SHSelfHostIndex

RPi Cam Web Interface 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?
RP RPi Cam Web Interface Web-based control and streaming for the Raspberry Pi camera VS SH Shinobi Open-source NVR and CCTV software for IP cameras
FeatureRPi Cam Web InterfaceShinobi
CategoryVideo SurveillanceVideo Surveillance
LicenseMITGPL-3.0
LanguagePHPJavaScript
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM256 MB2,048 MB
Deploymentbare-metaldocker, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 1,599★ 4,000
First released20132017
ReplacesNest CamBlue Iris

Why pick each one

Choose RPi Cam Web Interface if…

  • Easy DIY setup
  • Lightweight
RPi Cam Web Interface details

Choose Shinobi if…

  • Flexible camera support
  • Active community
Shinobi details

Frequently asked questions

Is RPi Cam Web Interface or Shinobi better?

Neither is universally better. Shinobi has the larger community, while RPi Cam Web Interface is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are RPi Cam Web Interface and Shinobi free and open-source?

Yes. RPi Cam Web Interface is licensed under MIT and Shinobi under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run RPi Cam Web Interface and Shinobi with Docker?

RPi Cam Web Interface: check the project docs for container support. Shinobi: yes.

Related comparisons