Banalytics vs Blue Iris
Cross-platform open architecture vs Windows-only commercial VMS.
Blue Iris is a long-established Windows-only commercial VMS sold as a one-time license, focused on local recording from many IP cameras. Banalytics is a cross-platform edge orchestration platform that includes a VMS plus event automation, MQTT/Modbus, dashboards, AI, and multi-site capability. Choose Blue Iris if you are committed to Windows and a single-PC NVR. Choose Banalytics if you need Linux/ARM support, multi-site, IoT integration, or want to start free.
Choose Blue Iris when
- You are committed to a Windows-only host and a single-PC NVR setup.
- You prefer a one-time license over recurring fees.
- You need a mature standalone VMS UI on Windows with strong codec/PTZ support and no plans to migrate.
- You don't need Linux, ARM, multi-site agents, or built-in IoT integration.
Choose Banalytics when
- You want the same edge agent to run on Windows, Linux x86_64, or Linux ARM64 (Raspberry Pi, mini-PC).
- You operate more than one site and want a single console across them.
- You need built-in Modbus, MQTT, Telegram, email, audio output, and webhook actions.
- You want to start free and pay per active component, not per camera license.
- You need browser-based dashboards and P2P remote access without setting up VPN or a public IP.
Side-by-side capabilities
| Capability | Banalytics | Blue Iris |
|---|---|---|
| License model | SaaS Community (free) + paid components | One-time purchase (LE / full) |
| Host OS | Windows 10/11, Linux x86_64, Linux ARM64 | Windows only |
| Minimum hardware | 1.66 GHz CPU, 2 GB RAM | Modern multi-core Windows PC; more for many cameras |
| Multi-site / multi-agent | Yes, in one console | One PC per location; remote access via Blue Iris app or VPN |
| Camera protocols | ONVIF, RTSP, USB | ONVIF, RTSP, MJPEG, JPEG, manufacturer-specific |
| AI detection | YOLO; Gemini AI assistant | Integration with external AI servers (CodeProject.AI, DeepStack) |
| IoT protocols | Native MQTT v3/v5, Modbus, ZeroMQ | Limited; community add-ons |
| Built-in alert channels | Telegram, email, MQTT, webhook, audio, PTZ presets | Email, SMS gateway, push, MQTT (configurable) |
| Dashboards | Configurable browser dashboards | Local UI and Blue Iris mobile app |
| Remote access | Portal-mediated WebRTC P2P; no public IP needed | Port-forward / VPN / Blue Iris cloud (paid) |
| Cost (entry) | Free Community tier; $15/mo Basic; $50/mo Pro | ~$69.95 LE; ~$89.95 full (one-time) |
| Scale model | Per active component beyond free instance | Camera count tied to license edition |
Running both
You can run Banalytics and Blue Iris side by side. A common pattern: Blue Iris keeps long-term recordings on a Windows tower; Banalytics handles the event pipeline (Telegram alerts, dashboards across sites, MQTT/Modbus integration with Home Assistant or SCADA). Both subscribe to the same RTSP camera streams.
Coming from Blue Iris?
Add your existing cameras by RTSP URL in the Banalytics console. Storage paths can point to the same NAS share Blue Iris already writes to (use a separate subfolder). Events that today go to Blue Iris email alerts can be reshaped into Telegram or MQTT through the Banalytics event manager. See Event manager and Network camera.
Free tier, no Windows lock-in
Start with the Community tier on the hardware you already have.