Top pick · highest health
Invidious
Alternative YouTube front-end.
★ 26k 129 commits / 90d ⟳ 4 days ago AGPL-3.0 Docker
Category
Open source media streaming - video streaming
Video streaming tools and software. Repoly tracks 19 open-source video streaming tools, each scored nightly from its repository activity and ranked by that score alone. Invidious leads at 98/100 with 129 commits in the last 90 days and 26k stars, followed by SRS (98) and Tube Archivist (96). 8 of the 19 score 70 or above, 8 publish a Docker image, and the median health is 43. MIT is the most common licence, carried by 6 of them. Between them they stand in for YouTube, Netflix, Plex Pass, Twitch and Vimeo and 1 more proprietary products. The score weighs commits in the last 90 days, release recency, stars, archive status and Docker support; a low number means low measurable activity, not low quality, so a finished, stable tool can legitimately sit lower down.
updated Oct 2026 19 tools ★ 108k stars 8 with Docker median 43
Best for…
Ranked by health
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SRS
A simple, high efficiency and real-time video server, supports RTMP, WebRTC, HLS, HTTP-FLV and SRT.
★ 29k 66 commits / 90d ⟳ yesterday MIT Docker
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Tube Archivist
Organize, search, and enjoy your YouTube collection. Subscribe, download, and track viewed content with metadata indexing and a user-friendly interface.
★ 8.6k 58 commits / 90d ⟳ 5 days ago GPL-3.0 Docker
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OvenMediaEngine
Streaming Server with Sub-Second Latency.
★ 3.3k 77 commits / 90d ⟳ today AGPL-3.0 Docker
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MediaCMS
Modern, fully featured open source video and media CMS, written in Python/Django/React, featuring a REST API.
★ 5.2k 26 commits / 90d ⟳ 4 days ago AGPL-3.0 Docker
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Tiramisu
BitTorrent engine with a FUSE virtual filesystem that streams torrents live to Plex/Jellyfin without downloading (alternative to Real-Debrid).
★ 151 263 commits / 90d ⟳ 13 days ago GPL-2.0 Docker
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PeerTube
Decentralized video streaming platform using P2P (BitTorrent) directly in the web browser.
★ 15k 485 commits / 90d ⟳ 2 days ago AGPL-3.0
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Owncast
Decentralized single-user live video streaming and chat server for running your own live streams similar in style to the large mainstream options.
★ 12k 181 commits / 90d ⟳ 4 days ago MIT
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VideoLAN Client (VLC)
Cross-platform multimedia player client and server supporting most multimedia files as well as DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols.
★ 44 284 commits / 90d ⟳ today GPL-2.0
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Rapidbay
Videostreaming service/torrent client that allows searching and playing videos from torrents in the browser or from a Chromecast/AppleTV/Smart TV.
★ 902 10 commits / 90d ⟳ yesterday MIT Docker
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Restreamer
Access H.264 real-time video streaming on your website without a streaming provider.
★ 5.2k 0 commits / 90d ⟳ 5 months ago Apache-2.0 Docker
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CyTube
Synchronize media, chat, and more for an arbitrary number of channels.
★ 1.6k 6 commits / 90d ⟳ 2 days ago MIT
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SyncTube
Lightweight and very simple to setup CyTube alternative to watch videos with friends and chat.
★ 395 7 commits / 90d ⟳ 2 months ago MIT
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Tube
Youtube-like (_without censorship and features you don't need!_) video sharing app written in Go which also supports automatic transcoding to MP4 H.265 AAC, multiple collections and RSS feed.
★ 6 0 commits / 90d ⟳ 5 months ago MIT
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Channels DVR Server
Flexible server providing a whole home self hosted DVR experience for [Channels](https://getchannels.com).
★ 0 0 commits / 90d ⟳ unknown ⊘ Proprietary
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ClyoCloud
A personal, self-hosted cloud storage and media management application built for privacy, efficiency, and aesthetics.
★ 0 0 commits / 90d ⟳ unknown AGPL-3.0
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Emby
Home media server supporting both DLNA and DIAL (Chromecast) devices out-of-the-box.
