head to head · open source
frigate vs EMS-ESP32
frigate has 37,160 GitHub stars, 3,782 forks, 95 open issues and last shipped yesterday. EMS-ESP32 has 1,053 stars, 159 forks, 15 open issues and last shipped yesterday. frigate leads on adoption by 3,429% (37,160 vs 1,053 stars). frigate is written in Python under MIT; EMS-ESP32 is written in C++ under LGPL-3.0. frigate has attracted 10% as many forks as stars, EMS-ESP32 15%. frigate was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 3 topic tags (home-assistant, home-automation, mqtt), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| frigate | EMS-ESP32 | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 37K | ★ 1.1K |
| License | MIT | LGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Python | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.8K | ⑂ 159 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick frigate if
- You weight community size — 37K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick EMS-ESP32 if
- You want the EMS-ESP32 feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the LGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and EMS-ESP32 fits your workflow better
About frigate
Frigate NVR™ Realtime Object Detection for IP Cameras \[English\] 简体中文 A complete and local NVR designed for Home Assistant with AI object detection. Uses OpenCV and Tensorflow to perform realtime object detection locally for IP cameras. Use of a GPU or AI accelerator is highly recommended. AI accelerators will outperform even the best CPUs with very little overhead. See Frigate's supported object detectors. Tight integration with Home Assistant via a custom component Designed to minimize resource use and maximize performance by only looking for objects when and where it is necessary Leverages multiprocessing…
read the full frigate overview →
About EMS-ESP32
EMS ESP EMS ESP is an open source firmware for the Espressif ESP32 microcontroller to communicate with EMS (Energy Management System) compatible equipment from manufacturers such as Bosch, Buderus, Nefit, Junkers, Worcester, Sieger, elm.leblanc and iVT. It requires a small circuit to interface with the EMS bus which can be purchased from . These gateways are tested thoroughly and certified to work with EMS ESP. 📦 Key Features Compatible with EMS, EMS+, EMS2, EMS Plus, Logamatic EMS, Junkers 2 wire, Heatronic 3 and 4 Supporting over 120 different EMS compatible devices such as thermostats, boilers, heat pumps…
read the full EMS-ESP32 overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is frigate or EMS-ESP32 more popular?
frigate has 37,160 GitHub stars and EMS-ESP32 has 1,053. frigate has the larger community by that measure.
Are frigate and EMS-ESP32 free?
Both are open source. frigate is licensed under MIT and EMS-ESP32 under LGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between frigate and EMS-ESP32?
frigate is written in Python and EMS-ESP32 in C++. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, frigate or EMS-ESP32?
Choose frigate if you want the larger community (37,160 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose EMS-ESP32 if its feature set, stack or LGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.