iSpy vs uStreamer
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
uStreamer
Lightweight MJPEG streamer for USB and CSI cameras
| Feature | iSpy | uStreamer |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | LGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C# | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,611 | ★ 2,021 |
| First released | 2007 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Blue Iris | mjpg-streamer |
Why pick each one
Choose uStreamer if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
Frequently asked questions
Is iSpy or uStreamer better?
uStreamer 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 uStreamer free and open-source?
Yes. iSpy is licensed under LGPL-3.0 and uStreamer under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run iSpy and uStreamer with Docker?
iSpy: check the project docs for container support. uStreamer: check the project docs for container support.