Agent DVR vs Shinobi
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted video surveillance options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Agent DVR
Cross-platform DVR with AI object detection
VS
Shinobi
Open-source NVR and CCTV software for IP cameras
| Feature | Agent DVR | Shinobi |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | Freeware | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 50 | ★ 4,000 |
| First released | 2020 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Blue Iris | Blue Iris |
What are Agent DVR and Shinobi?
Agent DVR
Agent DVR is a cross-platform video surveillance system from the makers of iSpy, with support for many camera types and AI-based object detection. It offers a modern web interface and can run as a standalone service.
- Wide camera support
- AI object detection
- Modern web interface
- Cross-platform service
Shinobi
Shinobi is an open-source network video recorder and CCTV solution that supports a wide range of IP cameras over RTSP, ONVIF, and other protocols. It offers motion detection, a web dashboard, and many integrations.
- Wide IP camera support
- Motion detection
- Web dashboard
- Multiple recording modes
Agent DVR vs Shinobi: key differences
Agent DVR is written in Shell, while Shinobi is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — Freeware for Agent DVR versus GPL-3.0 for Shinobi. Shinobi is the more established project (first released 2017), while Agent DVR arrived in 2020. Shinobi has the considerably larger community, at 4,000 GitHub stars versus 50.
Why pick each one
Choose Agent DVR if…
- Polished interface
- Good detection options
Watch out for
- Not open source
- Some features require a license
Choose Shinobi if…
- Flexible camera support
- Active community
Watch out for
- Configuration can be complex
- Documentation is scattered
Frequently asked questions
Is Agent DVR or Shinobi better?
Neither is universally better. Shinobi has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Agent DVR and Shinobi free and open-source?
Yes. Agent DVR is licensed under Freeware and Shinobi under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Agent DVR and Shinobi with Docker?
Agent DVR: yes. Shinobi: yes.