Frigate Vs Zoneminder

Quick Verdict Frigate is the better choice for most self-hosters. Its AI-powered object detection dramatically reduces false alerts, the Home Assistant integration is first-class, and it's designed specifically for the Docker/self-hosting ecosystem. ZoneMinder is the veteran option with more traditional DVR/NVR features but feels dated and lacks modern AI capabilities. Updated February 2026: Verified with latest Docker images and configurations. Overview Frigate and ZoneMinder are both self-hosted NVR (Network Video Recorder) systems that let you monitor security cameras without cloud subscriptions. They represent two different eras of home surveillance. Frigate — MIT license, 30k GitHub stars. Built by Blake Blackshear. Uses TensorFlow for real-time AI object detection. Designed from the ground up for Home Assistant integration. Latest version: v0.16.4 (January 2026). ZoneMinder — GPL-2.0 license, 5.2k GitHub stars. One of the oldest open-source NVR projects (started in 2002). Traditi