Banalytics vs Shinobi
Open-source Node.js NVR vs a managed edge orchestration platform.
Shinobi is a free, open-source Node.js NVR with a web UI, plugin model, and CE/Pro split. Banalytics is a packaged edge orchestration platform with a managed portal, built-in alerts, MQTT/Modbus, dashboards, and AI. Choose Shinobi if you want a fully self-hosted, source-available NVR you assemble yourself. Choose Banalytics if you want the managed control plane, built-in actions, and IoT integration without writing glue code.
Choose Shinobi when
- You want a fully self-hosted, source-available NVR with no external services.
- You are comfortable installing Node.js, MariaDB/MySQL, and configuring NGINX yourself.
- You will customize via the plugin API and don't need first-party industrial protocol support.
Choose Banalytics when
- You want a one-installer, packaged agent on Windows, Linux x86_64, or Linux ARM64.
- You need built-in Telegram, email, MQTT, Modbus, ZeroMQ, webhook actions out of the box.
- You need browser P2P remote access without a public IP, port-forwarding, or VPN.
- You want a managed portal that orchestrates many sites/agents in one view.
- You need built-in AI (YOLO) and a Gemini AI assistant.
Side-by-side capabilities
| Capability | Banalytics | Shinobi |
|---|---|---|
| License | Commercial with free Community tier | MIT (CE); Pro is a paid distribution with support |
| Stack | Java agent + browser portal | Node.js + MariaDB/MySQL |
| Install | Single installer or archive; no database setup required | Manual setup of Node.js, DB, and dependencies |
| Cross-platform | Windows, Linux x86_64, Linux ARM64 | Linux, Windows, macOS (community-built) |
| Camera protocols | ONVIF, RTSP, USB | ONVIF, RTSP, MJPEG, HLS, RTMP (FFmpeg-based) |
| AI detection | YOLO; Gemini AI assistant | Plugin-based: TensorFlow, OpenCV, OpenALPR |
| Industrial protocols | Modbus, MQTT v3/v5, ZeroMQ native | Webhooks and custom plugins |
| Multi-site | Multiple agents linked in one console | One Shinobi instance per location; federation is manual |
| Alert channels | Telegram, email, audio, MQTT, webhook, PTZ, Java/CMD | Email, Discord, Telegram via plugins |
| Remote access | Portal-mediated WebRTC P2P | Port-forward, VPN, or reverse proxy |
| Pricing | Free Community tier; Basic $15/mo; Pro $50/mo | Free (CE); paid Pro for managed builds and support |
Coming from Shinobi?
Re-add cameras by RTSP URL. Move event-driven logic from Shinobi's webhooks/plugins into the Banalytics event manager. If you currently expose Shinobi via reverse proxy, the Banalytics portal removes that requirement via WebRTC P2P. See Access sharing & P2P and Event manager.
One installer. No DB to set up.
Free Community tier, predictable per-component scaling.