Viseron 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?
Viseron
Self-hosted NVR with local AI object detection
VS
ZoneMinder
Full-featured closed-circuit television software suite
| Feature | Viseron | ZoneMinder |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | MIT | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,334 | ★ 5,899 |
| First released | 2020 | 2002 |
| Replaces | Nest Cam, Blue Iris | Blue Iris, Milestone XProtect |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Viseron or ZoneMinder better?
Neither is universally better. ZoneMinder has the larger community, while Viseron is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Viseron and ZoneMinder free and open-source?
Yes. Viseron is licensed under MIT and ZoneMinder under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Viseron and ZoneMinder with Docker?
Viseron: yes. ZoneMinder: yes.