iSpy vs motionEye
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted video surveillance options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
iSpy
Open-source camera security and surveillance software
VS
motionEye
Web frontend for the Motion video surveillance program
| Feature | iSpy | motionEye |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | LGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C# | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,611 | ★ 4,651 |
| First released | 2007 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Blue Iris | Nest Cam |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is iSpy or motionEye better?
motionEye is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider iSpy if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are iSpy and motionEye free and open-source?
Yes. iSpy is licensed under LGPL-3.0 and motionEye under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run iSpy and motionEye with Docker?
iSpy: check the project docs for container support. motionEye: yes.