FileBot vs tinyMediaManager (and what a seedbox needs)
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FileBot vs tinyMediaManager is a renamer against a library manager. FileBot identifies files and renames or moves them, by hand or automatically, and stops there. tinyMediaManager scrapes and curates: it builds and maintains a Kodi-style library of NFO files, posters, fanart and trailers, and renaming is one of its tools. Most people who compare the two want both jobs done once, on the machine where the downloads land — which on a seedbox is what EvoSeedboxBot does.
At a glance
| FileBot | tinyMediaManager | EvoSeedboxBot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Renamer and organiser with automation | Library manager (scrape, edit, NFO, artwork) with a renamer | Renamer and organiser with automation, on the seedbox |
| Price | US$8/year or US$80 lifetime | FREE edition; PRO 12 € per year | Included with the seedbox |
| Free edition limits | None once licensed | TheMovieDB scraper only; TVDB, OMDb, AniDB, TVmaze, fanart, subtitles and trailers are PRO | Everything included; TheTVDB with your own key |
| Runs | Desktop (Java) and command line | Desktop (Java); command line and HTTP interface | Browser, on the seedbox |
| Automation on new downloads | Yes, via the amc script and a client hook | No — you run a scan/scrape | Yes, from rtorrent’s finished torrents |
| NFO and artwork | Via scripts (artwork.groovy) | Its core: full NFO, posters, fanart, logos, trailers | Id NFO always; full NFO + artwork optional |
| Subtitles | Search, download, upload | PRO, and needs OpenSubtitles VIP | Search and download with your own free or VIP account |
| Torrent awareness | Via the client hook | None | Native (labels, completion, hardlinks) |
Where tinyMediaManager is better
- Curating a library. Editing metadata by hand, choosing between posters, fetching trailers, exporting lists: this is what it is for.
- Kodi, Jellyfin and Emby purists. Its NFO files are the reference implementation.
- Free for TMDb-only use. If TheMovieDB is enough, the FREE edition scrapes, renames and writes NFO without paying.
Where FileBot is better
- Renaming at volume with Groovy formats and strict/opportunistic matching.
- Automation — the amc script processes what a torrent client finishes.
- Anime and multi-episode files, subtitle upload, music and photos.
If you use a seedbox
Both are desktop programs. Pointed at a seedbox they need a mount or a shell, and every identification reads file headers across the internet. EvoSeedboxBot covers the overlap of the two — identify, rename by hardlink, write id NFO files, fetch artwork and subtitles, refresh Plex, Jellyfin, Emby or Kodi — on the seedbox itself, triggered by rtorrent, with the metadata keys included. What it does not do is the curation side: hand-editing plots, picking among ten posters, trailers. Run tinyMediaManager over the organised folders afterwards if you want that; it reads the NFO ids EvoSeedboxBot leaves and will not fight the names.
Choosing
- Library on a PC or NAS, you like tweaking metadata → tinyMediaManager (PRO if you need TVDB or subtitles).
- Library on a PC, you want rules and scripts → FileBot.
- Library on an EvoSeedbox → EvoSeedboxBot, optionally tinyMediaManager on top for curation.
FAQ
Does tinyMediaManager rename as well as FileBot?
Its renamer is solid and template-based, but it works on a scraped library, not on arbitrary files, and it has no torrent-client automation.
Is the tinyMediaManager licence lifetime?
No — PRO is a 12 € yearly licence with no lifetime option offered.
Can the three coexist?
Yes. They all read and write the same folder layout and NFO conventions.
Documentation: EvoSeedboxBot guide · Jellyfin and Kodi NFO files.
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Put this into practice
EvoSeedbox ships with one-click app installs and up to 10 Gbps per box.
