The original iSpy has been retired
iSpy was a Windows-only desktop app. Its developer rebuilt it as Agent DVR in 2022, and new features and support now go there. If you have to move anyway, Loki Eye is a desktop app for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
iSpy alternative
An iSpy and Agent DVR alternative that stays out of the way.
iSpy became Agent DVR, a recorder with a setting for almost everything. Loki Eye takes a lighter path: your cameras detect motion, their streams are copied straight to disk, and storage is one limit you can read at a glance.
Why people look beyond iSpy
Motion analysis costs CPU
Agent DVR decodes the streams it analyses for motion or AI. Loki Eye uses the motion events your cameras already send over ONVIF, and needed 3.0% of one CPU core to record eight 1080p cameras in our measurement.
Storage limits are per camera
Agent DVR limits footage by size and age for each camera. Loki Eye sets one storage cap across all cameras, plus an age limit and a free-disk floor, and shows how many days of footage the cap allows.
Loki Eye and iSpy, side by side
| Feature |  Loki Eye | iSpy Now Agent DVR |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Windows, macOS, and Linux, as a desktop app. | Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker, and Raspberry Pi. |
| Price | Free for two cameras. €29 + VAT a year or €99 + VAT once for unlimited cameras. | Free for local use. Remote access and the mobile apps start at $7.95 a month. |
| Recording | H.264 and H.265 copied to disk exactly as the camera sends them. Continuous, or on motion with pre-roll and post-roll. | Raw stream recording or re-encoded video. Continuous, motion, or scheduled. |
| Motion detection | Uses each camera’s own ONVIF motion events, so the recorder never analyses video. | Analyses decoded video on the server. ONVIF camera events are also supported. |
| Object detection | Records on the person and vehicle events of cameras that report them. No AI runs on the recorder. | Built-in AI with a paid licence, or free through CodeProject.AI. |
| Server load | About 0.1% of one CPU core and 19 MB of memory in our measurement. Video is only decoded for snapshots or on request. | Decodes the streams it analyses for motion or AI. |
| Retention | By age and by a hard storage cap across all cameras, plus a free-disk floor. Shows the days of footage the cap allows. | Size and age limits per camera. |
| Setup | Install and add cameras in the browser. Stream probing and an ONVIF port test check each camera. | Installer or Docker, then setup in the browser with ONVIF discovery. |
| Phones and remote access | With a licence, any browser on your network, behind a password. Away from home, use your own VPN. No native app yet. | iOS and Android apps and remote access through ispyconnect.com, both on the subscription. |
| Integrations | Local HTTP API with an MJPEG stream and a still image for every camera, ready for Home Assistant and other home automation. | API, MQTT, and a native Home Assistant integration. |
iSpy details were checked in September 2026 against ispyconnect.com. iSpy prices are in US dollars before tax. For Blue Iris, Synology, and Frigate as well, see all five recorders compared.
Switching from iSpy
- Install Loki EyeDownload it for the machine that will record. The free tier covers two cameras and needs no account.
- Add your camerasUse the same camera addresses and passwords as in iSpy or Agent DVR. Stream probing and an ONVIF port test check each camera as you add it.
- Turn on camera motion eventsEnable ONVIF motion, and person or vehicle events where the camera has them, then choose continuous or motion recording with pre-roll and post-roll.
- Set retentionLimit footage by age and by one storage cap across all cameras. Loki Eye shows how many days the cap allows.
Many cameras accept more than one stream connection, so you can usually keep Agent DVR recording while you try Loki Eye on two cameras for free.
Download freeiSpy alternative questions
Is iSpy still supported?
The original Windows iSpy is no longer actively developed. Its developer replaced it with Agent DVR in 2022, and new features and support go to Agent DVR.
Do I need a subscription with Loki Eye?
No. Loki Eye is free for two cameras, and a licence for unlimited cameras is €29 + VAT a year or €99 + VAT once, with no monthly plan and no cloud service. Agent DVR is free for private local use, and its remote access, push notifications, and mobile apps are on a subscription from $7.95 a month.
Does Loki Eye use less CPU than Agent DVR?
Usually. Agent DVR decodes the streams it analyses for motion or AI. Loki Eye never analyses video: it relies on the motion events your cameras already produce and writes their streams to disk exactly as sent.
Can I watch my cameras on my phone?
With a licence, in any browser on your network, behind a password. Away from home, use your own VPN. There is no native phone app yet, whereas Agent DVR offers iOS and Android apps and remote access on its subscription.
Does Loki Eye work with Home Assistant?
Yes. A local HTTP API serves an MJPEG stream and a still image for every camera, which Home Assistant’s built-in camera integrations can read without a cloud account. Agent DVR also has a native Home Assistant integration.
When is Agent DVR the better choice?
You want remote access and phone notifications handled for you, and a monthly subscription suits you. It also runs AI object detection on the recorder, which Loki Eye leaves to cameras that report person and vehicle events.
Two cameras. No licence. No cloud.
Install Loki Eye, add your cameras, and it starts recording to your own disk.
Download free