SentryShot vs ZoneMinder
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?
SentryShot
Video surveillance management system
VS
ZoneMinder
Full-featured closed-circuit television software suite
| Feature | SentryShot | ZoneMinder |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Docker | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | — | ★ 5,899 |
| First released | 2020 | 2002 |
| Replaces | — | Blue Iris, Milestone XProtect |
Why pick each one
Choose SentryShot if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Docker
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is SentryShot or ZoneMinder better?
Neither is universally better. ZoneMinder has the larger community, while SentryShot is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are SentryShot and ZoneMinder free and open-source?
Yes. SentryShot is licensed under GPL-2.0 and ZoneMinder under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run SentryShot and ZoneMinder with Docker?
SentryShot: yes. ZoneMinder: yes.