OpenALPR vs Shinobi
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?
OpenALPR
Automatic license plate recognition library
VS
Shinobi
Open-source NVR and CCTV software for IP cameras
| Feature | OpenALPR | Shinobi |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 11,440 | ★ 4,000 |
| First released | 2015 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Rekor Scout, Plate Recognizer | Blue Iris |
Why pick each one
Choose OpenALPR if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 11.4k GitHub stars
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenALPR or Shinobi better?
Neither is universally better. OpenALPR has the larger community, while Shinobi is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are OpenALPR and Shinobi free and open-source?
Yes. OpenALPR is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Shinobi under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenALPR and Shinobi with Docker?
OpenALPR: yes. Shinobi: yes.