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LiveLapse

Free#36 of 36 in Time-Lapse Software

LiveLapse: A focused, open-source choice for archiving livestreams as timestamped frame sequences. Ranked #36 of 36 in Time-Lapse Software by our editors (4.5/10); pricing: Free plan; best for archiving livestreams as frame sequences.

4.5/10Editor score

Visit LiveLapse

LiveLapse4.5 Visit LiveLapse

At a glance

Editor score
4.5 / 10
Pricing
Free plan
Best for
Archiving livestreams as frame sequences
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
Free
Deflicker tools
No
Facts checked
21 Oct 2026

Where it wins
- Captures YouTube Live, RTSP, HLS, RTMP and other compatible sources
- Reconnects after stream drops and writes UTC-timestamped frame archives
- Creates live previews and timestamp-selected highlight clips
Where it doesn't
- Focused on video sources rather than camera timelapse workflows
- No camera control, deflicker, or raw photo support
- Stitching is planned; current tools center on capture and extraction

Our verdict on LiveLapse

LiveLapse is a self-hosted command-line tool for archiving long-running live streams and converting captured frames into previews or highlight clips. It is aimed at solo operators, small teams, and mid-market workflows involving events, infrastructure, science, security, or nature monitoring. The tool runs on macOS and Linux, accepts YouTube Live, RTSP, HLS, RTMP, and other yt-dlp or ffmpeg-compatible sources, and writes UTC-timestamped images to a filesystem archive. Automatic reconnects support unattended capture when a stream drops.

The published offering is open source with a free plan, so its cost model centers on running the software yourself rather than selecting hosted tiers. Platform fit is strongest for technical environments: Linux deployments can use systemd, while macOS supports background-process operation. Terminal commands cover status, starting, stopping, logs, peeking, and watching. The source compatibility also connects LiveLapse to existing yt-dlp and ffmpeg workflows, with MP4, WebP, PNG, and JPG available as export formats.

Its standout capability is turning an ongoing capture into usable review material without waiting for the event to finish. LiveLapse can render point-in-time MP4 previews while capture continues, extract timestamp-selected clips and compilations, and burn capture timestamps into preview and extracted videos. That makes it a practical fit for stream-based archives and selective recap work. It is less suitable for photographers or camera-timelapse teams: camera control, deflicker, and raw photo support are not part of the feature set, and stitching is described as planned. Choose LiveLapse when the source is a stream and unattended archiving matters; consider a camera-focused alternative when interval shooting or image-sequence finishing is central.

Your product? Our editors can test LiveLapse in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

LiveLapse pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on github.com

LiveLapse fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	Free
Deflicker tools	No
Camera control	No
Interval scheduling	Yes
RAW photo support	No
Sequence input	Video
Supported platforms	macos, linux
Export formats	MP4, WebP, PNG, JPG
Deployment	Self-hosted, Desktop
Platforms	macOS, Linux
Support	Docs, Community
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market (editorial estimate)
Pricing	Free plan
Website	github.com
Facts checked	21 Oct 2026

Alternatives to LiveLapse

See all LiveLapse alternatives →

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The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used LiveLapse for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.

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Featured on iTechGuides

LiveLapse is listed in our Time-Lapse Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Guides on Time-Lapse software

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Last updated 29 Oct 2026 · How we research and update