Bonfire Terminal vs Scrypted
Scrypted is an open-source, on-device home-video and smart-home platform with 5.85k stars, free to self-host with optional cloud or NVR subscriptions. Bonfire Terminal isn't about cameras; it's a sovereign AI agent and terminal that runs locally, bills LLM usage on your own key with no markup, and ships on one perpetual license.
Bonfire Terminal vs Scrypted: the 16-factor comparison
| Rating factor | Scrypted | Bonfire Terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Other | AI Terminal / Local Agent |
| Popularity | GitHub 5.85k stars | Growing · indie |
| Hosting architecture | On-Device Local | On-Device Local |
| Licensing model | Open Source | One-Time Perpetual |
| Data / training policy | Local self-hosted processing | Fully local — nothing leaves device |
| Offline capability | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing tier range | Free (OSS); optional cloud/NVR subscription | One-time license |
| Execution unit cost | Unlimited Local Compute | Unlimited Local Compute |
| API-key markup | N/A | No — BYO key at cost |
| Supported LLM providers | Not disclosed | OpenAI; Anthropic; Google; Local; Any |
| Auth / permission types | Local/None | API Key; Local/None |
| Phone / messaging bridges | None | Telegram; WhatsApp |
| Speech recognition engine | None | Whisper (local) |
| Local media processing | Yes | Yes |
| Sovereign score | 79 / 100 | 93 / 100 |
The sovereignty gap
Where Scrypted lands on each weighted pillar (its bar) — the red marker is Bonfire's score. Auto-derived from the 16 factors above.
Which should you choose?
Choose Scrypted if…
Choose Scrypted if your goal is a local, private smart-home and video hub with optional cloud NVR add-ons.
Choose Bonfire Terminal if…
Choose Bonfire Terminal if you want a local AI agent and terminal rather than a home-automation and camera platform.
Bonfire Terminal vs Scrypted: FAQ
Is Scrypted private?
Yes. Scrypted processes video locally and self-hosted, keeping footage private unless you opt into its cloud NVR tier. Bonfire Terminal is similarly local-first, but for AI-agent work: prompts, transcripts, and files stay on your device by default.
Is Bonfire Terminal cheaper than Scrypted?
Scrypted's core is free, with optional paid cloud or NVR subscriptions. Bonfire Terminal is a single perpetual license with no subscription, and its LLM calls run on your own key at cost, so the two priced tiers rarely overlap directly.
Can Bonfire Terminal replace Scrypted?
No. Scrypted is a smart-home and camera platform, a role Bonfire Terminal doesn't fill. They're complementary: you might run Scrypted for video and Bonfire Terminal as your private AI agent for everything else on the same machine.
What can Bonfire Terminal do that Scrypted can't?
Bonfire Terminal offers an AI agent, Telegram and WhatsApp bridges, local Whisper speech recognition, and on-device media processing tuned for productivity. Scrypted specializes in home video and device integration and doesn't provide an LLM agent or messaging bridges.
How do I switch from Scrypted to Bonfire Terminal?
You likely wouldn't fully switch, given they do different jobs. If you only used Scrypted's scripting for light automation, install Bonfire Terminal, add your LLM key, and let its agent handle those tasks while Scrypted keeps managing cameras.
Does Bonfire Terminal work offline vs Scrypted?
Both favor offline operation. Scrypted processes video locally without needing the cloud, and Bonfire Terminal runs its agent and Whisper on-device; only optional cloud LLM calls require a connection, so core functions work without internet.