OpenIPC 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?
OpenIPC
Open-source firmware for IP cameras and surveillance devices
VS
uStreamer
Lightweight MJPEG streamer for USB and CSI cameras
| Feature | OpenIPC | uStreamer |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C | C |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,110 | ★ 2,021 |
| First released | 2020 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Stock IP camera firmware | 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 OpenIPC or uStreamer better?
Neither is universally better. OpenIPC has the larger community, while uStreamer is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are OpenIPC and uStreamer free and open-source?
Yes. OpenIPC is licensed under MIT and uStreamer under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenIPC and uStreamer with Docker?
OpenIPC: check the project docs for container support. uStreamer: check the project docs for container support.