head to head · open source
frigate vs self-host
frigate has 37,160 GitHub stars, 3,782 forks, 95 open issues and last shipped yesterday. self-host has 1,490 stars, 62 forks, 2 open issues and last shipped yesterday. frigate leads on adoption by 2,394% (37,160 vs 1,490 stars). frigate is written in Python under MIT; self-host is written in Go under Apache-2.0. frigate has attracted 10% as many forks as stars, self-host 4%. self-host was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (home-assistant), 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 | self-host | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 37K | ★ 1.5K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Python | Go |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.8K | ⑂ 62 |
| 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 self-host if
- You want the self-host feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You evaluated both and self-host 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 self-host
self host Try self hosted apps from your terminal. Website · Docs · Showreel · Discord self host is a terminal UI for getting self hosted Apps running with Docker Compose. Pick an App, let it set up an account and connect the Apps it supports, then try it. It's meant for people getting started, or anyone who wants to try an App before adding it to their own setup. Think of it as a small terminal based alternative to Portainer, with App setup included. If you already have a setup you're happy with, you don't need this. It manages its own Compose Project, not your existing containers. Get started You need Docker…
read the full self-host overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is frigate or self-host more popular?
frigate has 37,160 GitHub stars and self-host has 1,490. frigate has the larger community by that measure.
Are frigate and self-host free?
Both are open source. frigate is licensed under MIT and self-host under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between frigate and self-host?
frigate is written in Python and self-host in Go. 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 self-host?
Choose frigate if you want the larger community (37,160 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose self-host if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.