MediaMTX vs Motion

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?
FeatureMediaMTXMotion
CategoryVideo SurveillanceVideo Surveillance
LicenseMITGPL-2.0
LanguageGoC++
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM128 MB256 MB
Deploymentdocker, binarydocker, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 19,747★ 4,030
First released20192000
ReplacesWowzaNest Cam

Why pick each one

Choose MediaMTX if…

  • Extremely lightweight
  • Wide protocol support
MediaMTX details

Choose Motion if…

  • Tiny footprint
  • Highly scriptable
Motion details

Frequently asked questions

Is MediaMTX or Motion better?

MediaMTX is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Motion if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are MediaMTX and Motion free and open-source?

Yes. MediaMTX is licensed under MIT and Motion under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run MediaMTX and Motion with Docker?

MediaMTX: yes. Motion: yes.

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