Agent DVR and Blue Iris are both capable video surveillance applications. The main differences are platform support, pricing model, and remote access. This page compares them on the facts that matter most.
Platform Support
| Feature |
Agent DVR |
Blue Iris |
| Windows | ✔ | ✔ |
| macOS | ✔ | ✘ |
| Linux | ✔ | ✘ |
| Docker | ✔ | ✘ |
| Raspberry Pi / ARM | ✔ | ✘ |
| Browser-based UI | ✔ | ✔ (limited) |
| Native mobile apps | ✔ iOS & Android | ✔ iOS & Android |
Pricing
| Feature |
Agent DVR |
Blue Iris |
| Free for local private use | ✔ Unlimited cameras | ✘ 15-day trial only |
| One-time purchase | ✔ Perpetual local license* | ✔ LE (~$35, 1 camera) / FE (~$70, up to 64 cameras) |
| Subscription (remote access) | ✔ from $7.95/mo | ✘ |
| Maximum cameras | Unlimited | 64 (FE edition) |
| Third-party cloud uploads | ✔ (e.g. Google Drive, Dropbox) | ✘ |
* A perpetual local-use license is included with an annual pre-pay subscription. Local access only — remote access requires an active subscription. Port forwarding or VPN required for remote use with a perpetual license.
Remote Access
| Feature |
Agent DVR |
Blue Iris |
| Built-in relay (no port forwarding) | ✔ | ✘ |
| Remote access via subscription | ✔ | ✘ |
| DDNS / manual port forward | ✔ | ✔ |
AI & Detection
| Feature |
Agent DVR |
Blue Iris |
| Built-in motion detection | ✔ | ✔ |
| Object / person detection (AI) | ✔ Built-in + OpenVINO, ONNX, DeepStack, CodeProject, Blue Onyx & others | ✔ Via DeepStack / CodeProject |
| Learns from your feedback | ✔ On-device, instant | ✘ |
| LLM integrations | ✔ (ChatGPT, Ollama, Gemini…) | ✘ |
| Facial recognition | ✔ | ✔ (via plugin) |
| License plate recognition | ✔ | ✔ (via plugin) |
Summary: Agent DVR runs on every major platform, is free for unlimited private local use,
and includes built-in remote access, LLM integrations, a wider AI provider ecosystem, and native mobile apps.
Blue Iris is a Windows-only application with a fully commercial licensing model, support subscriptions and a 64-camera ceiling.