head to head · open source
homebridge vs camera.ui
homebridge has 25,497 GitHub stars, 2,011 forks, 21 open issues and last shipped 23 days ago. camera.ui has 1,112 stars, 167 forks, 2 open issues and last shipped 4 days ago. homebridge leads on adoption by 2,193% (25,497 vs 1,112 stars). homebridge is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0; camera.ui is written in TypeScript under MIT. homebridge has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, camera.ui 15%. camera.ui was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (homekit), 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
| homebridge | camera.ui | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 25K | ★ 1.1K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-08-30 | 2026-09-18 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.0K | ⑂ 167 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick homebridge if
- You weight community size — 25K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick camera.ui if
- You want the camera.ui feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and camera.ui fits your workflow better
About homebridge
Homebridge is a lightweight, free and open source Node.js server that emulates the HomeKit Accessory Protocol (HAP) on a home network, so that smart home devices without native HomeKit support can be controlled through Apple's Home app and Siri.
read the full homebridge overview →
About camera.ui
camera.ui is a self hosted, local first video surveillance platform for security cameras, built for people who want live viewing, 24/7 recording, and on device AI detection while keeping footage on hardware they own.
read the full camera.ui overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is homebridge or camera.ui more popular?
homebridge has 25,497 GitHub stars and camera.ui has 1,112. homebridge has the larger community by that measure.
Are homebridge and camera.ui free?
Both are open source. homebridge is licensed under Apache-2.0 and camera.ui under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between homebridge and camera.ui?
homebridge is written in TypeScript and camera.ui in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, homebridge or camera.ui?
Choose homebridge if you want the larger community (25,497 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose camera.ui if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.