Open-source NVR · professionally delivered
Choose managed cloud recording for a fast, low-retention deployment—or let our team design, implement, and support LightNVR on your infrastructure. MSPs can deliver either model across every client site.
Self-service or contracted
Off-site recording without buying an NVR. Ideal for homes and small sites, with isolated multi-site cloud deployments and volume arrangements for MSPs.
Designed and supported
A professionally scoped system for schools, campuses, businesses, and complex sites needing local recording, longer retention, or specialized workflows.
Deploying for customers? See cloud, on-premises, and hybrid options for MSPs →
Open-source since 2024 175+ GitHub stars Built in Maine
Cloud hosting
No recording hardware to buy. No server software to install. Just cameras and a browser.
Sign up in 30 seconds — no credit card, no commitment. Your 14-day trial starts when you provision.
Pick CPU, memory, and storage for your NVR instance. Start small, scale anytime.
Point any RTSP/ONVIF camera at your cloud NVR via WireGuard VPN. Watch live or review recordings from anywhere.
On-premises delivery
When cloud storage stops being the right economic or operational fit, we can scope the workload, recommend server and storage hardware, validate your camera estate, implement LightNVR, and stay involved after handoff.
Real screenshots from a live instance — explore different views and themes.
*Your cameras must support RTSP or ONVIF — open standards used by most professional IP cameras (Reolink, Hikvision, Dahua, Amcrest, etc.).
Many consumer smart home cameras (Ring, Nest, Arlo) use proprietary protocols and are not compatible.
†Stream latency depends on your local network speed, camera encoding settings, and internet connection quality.
"After upgrading, all the Axis M10 Series cameras are now recording perfectly — clean MP4s, correct framerate (30fps), proper durations. Everything is working correctly now."
"Thank you for your explanation — it makes sense now. I appreciate it, excellent project."
The common thread is RTSP and open standards. If your camera streams RTSP or speaks ONVIF, LightNVR can record it. We deliberately don't support proprietary closed protocols like Ring's, Arlo's, or Nest's native streams — those are designed to keep you locked into their ecosystem.
The most popular consumer camera in the US is now first-class in LightNVR. Drop your Wyze account credentials into the go2rtc config override, click Suggest, and LightNVR auto-discovers every camera on your account — streaming directly from the camera over your LAN, not relayed through Wyze's cloud. No firmware reflash, no Wyze Cam Plus subscription, no per-camera tinkering. Step-by-step guide →
Cam v3, Cam v4, Pan v3, OG / OG Telephoto
🆕 LightNVR bridges Wyze stock cameras directly — no firmware reflash, no Wyze subscription
Open setup guide →
RLC-810A, RLC-823A, E1 Pro, Duo 3 PoE
RTSP on supported non-battery models; enable the server port first
Open setup guide →
IP5M-T1179, ProHD, UltraHD series
Standard RTSP on many IP models; verify Smart Home models individually
Open setup guide →
4K PoE series, W882CAD, E891AB
Many wired IP models expose RTSP/ONVIF; verify the exact model
C800, NC400, I91BL series
RTSP/ONVIF availability varies by model and firmware
R2C, G4P, FI9926P
Many IP models expose RTSP; use the model-specific stream path
DS-2CD series, DS-2DE PTZ
⚠️ Not NDAA-compliant — consumer/commercial use only
Open setup guide →
IPC-HDW, IPC-HFW series
⚠️ Not NDAA-compliant — consumer/commercial use only
Open setup guide →
Browse all camera and troubleshooting guides →Don't see your camera? Ask us — if it speaks RTSP, it almost certainly works.
Provision a real instance, connect real cameras, and validate live view and recording. Your dashboard shows the trial deadline, current run rate, measured usage, and a secure payment-method setup when you are ready to continue.
No credit card required to start. Payment never begins automatically. Unpaid instances suspend when the trial ends; your dashboard provides a direct path to authorize billing and restore service.
LightNVR is free, open source software — run it yourself on your own hardware, or let us run it for you in the cloud. Same great software, two very different levels of effort.
