CodeProject.AI Server vs CompreFace
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted video surveillance options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
CodeProject.AI Server
Self-hosted AI server for surveillance object detection
VS
CompreFace
Self-hosted face recognition service with REST API
| Feature | CodeProject.AI Server | CompreFace |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 26 · At risk | 23 · At risk |
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | SSPL-1.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | C# | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 982 | ★ 8,328 |
| First released | 2022 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Amazon Rekognition | Amazon Rekognition |
What are CodeProject.AI Server and CompreFace?
CodeProject.AI Server
CodeProject.AI Server is a self-hosted, open-source AI service designed as a drop-in successor to DeepStack for surveillance object detection. It runs on your own hardware and integrates with Blue Iris, Home Assistant, and other tools.
- DeepStack-compatible API
- Object and face detection
- Modular AI services
- GPU acceleration
CompreFace
CompreFace is a self-hosted face recognition service that can be set up without machine-learning expertise. It exposes a REST API for face detection, verification, and identification used by surveillance and access systems.
- Face detection and recognition
- Simple REST API
- No ML expertise required
- Docker-based deployment
CodeProject.AI Server vs CompreFace: key differences
CodeProject.AI Server is written in C#, while CompreFace is built with Java. Licensing differs — SSPL-1.0 for CodeProject.AI Server versus Apache-2.0 for CompreFace. CodeProject.AI Server is the lighter option, starting around 2,048 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for CompreFace. CompreFace is the more established project (first released 2020), while CodeProject.AI Server arrived in 2022. CompreFace has the considerably larger community, at 8,328 GitHub stars versus 982.
Why pick each one
Choose CodeProject.AI Server if…
- Active development
- Drop-in DeepStack replacement
Watch out for
- Detection service only
- SSPL license
Choose CompreFace if…
- Easy to integrate
- Good accuracy
Watch out for
- High memory requirements
- Recognition service only
Frequently asked questions
Is CodeProject.AI Server or CompreFace better?
Neither is universally better. CompreFace has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are CodeProject.AI Server and CompreFace free and open-source?
Yes. CodeProject.AI Server is licensed under SSPL-1.0 and CompreFace under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CodeProject.AI Server and CompreFace with Docker?
CodeProject.AI Server: yes. CompreFace: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, CodeProject.AI Server or CompreFace?
CodeProject.AI Server has the smaller minimum footprint at 2,048 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for CompreFace. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.