Reolink NVR

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Reolink NVR

A curated collection of the 2 best self hosted alternatives to Reolink NVR.

Reolink NVR is a network video recorder for managing and recording IP/PoE security cameras. It provides continuous and motion-triggered recording, local storage, playback and remote viewing via apps/web, enabling centralized surveillance for homes and businesses.

Alternatives List

#1
Frigate

Frigate

Self-hosted NVR that uses real-time object detection (TensorRT/Coral/CPU) with camera restreaming, recording, snapshots, a web UI, and strong Home Assistant integration.

Frigate screenshot

Frigate is a self-hosted network video recorder (NVR) focused on real-time AI object detection for IP cameras. It combines efficient video processing with event-based recording and a web UI so you can review live views, detections, and recordings with minimal manual triage.

Key Features

  • Real-time object detection pipeline designed for low-latency and low CPU usage
  • Hardware acceleration support, including Google Coral (Edge TPU) and NVIDIA TensorRT (where available)
  • Uses FFmpeg for camera ingest and decoding with configurable roles (detect/record/audio)
  • Restreaming and multi-camera management with configurable streams and recording retention
  • Motion-based and object-based event handling with snapshots and clip recording
  • Web UI for live views, event timeline, clips, snapshots, and per-camera configuration visibility
  • MQTT integration for publishing events and states (commonly used with Home Assistant)
  • Config-driven setup (YAML) with per-camera zones, masks, and object filters

Use Cases

  • Smart home security NVR with person/vehicle detection and automated alerts via MQTT/Home Assistant
  • Reduce false alarms by filtering motion events through object detection and zones
  • Local recording and review for multiple RTSP cameras with efficient retention policies

Limitations and Considerations

  • Initial setup requires careful stream selection and FFmpeg tuning per camera model/codec
  • Best performance typically depends on supported accelerators (e.g., Coral/TensorRT) and compatible hardware

Frigate is a strong choice for users who want an NVR that prioritizes fast, accurate detections and automation-friendly event output. Its architecture is optimized for continuous camera workloads while keeping review and alerting centered on meaningful objects rather than raw motion.

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#2
ZoneMinder

ZoneMinder

ZoneMinder is a Linux-based video surveillance/NVR platform for IP and analog cameras with motion detection, recording, events, and a web interface.

ZoneMinder screenshot

ZoneMinder is a free, open-source video surveillance and network video recorder (NVR) application for Linux. It manages video streams from IP, analog, and USB cameras, providing live viewing, motion detection, event recording, and centralized monitoring through a browser-based interface.

Key Features

  • Supports multiple camera sources (IP/RTSP, analog capture devices, USB webcams) with per-camera “Monitor” configurations
  • Motion detection and event-based recording with configurable zones, sensitivity, and alarm triggers
  • Multiple recording modes (continuous, motion/event, pre/post event buffering) and event archiving
  • Web UI for live multi-camera viewing, event review, and system administration
  • User authentication and role-based permissions for multi-user deployments
  • PTZ support (via compatible camera/control integrations) and camera control from the UI
  • Event notifications and integrations via filters/scripts (commonly used with email, MQTT, or automation tools)
  • Mobile access via the web UI and third-party mobile clients commonly used in the community

Use Cases

  • Home or small-business CCTV/NVR for mixed camera fleets (older analog plus newer IP cameras)
  • Recording and reviewing motion-triggered events (driveways, entrances, storage areas)
  • Multi-camera monitoring wall for labs, workshops, or server rooms

Limitations and Considerations

  • Primarily targets Linux; performance and stability depend heavily on storage/CPU and camera encoding settings
  • Setup can be more involved than turnkey appliances, especially for hardware capture devices and tuning motion detection

ZoneMinder is a mature, widely-deployed NVR stack with a long community history and broad device compatibility. It is best suited for users who want a flexible, configurable surveillance system and are comfortable tuning camera and recording settings for their environment.

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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running