iSpy vs Moonfire NVR
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted video surveillance options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | iSpy | Moonfire NVR |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 58 · Fair | 84 · Excellent |
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | LGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C# | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,624 | ★ 1,746 |
| First released | 2007 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Blue Iris | Blue Iris |
What are iSpy and Moonfire NVR?
iSpy
iSpy is open-source video surveillance software for Windows that turns cameras and microphones into a monitoring system. It supports motion detection, alerts, and remote access through a companion service.
- Motion detection and alerts
- Audio monitoring
- Plugin support
- Remote access
Moonfire NVR
Moonfire NVR is an open-source security camera network video recorder focused on efficient, continuous recording. Written in Rust, it stores video with minimal overhead and provides a simple web interface to review footage.
- Continuous always-on recording
- Efficient storage handling
- Web review interface
- Low resource footprint
iSpy vs Moonfire NVR: key differences
ISpy is written in C#, while Moonfire NVR is built with Rust. Licensing differs — LGPL-3.0 for iSpy versus GPL-3.0 for Moonfire NVR. Moonfire NVR is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for iSpy. ISpy is the more established project (first released 2007), while Moonfire NVR arrived in 2018. Moonfire NVR lists first-class Docker deployment; iSpy does not.
Why pick each one
Choose iSpy if…
- Long-established
- Many camera integrations
Watch out for
- Windows-only
- Superseded by Agent DVR
Choose Moonfire NVR if…
- Very efficient
- Reliable 24/7 recording
Watch out for
- Limited motion analytics
- Smaller feature set
Frequently asked questions
Is iSpy or Moonfire NVR better?
Neither is universally better. Moonfire NVR has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are iSpy and Moonfire NVR free and open-source?
Yes. iSpy is licensed under LGPL-3.0 and Moonfire NVR under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run iSpy and Moonfire NVR with Docker?
iSpy: check the project docs for container support. Moonfire NVR: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, iSpy or Moonfire NVR?
Moonfire NVR has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for iSpy. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.