★ 0 0 commits / 90d ⟳ unknown ⊘ Proprietary
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Plex
Centralized home media playback system with a powerful central server.
★ 0 0 commits / 90d ⟳ unknown ⊘ Proprietary
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| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Invidious Docker | 26k | 129 | AGPL-3.0 | 4 days ago | |
| 2 | SRS Docker | 29k | 66 | MIT | yesterday | |
| 3 | Tube Archivist Docker | 8.6k | 58 | GPL-3.0 | 5 days ago | |
| 4 | OvenMediaEngine Docker | 3.3k | 77 | AGPL-3.0 | today | |
| 5 | MediaCMS Docker | 5.2k | 26 | AGPL-3.0 | 4 days ago | |
| 6 | Tiramisu Docker | 151 | 263 | GPL-2.0 | 13 days ago | |
| 7 | PeerTube | 15k | 485 | AGPL-3.0 | 2 days ago | |
| 8 | Owncast | 12k | 181 | MIT | 4 days ago | |
| 9 | VideoLAN Client (VLC) | 44 | 284 | GPL-2.0 | today | |
| 10 | Rapidbay Docker | 902 | 10 | MIT | yesterday | |
| 11 | Restreamer Docker | 5.2k | 0 | Apache-2.0 | 5 months ago | |
| 12 | CyTube | 1.6k | 6 | MIT | 2 days ago | |
| 13 | SyncTube | 395 | 7 | MIT | 2 months ago | |
| 14 | Tube | 6 | 0 | MIT | 5 months ago | |
| 15 | Channels DVR Server | 0 | 0 | ⊘ Proprietary | unknown | |
| 16 | ClyoCloud | 0 | 0 | AGPL-3.0 | unknown | |
| 17 | Emby | 0 | 0 | ⊘ Proprietary | unknown | |
| 18 | Plex | 0 | 0 | ⊘ Proprietary | unknown | |
| 19 | Subsonic | 0 | 0 | ⊘ Proprietary | unknown |
How the video streaming tools compare
Invidious and SRS tie at 98/100. SRS has the largest following at 29k stars, yet ranks #2 of 19, held back mostly by stars (29k stars).
The most recent release is MediaCMS v9.4.0, published 4 days ago. VideoLAN Client (VLC), Rapidbay and SyncTube publish no tagged releases, which costs up to 25 of the 100 points. Restreamer, CyTube, SyncTube and 1 more score under 40, so check recent activity before adopting them. By stack, Nodejs (5), Go (3) and C++ (2) are the most common. SRS, Owncast, Rapidbay and 4 more are permissively licensed; Invidious, Tube Archivist, OvenMediaEngine and 5 more are copyleft. Channels DVR Server, Emby, Plex and 1 more are source-available rather than open source, which limits commercial reuse. Channels DVR Server, ClyoCloud, Emby and 2 more are not hosted on a forge Repoly can read, so they have no measured score yet.
Media Streaming - Video Streaming: common questions
What is the best open source video streaming tool?
By Repoly's GitHub health score, Invidious at 98/100 (129 commits in 90 days, v2.20261022.0 from 8 days ago). SRS is next at 98. The score measures maintenance, not features, so shortlist the top few and try them.
Which video streaming tools are the most actively developed?
PeerTube (485 commits in 90 days), VideoLAN Client (VLC) (284 commits in 90 days) and Tiramisu (263 commits in 90 days). Commit activity is 35 of the 100 health points, the largest single term.
Which video streaming tools can I run in Docker?
8 of 19 publish a Docker image or Compose file, led by Invidious, SRS, Tube Archivist, OvenMediaEngine, MediaCMS and 3 more.
Which video streaming tools have a permissive licence?
7 of 19: SRS (MIT), Owncast (MIT), Rapidbay (MIT), Restreamer (Apache-2.0), CyTube (MIT) and 2 more. 8 are copyleft.
Which paid products can open source video streaming tools replace?
YouTube (Invidious ranks highest here), Netflix (MediaCMS ranks highest here), Plex Pass (Emby ranks highest here), Twitch (OvenMediaEngine ranks highest here) and Vimeo (MediaCMS ranks highest here), plus 1 more listed on the comparison pages.
