ZoneMinder

Not yet benchmarked

Vendor: Open source
License: GPLv2 (open source)
Platforms: Linux, Docker

Mature, fully-GPL self-hosted VMS with very broad camera support (IP, USB, analog) and zero cloud dependency. Version 1.38.x as of mid-2026. Not yet benchmarked on our test bench.

Strengths

Long-lived, fully open source (GPLv2), no cloud dependency whatsoever.
Very broad camera support: IP, USB and analog (via capture card).

Limitations

Dated LAMP-stack web UI and configuration complexity.
No built-in facial recognition — modern AI/face detection needs separate community ML add-ons.
No encryption of stored footage; no first-party desktop/mobile apps.

Criteria

Self-hosted (runs on your hardware)	✓
Works without a mandatory vendor account	✓
Works with any ONVIF/RTSP camera (no hardware lock-in)	✓
Built-in facial recognition	✗
Encrypts stored footage at rest	✗
Remote access without a vendor cloud	✓
Web + desktop + mobile apps	✗

Sources

https://github.com/ZoneMinder/zoneminder — officiel (licence GPLv2, versions) (2026-07-21)
https://zoneminder.readthedocs.io/ — officiel (documentation) (2026-07-21)
https://github.com/ZoneMinder/zmeventnotification — communautaire (détection ML en add-on) (2026-07-21)

This product has not yet been tested on our bench. The information above comes from dated documentary sources; no comparative verdict is published until a real test has taken place.