Download LightNVR and run it on your own computer, home server, or Raspberry Pi. Great if you're comfortable with a bit of tech setup and want full control.
We run LightNVR for you in the cloud — whether you're securing one location or deploying for dozens of client sites. Connect your cameras and start recording. We handle everything.
Cameras at your site connect over an encrypted tunnel to your own isolated tenant instance. Recordings stay encrypted at rest. You watch from any browser.
Professional security camera recording features — without the enterprise price tag or requirement to buy proprietary hardware.
Cameras connect over an encrypted VPN (WireGuard) — no port forwarding or IT setup needed, even if your cameras are behind a home router or office firewall.
Works with most standard IP security cameras — Reolink, Hikvision, Dahua, Amcrest, and many more. No need to buy new or proprietary hardware.
Every site gets its own dedicated recording server — footage is never mixed between accounts. Ideal for MSPs managing multiple client locations.
View live camera feeds on any phone, tablet, or computer — no app download required.
Continuous or motion-triggered recording stored safely off-site, with configurable retention periods.
All video encrypted in transit and at rest. SOC 2 compliance roadmap.
Same features, fraction of the cost. No proprietary hardware required.
| Provider | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ivideon | $9-25/cam/mo | Per-camera pricing adds up fast |
| Verkada | $17-150/cam/mo | Requires proprietary cameras |
| Rhombus | $12+/cam/mo | Annual contracts, hardware lock-in |
| LightNVR Best Value | From ~$25/mo | Usage-based run rate, no per-camera fees, BYO cameras |
Pay only for what you need — scale up or down any time.
14-day trial. No credit card to start; add a payment method before it ends and pay for measured allocation-time.
Try the live demo first · No account needed
*No artificial camera limits. Actual capacity depends on resolution, frame rate, and encoding settings.
Resources above Starter (500m CPU, 512Mi RAM, 20GB storage) require billing setup after signup.
If you'd rather not slide knobs, choose one of the three common configurations. Its displayed monthly figure is the run rate; Demetered still prorates actual allocation-time.
A small allocation to try the workflow end-to-end.
The most common starting point for a small site.
A larger allocation for full-site or 4K deployments.
Larger deployment, multi-site, or compliance contract? Let's talk.
Security camera footage is sensitive. We've designed LightNVR Cloud so that keeping your data private isn't a premium add-on — it's how the system works by default.
Every instance runs in a fully isolated Kubernetes namespace. Your recordings are never co-mingled with another customer's data — not even on the same volume.
Camera traffic travels over WireGuard VPN — a modern, audited protocol with no legacy cipher baggage. Your dashboard and API are served exclusively over TLS 1.2+.
LightNVR itself is open source. You can read exactly what runs on your server, build it yourself, or self-host entirely. No black boxes.
Instances run in DigitalOcean datacenters. Pick the region closest to your cameras — or the one that satisfies your compliance requirements. We don't move your data without asking.
We have no access to your recordings and run no AI analysis on them unless you explicitly opt into a feature that requires it. Your cameras, your business.
When you terminate an instance, the PVC and all recordings are permanently deleted from our infrastructure. No soft-deletes, no 30-day retention on our end.
Have a specific compliance requirement (GDPR, SOC 2, HIPAA-adjacent)? Get in touch — we're happy to discuss your setup.
If you manage security systems for multiple businesses, LightNVR Cloud fits the way you work. Spin up a dedicated, isolated recording server for each client — billed per site, not per camera. Scale up as you win new clients, without surprises on your invoice.
Our infrastructure is built on DigitalOcean and ready to grow with you — New York today, Amsterdam, Bangalore, or San Francisco tomorrow. If your clients need data kept in a specific region, let's talk .
If your question isn't here, email support@lightnvr.com — a real human responds.
Still have questions? Email us — a real human responds.
Start recording your security cameras in the cloud — no per-camera fees, no new hardware required.
No credit card to start · 14-day trial · Monthly billing from measured allocation-time