MotionPlus vs Shinobi
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted video surveillance options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | MotionPlus | Shinobi |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 367 | ★ 4,000 |
| First released | 2020 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Blue Iris, ZoneMinder | Blue Iris |
What are MotionPlus and Shinobi?
MotionPlus
MotionPlus is the next-generation continuation of the Motion video surveillance software, written by a longtime Motion developer. It monitors video signals from cameras and detects motion to trigger recordings and events.
- Motion-triggered recording
- Multiple camera sources
- Web control interface
- Event scripting
Shinobi
Shinobi is an open-source network video recorder and CCTV solution that supports a wide range of IP cameras over RTSP, ONVIF, and other protocols. It offers motion detection, a web dashboard, and many integrations.
- Wide IP camera support
- Motion detection
- Web dashboard
- Multiple recording modes
MotionPlus vs Shinobi: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: MotionPlus's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Shinobi is actively maintained. MotionPlus is written in C++, while Shinobi is built with JavaScript. MotionPlus is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Shinobi. Shinobi is the more established project (first released 2017), while MotionPlus arrived in 2020. Shinobi has the considerably larger community, at 4,000 GitHub stars versus 367. Shinobi lists first-class Docker deployment; MotionPlus does not.
Why pick each one
Choose MotionPlus if…
- Lightweight and flexible
- Active development
Watch out for
- Configuration heavy
- No bundled AI detection
Choose Shinobi if…
- Flexible camera support
- Active community
Watch out for
- Configuration can be complex
- Documentation is scattered
Frequently asked questions
Is MotionPlus or Shinobi better?
Neither is universally better. Shinobi has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are MotionPlus and Shinobi free and open-source?
Yes. MotionPlus is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Shinobi under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MotionPlus and Shinobi with Docker?
MotionPlus: check the project docs for container support. Shinobi: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, MotionPlus or Shinobi?
MotionPlus has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Shinobi. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.