. The App Store pages of Swiftfin and Streamyfin also list Mac and Apple Vision as compatible; this page looks at iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. Language counts are the numbers the App Store listings show; Ensō’s 73 includes regional variants.

Swiftfin vs Infuse: what really differs

Swiftfin is developed in the Jellyfin project’s own GitHub organization, and the project’s client list labels it “Official Beta”. You choose between two players: VLC, which its documentation recommends, and Apple’s own player. The documentation spells out what each can do. With Apple’s player MKV files are not played directly, so the server has to convert them, while VLC shows picture-based PGS subtitles that sit inside an MKV file. The same documentation lists playlists and music as not supported, and “Local Downloads” is still an open request in its issue tracker.

Infuse, made by Firecore, is a video player that treats Jellyfin as one source among others, next to Plex, Emby, network shares and cloud drives. The app is free to download; an optional subscription, Infuse Pro, or a lifetime purchase unlocks more. The Pro card on Firecore’s page lists additional video formats, lossless HD audio, AirPlay and Google Cast, and Dolby Vision and Atmos. Its format lists include MKV, TrueHD, DTS-HD MA and PGS subtitles; they do not mark which of these need Pro. Its support article says downloads work on iOS and macOS only, and its page lists parental controls. Firecore’s GitHub account has no repository for the app. The release notes name support for Jellyfin 12 (26 August) and for 12.1 (30 September).

In short: if everything you watch is on Jellyfin and you want a free app developed by the Jellyfin project, Swiftfin fits. If you also watch from Plex, Emby, network shares or cloud drives, or you want the features of its Pro card, Infuse fits.

Streamyfin

Streamyfin is built with Expo and also runs on Android; its README says it is not affiliated with Jellyfin. The README, the website and the release notes list skipping of intros and credits, thumbnail previews while scrubbing (trickplay), downloads, Chromecast, requests through Seerr, a sessions view for admins and Live TV. The README names mpv as its player, while the release notes of 0.55.0 (4 October) describe a rewritten, native SwiftUI player that is the default on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, and list Jellyfin 12 compatibility. A plugin for the Jellyfin server holds its settings for all users, and the README says that downloads and Seerr need their plugins. Music playback is in beta according to the release notes, while the README FAQ still says music is not supported. The App Store page lists English only; the website names German, Spanish, French and Swedish, and the README points to Crowdin for translations.

Where Ensō fits, and where it does not

What Ensō offers today, from its code:

• Several accounts and servers on one device, with a “Who’s Watching?” screen at launch. Each account has its own library, history and downloads (Accounts and servers).
• Parental controls on the device: an age limit, a PIN (on iPhone and iPad also Face ID or Touch ID), unrated titles hidden (Parental controls).
• Offline downloads on iPhone and iPad: the original file or a smaller copy, Smart Downloads for the next episodes, and interrupted downloads that pick up where they stopped, even after the app was closed (Offline downloads).
• Search with a sentence in German and English and, where the device has Apple Intelligence, “What happened so far” for series. Both run on the device (Smart search).
• 73 languages and variants, and a companion app for Apple Watch that works as a remote.

What Ensō does not have:

• Live TV and music.
• Chromecast, requests through Seerr, thumbnail previews while scrubbing.
• Picture-based subtitles from discs (PGS, VobSub): they are not offered in the track list.
• Support for any server but Jellyfin: no Plex, Emby, network shares or cloud drives.
• Published code, and a complete list of supported formats and HDR formats.

Where another app is the better choice: if you need Live TV, Chromecast, picture-based subtitles, sources other than Jellyfin, or an app whose code you can read, pick one of the others from the table.

Other Jellyfin apps for Apple devices

The App Store has more Jellyfin clients than the four above. These came up while we checked. We looked only at devices, price and source code, and we do not rate them:

• Jellyfin Mobile is labeled “Official” on the Jellyfin project’s client list, as its app for iOS and iPadOS. It is free and open source (MPL-2.0).
• Moonfin works with Jellyfin and Emby. Its App Store page lists iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Mac, and it is free. Its code is open source (GPL-2.0 or later); the README lists offline downloads, Live TV, several servers in one library and a kids mode with a PIN.
• JellyTV works with Jellyfin and Emby. Its documentation lists iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch (as a companion for admins), Apple Vision and Mac (the iPad app), and the App Store asks for version 26 of the system. It is free to download with optional purchases (JellyTV+), and its documentation says the app is closed source.

Which one should you choose?

• Everything you watch is on Jellyfin, and you want a free app developed by the Jellyfin project: Swiftfin.
• You also watch from Plex, Emby, network shares or cloud drives, or you want features of its Pro card: Infuse.
• You want Chromecast or requests through Seerr, or you use Android as well: Streamyfin.
• You want parental controls on the device, several accounts with shared downloads, and an app that repackages MKV on the device and hands it to Apple’s player: Ensō, once it is out.

How a file travels from your server to the screen decides much of the experience, whichever app you pick. Direct play explains it, and Avoiding transcoding shows what to change if your server works too hard.

Where we checked

• Swiftfin: Jellyfin client list, README, player documentation, library documentation, downloads request, App Store
• Infuse: Firecore’s page, release notes, Jellyfin guide, downloads guide, App Store
• Streamyfin: README, release notes, website, App Store
• Jellyfin Mobile: Jellyfin client list, repository, App Store
• Moonfin: README, App Store
• JellyTV: supported platforms, about the project, App Store

Related

Checked October 2026 (7 October), against each app’s own website, App Store page (US store) and repository. Versions seen: Swiftfin 1.6.1, Infuse 8.5.6, Streamyfin 0.55.1. Prices are in US dollars, as shown at the time. Apps change; if something here is out of date, tell us on the feedback page.