Quick Start Guide

Set up your self-hosted media library with Benefic in less than 5 minutes. No port forwarding, no complex networking — just install and stream.

Step 1: Create an Account

Sign up at benefic.com. You’ll receive an email verification to confirm your account.

Step 2: Download Benefic

Select the right version for your platform:

• Linux amd64 (Debian-based) — fully supported
• macOS (Intel and ARM) — fully supported
• Windows — coming soon

Visit the downloads page for direct links.

Step 3: Install ffmpeg

Benefic requires ffmpeg version 6.x.x for media processing.

# Debian / Ubuntu
sudo apt install ffmpeg

# macOS
brew install ffmpeg

Verify your installation:

ffmpeg -version

Step 4: Log In via the CLI

benefic login

This authenticates your CLI with your Benefic account.

Step 5: Organize Your Media Files

Name your files using this format:

Movie Name (YYYY)

For example:

• Sweet Smell of Success (1957).mp4
• Blade Runner (1982).mkv

Supported formats: mp4, mkv

Step 6: Start Streaming

benefic run -d ~/Movies/

That’s it. Your library is now accessible from any device at benefic.com.