go2rtc vs SRS
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 real-time media server that receives and delivers live video over many streaming protocols.
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 SRS if you need…
- Developers building live streaming backends that need several delivery protocols
- Teams that want to convert between RTMP and WebRTC streams
- People hosting their own low-latency live video service
- Users who can run a server with Docker and follow a getting-started guide
Side-by-side
| go2rtc | SRS | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 14.6k | 29.4k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Download the app | Run with Docker |
| Main language | Go | C++ |
| Last code update | 11 days ago | 7 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.
SRS
SRS is a server that receives live video and audio streams and sends them out to viewers in the formats they need. It supports protocols such as RTMP, WebRTC, HLS, HTTP-FLV, and SRT, so a broadcaster can publish one stream and many kinds of players can watch it. The README describes it as open source under the MIT license.
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
SRS
- Developers building live streaming backends that need several delivery protocols
- Teams that want to convert between RTMP and WebRTC streams
- People hosting their own low-latency live video service
- Users who can run a server with Docker and follow a getting-started guide
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
SRS
- The README lists support for many streaming protocols and codecs in one server
- Docker quick start is provided, which makes a first test relatively simple
- Released under the MIT license with a regularly updated release history
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
SRS
- People who only want to watch or stream casually with no server setup, since a server must be run and configured
- Beginners looking for a point-and-click tool, because the README is aimed at operators comfortable with the command line and networking
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
SRS
- Configuration and production deployment details are in external docs, not fully covered in the README
- The README mixes version references (v5, v6, v7, v8), so users should confirm which version to use
- Some features and integrations depend on the wiki and external documentation rather than this README
Getting started
go2rtc
Make the downloaded binary executable on Linux or Mac
chmod +x go2rtc_xxx_xxxSRS
Run SRS with Docker
docker run --rm -it -p 1935:1935 -p 1985:1985 -p 8080:8080 -p 8000:8000/udp -p 10080:10080/udp ossrs/srs:6Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between go2rtc and SRS?
go2rtc: A small server that receives, converts and re-serves live camera video in many formats. SRS: A real-time media server that receives and delivers live video over many streaming protocols. go2rtc suits home users connecting ip cameras to a browser or home assistant, while SRS suits developers building live streaming backends that need several delivery protocols.
Are go2rtc and SRS free?
go2rtc: Free and open source. SRS: Free and open source.
Is go2rtc or SRS more popular?
SRS has more GitHub stars (29.4k) 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 SRS?
Other options people compare them with include MediaMTX, Frigate, 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.