MediaMTX
A single-binary live media server and proxy that receives, converts, records and serves video streams over RTSP, WebRTC, SRT, RTMP and HLS.
What is MediaMTX?
MediaMTX works as a router for real-time audio and video: a camera, OBS, FFmpeg, GStreamer or a browser publishes a stream, and players read it back in whichever protocol they support, with conversion done automatically. Each stream lives on its own path. It can record to fMP4 or MPEG-TS and play recordings back, authenticate users internally or through HTTP or JWT, forward and proxy streams, run hooks on events and expose Prometheus metrics. Configuration reloads without dropping clients, and it runs as one executable with no dependencies.
Good fit if
- You need to collect IP camera or Raspberry Pi camera feeds and make them viewable in a browser.
- You want a lightweight relay without installing a full streaming stack.
Look elsewhere if
- You need clustering, transcoding and GB28181 support for larger live platforms: SRS.
Before you adopt it
MediaMTX is MIT-licensed. The repository went from Apache-2.0 back to plain MIT in February 2024 after hls.js was removed from it. There are no paid parts. One developer writes most of the code, helped by about a dozen contributors. Ready builds cover Linux, macOS and Windows, and a Docker image is available.
Drafted with AI from the project's README and repository data, then checked against that data on 31 October 2026. Report a correction
MediaMTX health: is it still maintained?
80 of 100, actively developed
Read from GitHub on 3 November 2026. How the score works
MediaMTX license: is it open source?
MediaMTX uses MIT, an open-source license approved by the OSI.
- December 2019First published on GitHub under Apache-2.0.
- 11 February 2024Changed to MIT. Commit: remove hls.js from the repository and restore plain MIT license (#3008)
- TodayMIT.
How to run MediaMTX yourself
- Docker
- Dockerfile or compose file in the repository
- Compose file
- None in the repository
- Setup effort
- Not rated: no compose file to judge from
- Kubernetes
- No Helm chart in the repository
- Desktop and mobile
- Builds for macOS, Linux, Windows, including ARM in GitHub releases
- Interface languages
- English only
Install instructions: mediamtx.org or the README on GitHub.
Alternatives to MediaMTX
- SRSSRS is a simple, high-performance, AI-driven real-time media server supporting RTMP, WebRTC, HLS, HTTP-FLV,… 74 health · MIT · 29.4k stars
- NavidromeYour Personal Streaming Service 85 health · GPL-3.0 · 24.5k stars
- JellyfinThe Free Software Media System - Server Backend & API 94 health · GPL-2.0 · 59k stars
- AudiobookshelfSelf-hosted audiobook and podcast server 83 health · GPL-3.0 · 14.9k stars
- KodiKodi is an award-winning free and open source home theater/media center software and entertainment hub for… 71 health · GPL-2.0 · 21.4k stars
Questions about MediaMTX
Is MediaMTX open source?
Yes. MediaMTX is published under MIT, an OSI-approved open-source license.
Is MediaMTX still maintained?
Its health score is 80 of 100 (actively developed). It had 246 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 3 November 2026, and its latest release came out on 25 October 2026.
Did MediaMTX change its license?
Yes. It moved from Apache-2.0 to MIT on 11 February 2024.
How do I run MediaMTX?
You can run it with Docker, as an app for macOS, Linux, Windows, including ARM. The README on GitHub has the exact steps.
What are the alternatives to MediaMTX?
Close alternatives in the Media servers & streaming category include SRS, Navidrome, Jellyfin.