go2rtc vs MediaMTX
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A small server that receives, converts and re-serves live camera video in many formats.
Open source · MIT
A single-file server that receives, converts, and relays live video and audio streams.
The short answer
Choose go2rtc if you need…
- Home users connecting IP cameras to a browser or Home Assistant
- People who want low-latency live viewing of RTSP camera streams
- Developers integrating camera streams into their own smart home or video project via its HTTP API
- Users running it on small hardware such as a Raspberry Pi or old routers, since it is a single small binary
Choose MediaMTX if you need…
- People routing IP camera streams to viewers in a browser or media player
- Streamers who want to send one stream to several protocols or destinations
- Developers who need a local test server for RTSP, RTMP or WebRTC streams
- Users who want to record live streams to disk in fMP4 or MPEG-TS
Side-by-side
| go2rtc | MediaMTX | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 14.6k | 20.6k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Download the app | Download the app |
| Main language | Go | Go |
| Last code update | 11 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
go2rtc
go2rtc is a single program that takes video streams from cameras and other sources (such as RTSP, RTMP, and WebRTC) and re-publishes them in formats that web browsers, apps, and smart home systems can play. It can also convert codecs when needed and send audio to cameras that support two-way audio. People use it to view camera feeds in a browser or to connect cameras to Home Assistant with low delay.
MediaMTX
MediaMTX is a live media server and proxy that accepts video and audio streams over many protocols, such as RTSP, RTMP, WebRTC, SRT and HLS, and passes them on in other formats. It can also record streams to disk and play them back. It is described as a single executable with no dependencies, which is why people use it as a simple hub between cameras, encoders and viewers.
Best for
go2rtc
- Home users connecting IP cameras to a browser or Home Assistant
- People who want low-latency live viewing of RTSP camera streams
- Developers integrating camera streams into their own smart home or video project via its HTTP API
- Users running it on small hardware such as a Raspberry Pi or old routers, since it is a single small binary
MediaMTX
- People routing IP camera streams to viewers in a browser or media player
- Streamers who want to send one stream to several protocols or destinations
- Developers who need a local test server for RTSP, RTMP or WebRTC streams
- Users who want to record live streams to disk in fMP4 or MPEG-TS
Strengths
go2rtc
- Ships as a single binary with no runtime dependencies, per the README
- Supports many input and output formats and protocols
- Uses FFmpeg for transcoding only when necessary, which keeps latency low
MediaMTX
- Supports many streaming protocols in one program, with automatic conversion between them
- Ships as a single executable for Linux, Windows and macOS with no required dependencies
- Offers configuration reload without disconnecting existing clients
Not ideal for
go2rtc
- People who need a full video recording or NVR system with storage and motion search, since the README describes streaming rather than recording
- Users who want a no-configuration graphical app, because setup is done through a config file and a web interface
- Anyone expecting every camera brand to work without testing, since compatibility depends on the camera and protocol
MediaMTX
- Users who want a hosted service with no server to run, since this is self-hosted software
- Anyone needing a full-featured video editing or transcoding pipeline, as the README describes routing and proxying rather than editing
- Beginners with no interest in network ports, configuration files or protocols, because setup assumes familiarity with streaming concepts
Trade-offs
go2rtc
- The README is truncated and does not fully document configuration, so setup may take trial and error
- Some features depend on specific camera models or protocols, so results vary by device
- Its description of 'ultimate' coverage is the author's own framing, and the README gives no independent benchmarks
MediaMTX
- Configuration covers many protocols and options, so the learning curve can be steep for newcomers
- The README is truncated here, so detailed limits and performance figures are not confirmed in this entry
- Being a media server, it needs network access and appropriate firewall or port setup to be useful
Getting started
go2rtc
Make the downloaded binary executable on Linux or Mac
chmod +x go2rtc_xxx_xxxMediaMTX
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/bluenviron/mediamtxFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between go2rtc and MediaMTX?
go2rtc: A small server that receives, converts and re-serves live camera video in many formats. MediaMTX: A single-file server that receives, converts, and relays live video and audio streams. go2rtc suits home users connecting ip cameras to a browser or home assistant, while MediaMTX suits people routing ip camera streams to viewers in a browser or media player.
Are go2rtc and MediaMTX free?
go2rtc: Free and open source. MediaMTX: Free and open source.
Is go2rtc or MediaMTX more popular?
MediaMTX has more GitHub stars (20.6k) than go2rtc (14.6k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to go2rtc and MediaMTX?
Other options people compare them with include Frigate, SRS, livego, Owncast, WebTorrent Desktop.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.