...a free, open source app that watches your driveway, your porch, your garage, entirely on hardware you already own. No cloud. No subscription. No footage anyone else can request.

September 14, 2026 | Yasir Ai @AiwithYasir

[ransomnote]

Yasir Ai

@AiwithYasir

·
10h

Amazon Ring has a serious problem, and it doesn't cost a dollar.

It's called Frigate: a free, open source app that watches your driveway, your porch, your garage, entirely on hardware you already own. No cloud. No subscription. No footage anyone else can request.

It's built by Blake Blackshear, and it's been quietly becoming the go-to alternative for people who got tired of renting access to their own front door.
Here's the math Ring doesn't want you doing:

You: "How much is Ring Protect Pro?"
Ring: "$20 a month. $200 a year. Per house."

You: "What do I actually get for that?"
Ring: "Cloud storage. Also, we paid the FTC $5.8 million in 2023 after employees and contractors accessed customer videos without consent."

You: "What does Frigate cost?"
Frigate: "Nothing. It runs locally. Your footage never leaves your house."

Ring sells you the camera. Then rents you access to your own footage, every month, indefinitely.

Frigate just gives it to you.

100% open source (MIT license).
100% local.
100% yours.

The smart camera industry bet you'd keep paying rent on hardware you already bought.
Free, local alternatives are quietly proving that bet wrong.

'

September 14, 2026

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TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: cams; frigate; learnhowtopost; nolink; ohnoes; pleasestop; qanonsense; ringcameras; security; whatswrongwithyou

[ransomnote]

Possibly worth checking out....

[Jet Jaguar]

Bump

[mmichaels1970]

"Nothing. It runs locally. Your footage never leaves your house."

Part of what I like about Ring is I can see who is AT my house while I'm away in real time.

[George from New England]

More spyware clothed in a shiny offer

[mmichaels1970]

More spyware clothed in a shiny offer

Yeah but I know when the Amazon guy comes.

[DugwayDuke]

Eufy.

[DugwayDuke]

mmichaels1970 wrote: “Part of what I like about Ring is I can see who is AT my house while I’m away in real time.”

I can do the same thing with Eufy. All my data is stored on my devices.

[frank ballenger]

Scene if I see intruders at my place on the system’s screen views.

You Only Live Twice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JpV5dU8BxA&t=53s

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I scanned through the website, but can’t find a list of cameras it works with. I have an NVR with half a dozen cameras, but I would switch to this if it is feasible.

[mmichaels1970]

I can do the same thing with Eufy. All my data is stored on my devices.

And that is definitely worth more looking into. Thanks!

[Resolute Conservative]

Yep, suckers.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Related to these crazy cameras...

Everytime I put my new car in reverse it shows a video of someone being run over!

What’s with that??

[bigbob]

Prove it.

[TangoLimaSierra]

What’s with that??

Next time, stop and ask the guy under your car.

[montag813]

There are already many open source projects to take over your cloud-prisoned consumer cameras already, with zero fanfare. Which makes me a bit suspicious about this hyped one.

[V_TWIN]

I still run a dvr security system with BNC cables and cams.

I keep expecting the Smithsonian to call and offer to buy it so they can put it in their ancient artifacts exhibit. 😁

[dinodino]

I’m sure you can set up tailscale to get into it remotely. It’s Open Source anyway, so you can modify it to suit your needs—sounds very cool!

[Bobbyvotes]

I have 2 security camera’s watching my house. They record motion activity on my smart phone. No on going cost. One is 7 years old, still works very good. I think my purchase cost was about $70 for both cameras.

[central_va]

Open source security system:

[centermass_socrates]

I’ll give it a look. Out here in the sticks my 3 German Shepherds do a darn good job. Always better to be more secure than less.