iSpy vs OpenIPC
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
OpenIPC
Open-source firmware for IP cameras and surveillance devices
| Feature | iSpy | OpenIPC |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | LGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | C# | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,611 | ★ 2,110 |
| First released | 2007 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Blue Iris | Stock IP camera firmware |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is iSpy or OpenIPC better?
Neither is universally better. OpenIPC has the larger community, while iSpy is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are iSpy and OpenIPC free and open-source?
Yes. iSpy is licensed under LGPL-3.0 and OpenIPC under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run iSpy and OpenIPC with Docker?
iSpy: check the project docs for container support. OpenIPC: check the project docs for container support.