STONEWATCH GUIDES
Guides for local camera recording
The platform guides compare Stonewatch with the recorders people already use on each system, give example hardware, and include a storage calculator. The switching guides compare it with Blue Iris and Frigate.
NVR software by platform
The best NVR software for Linux, Mac, and Windows, with example hardware and a storage calculator.
LINUX
Best NVR Software for Linux in 2026
A native recorder for 64-bit Linux with no Docker, compared with Frigate and Scrypted.
Read the Linux guideMAC
Best NVR Software for Mac in 2026
Recording on Apple Silicon Macs with macOS 13 or later, compared with SecuritySpy and Scrypted.
Read the Mac guideWINDOWS
Best NVR Software for PC and Windows in 2026
A background service for 64-bit Windows PCs, compared with Blue Iris and Frigate.
Read the Windows guideSwitching from Blue Iris or Frigate
How Stonewatch compares, and how it runs where Blue Iris and Frigate do not.
FRIGATE
Frigate Alternative Without Docker
A native recorder for Windows, Mac, and Linux, set up in an app instead of Docker and YAML.
Read the guideBLUE IRIS
Blue Iris Alternative for Mac, Linux, and Windows
Built-in detection, included updates, and a recorder that restarts itself, on Mac, Linux, and Windows.
Read the guideFRIGATE ON WINDOWS
Frigate for Windows: A Native Alternative
Local object detection on a Windows PC, without WSL, Docker, or YAML.
Read the guideBLUE IRIS ON LINUX
Blue Iris for Linux: What Runs Natively Instead
A native Linux recorder with built-in detection, no Docker, and no Windows virtual machine.
Read the guideBLUE IRIS ON MAC
Blue Iris for Mac: What Runs on macOS Instead
A native recorder for Apple Silicon Macs, USD 99 once for any number of cameras.
Read the guide