Motion 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?
Motion
Lightweight motion-detection video surveillance daemon
VS
OpenIPC
Open-source firmware for IP cameras and surveillance devices
| Feature | Motion | OpenIPC |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | C++ | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,030 | ★ 2,110 |
| First released | 2000 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Nest Cam | Stock IP camera firmware |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Motion or OpenIPC better?
Motion is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider OpenIPC if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Motion and OpenIPC free and open-source?
Yes. Motion is licensed under GPL-2.0 and OpenIPC under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Motion and OpenIPC with Docker?
Motion: yes. OpenIPC: check the project docs for container support.