Open source IP or CCTV camera monitoring software are special software that allow you to manage, connect and monitor your remote cameras over a network connection for video surveillance.
These cameras could be anything from cams that are set up to protect your home security, or dashcams to record what’s happening around your vehicle, or security surveillance cameras to protect your workplace.
Proprietary cam and CCTV software may require you to have a monthly or yearly subscription in order to continue receiving updates.
They may also charge you based on how many licenses are you going to buy according to the number of cams that you want to set up.
Luckily, open source IP/CCTV camera software exists and you can set them up on your own and avoid whatever costs that could be imposed on you.
A note of caution, though, to secure your IP cameras connections over the network so that no one else can access them; you have no idea how many IP and CCTV cameras are left with open access in the wild, and anyone from anywhere around the world could be stalking on these.
To secure your IP camera or CCTV, make sure to:
- Make it only accessible from your own IP address.
- Secure its connection with a strong password or encryption.
- Log all access operations so that you know if someone else is watching.
- Update its software to the latest stable versions whenever they are released.
Table of Contents:
Top Open Source IP/CCTV/Camera Monitoring Software
This article will explore what secure, maintained and feature-rich open source software are out there for monitoring such types of cameras.
Once you find your match, you can install this software and start monitoring!
We made sure to select only the top working, still-maintained and useful software that belong in this list for our readers. You can review our criteria for listicle articles on FOSS Post to understand the basis for our selections. Remember that we only cover open-source software on FOSS Post that follow the OSI definition and an OSI-approved license. The ranking is random and does not reflect our rating for the software.
1. iSpy
iSpy video surveillance software, known under its new name “Agent DVR”, is the first open source software solution that comes to mind when talking about monitoring security cameras and IP cams.
It is designed for monitoring and surveillance across various platforms including Windows, OSX, and Linux. IP cameras using it can also be accessed from smartphones.
The software supports an extensive range of devices such as IP cameras, ONVIF-compatible hardware, and local USB cameras along with audio recording capabilities.
It can use SSL encryption to facilitate the connection between the person monitoring the camera and the camera itself, preventing malicious actors from spying on the camera while also ensuring that it can be accessed from anywhere over the network.
Its features also include advanced motion detection options ranging from basic tracking to sophisticated AI-driven (using OpenAI models) object recognition that reduces false alerts.
Users can also benefit from diverse notification methods—including email alerts and push notifications—and integration with popular automation systems like Home Assistant and IFTTT enhances usability within smart home setups.
It offers robust recording formats (MP4/VP8/9) while prioritizing CPU efficiency via raw stream saving when feasible. Check out what IP and CCTV camera models they support.
2. ZoneMinder
ZoneMinder is a free open source cam monitoring software that offers a complete solution for capturing, analyzing, storing, and monitoring surveillance cameras. It supports both analog and IP-enabled cameras without locking users into proprietary systems.
The platform can be deployed on various hardware configurations ranging from Raspberry Pi to advanced server-class machines, allowing it to cater to small home setups as well as large enterprise environments. Deployed hosts can be accessed from the web browser using the IP address or host.
ZoneMinder’s architecture enables efficient image processing by leveraging GPU capabilities while maintaining control over user data through fully on-premises installation options.
The software incorporates advanced AI-powered detection features facilitated by third-party libraries such as EventServer and zmMagik for real-time object recognition and event summarization.
Additionally, ZoneMinder offers accessibility via web-based interfaces along with Android and iOS applications, allowing remote monitoring from any internet-connected device, which makes it particularly appealing in mobile-centric environments.
3. Frigate
Frigate is an open-source Network Video Recorder (NVR) designed for real-time local object detection specifically tailored for IP cameras.
The software leverages Python as its primary programming language, utilizing libraries such as OpenCV and TensorFlow to execute efficient video processing and AI-driven object recognition tasks.
Frigate’s architecture allows it to operate with minimal resource consumption while maximizing performance by employing a low-overhead motion detection system that selectively activates detailed analysis only when necessary.
