Plex Just Made Searching For Your Favorite Show A Whole Lot Easier

The hybrid streaming app Plex is a very popular way to enjoy large amounts of personally-owned and streaming content on home theater systems and, more recently, in virtual reality. Plex differs from other streaming apps by allowing anyone to load their own files from a remote computer on the same network and stream them directly on devices that support the platform. Now it sounds like the service is about to expand into recommending content offered by other streaming services like Netflix and HBO Max, as well.

The company has announced a new Discover feature that lets users quickly find any film or TV show on any digital platform where it's available. When you find something you want to watch, you can add it to a "Universal Watchlist," which is a self-updating list of platforms that host the content and their prices. These are all featured side-by-side and link directly to where you can view them on their respective streaming services, so it's much easier to find the exact platform you'll need in order to keep up with your favorite shows and movies.

"Universal Watchlist" is meant to be the centerpiece of your streaming library. Not only is it where you can build a backlog of TV shows and movies to watch later, but it also stays updated with the latest episodes of shows you're already watching.

Plex sets itself apart by weaving a cohesive experience that makes each service feel less fragmented. Ever since the lion's share of viewers dropped cable subscriptions in lieu of subscribing to individual streaming services, it's been harder than ever to find specific pieces of content. If you're only subscribed to Netflix, for example, you might not even be aware of what's hosted on Hulu, and vice versa.

Therefore, these new additions only serve to break down some of those walls and make this new streaming service-based world of media consumption a bit more palatable for those struggling to figure out which platforms they need. Since Universal Watchlist puts everything in one place, finding what you want is as simple as searching using Plex's Discover tab. And if you don't want to watch something today, you can always place it on your watchlist until you're ready.

You can sign up for a free Plex account today if you want to get all of these features immediately. However, there's also a Plex Pass subscription that offers a number of additional features, the most important of which is the ability to download content to your devices for offline playback. The Plex Pass subscription starts at $4.99 per month.