One of the standout features of Frigate is its tight integration with Home Assistant, facilitating seamless automation capabilities through MQTT communication protocols.
Users can benefit from 24/7 recording options along with customizable retention settings based on detected objects, ensuring relevant footage remains accessible without unnecessary storage overheads.
Additionally, support for WebRTC enables low-latency live viewing experiences alongside robust functionalities like multi-camera scrubbing and built-in mask editing tools, making it particularly appealing for home security enthusiasts seeking advanced monitoring solutions in their setups.
https://github.com/blakeblackshear/frigate
4. Viseron
Viseron is a self-hosted, local-only network video recorder (NVR) and AI computer vision software designed to enhance camera surveillance capabilities.
Developed primarily in Python, it leverages various libraries including TensorFlow for machine learning functionalities such as object detection and face recognition. The platform supports Docker containers for easy deployment and configuration management through an intuitive web interface, making it accessible even to users with minimal technical expertise.
Sadly as we described, it works with local cameras only, and remote camera support is absent from the software.
Key features of Viseron include advanced motion detection algorithms that utilize deep learning techniques along with support for Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), enabling integration with IP cameras.
Additionally, its modular architecture allows users to enable or disable components based on their specific monitoring needs.
https://github.com/roflcoopter/viseron
5. Shinobi
Shinobi is a robust camera monitoring software developed using Node.js, which enables real-time management of video streams. Its architecture supports various functionalities through an extensive RESTful API, allowing developers to leverage its capabilities for custom applications and integrations.
The platform operates seamlessly across multiple operating systems including Linux, Mac, and Windows due to its versatile coding approach.
Key features that distinguish Shinobi include multitenancy support enabling distinct user groups with tailored access rights, advanced motion and object detection mechanisms triggering recordings based on specific events, as well as the ability to manage multicasted streams efficiently from a single camera connection.
The software supports ONVIF and RTSP protocols, and can stream in VLC even with MJPEG format. Shinobi has a web interface that can be accessed from a web browser.
https://gitlab.com/Shinobi-Systems/Shinobi
6. SentryShot
SentryShot is a video management system designed for surveillance and monitoring, primarily developed using Rust. The software leverages various libraries to provide functionalities such as TFlite object detection with custom models, enhancing its capability in real-time analysis of visual data.
It features a mobile-friendly web interface that allows users to access live feeds with minimal latency—under two seconds—and supports continuous recording directly into a customizable database.
The software is not fully-fledged with features like other ones in this list, but Rust lovers will definitely prefer it over anything mentioned since it is written in their beloved language!
https://github.com/SentryShot/sentryshot
7. Camera.UI
Camera.ui is a Progressive Web Application (PWA) designed for managing and controlling RTSP-capable cameras, offering users an intuitive interface similar to other NVRs in this list.
Developed primarily in Vue.js with JavaScript, the application leverages modern web technologies to provide features such as live streaming on the web, motion detection via various protocols including MQTT and FTP, and image recognition through AWS Rekognition.
The software supports multiple languages—German, English, Dutch, French, Thai—and Spanish—which enhances its accessibility across diverse user bases.
One distinguishing feature of camera.ui is its comprehensive notification system that integrates seamlessly with platforms like Webhooks, Alexa and Telegram for real-time alerts. In other words, you can receive alerts whenever a motion you defined gets caught in the camera.
Additionally, it includes functionalities such as pre-buffering to capture events leading up to detected motions and customizable dashboard widgets that allow users to personalize their experience effectively.
https://github.com/seydx/camera.ui
Conclusion
These were the top open source IP/CCTV/security camera monitoring software in the market. Of course, you may find a lot of other tools and monitoring scripts out there, but they may not be fully-fledged with features like the ones we already described.
As we said earlier in the post, keep in mind that you need to take extra measures to secure your IP cameras and prevent malicious actors from accessing them. Otherwise, they could spy on you without you knowing about it.
In terms of support, almost all standardized modern cameras are supported by all of these software, and you can just select the best solution that has enough features for your own needs.
If you know about a cam software that should be added to this list, then feel free to mention it in the comments.
Other interesting reads:
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