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OwntracksRecorder

The OwnTracks Recorder is a lightweight, self-hosted program for storing and accessing location data published via MQTT or HTTP by the OwnTracks mobile apps.

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The OwnTracks Recorder is a lightweight, self-hosted program for storing and accessing location data published via MQTT or HTTP by the OwnTracks mobile apps. It records device location in plain files, serves that data through a built-in REST API, and ships with the ocat command-line tool for reading it back, all without needing an external database, making it a low-maintenance option for homelabbers who want to self-host private location tracking.

Platform availability

Available on 2 of 9 platforms

  • Unraid
  • TrueNAS (not listed)
  • Umbrel (not listed)
  • ZimaOS (not listed)
  • Proxmox
  • Helm (not listed)
  • Mac (not listed)
  • Windows (not listed)
  • Linux (not listed)

Health score?A 0-100 score computed nightly from four factors: maintained (40%: recent commits and steady activity), popular (25%: GitHub stars, log scale), easy to install (20%: platforms, install notes, setup guides, Docker image) and light to run (15%: minimum RAM, ARM support). When the source code has been checked, a fifth factor, security check (20%: automated scan for committed secrets, unsafe desktop-app settings, known-vulnerable dependencies and project hygiene; any serious finding caps it at 20), is added. Factors without data are left out and the rest are rescaled.

70/100 Good

Maintained
88last commit 35 days ago
Popular
621,212 GitHub stars
Easy to install
452 install platforms, install notes, Docker image
Light to run
No data

Based on 3 of 4 factors.

Availability: platform listings confirmed today, links checked 14 days ago

GitHub stars
1,212
Open issues
12
Last commit
2026-09-08
Latest release
1.0.4
Activity
stale

Checked 6 days ago - source: GitHub (owntracks/recorder)

Resources & Compatibility

ARM (e.g. Raspberry Pi) is supported.

Checked 15 days ago - source: Docker Hub image tags and published docs

First-install notes

  • Docker: keep OTR_HTTPHOST/OTR_HOST as localhost In the Docker container, keep both OTR_HTTPHOST and OTR_HOST at the default "localhost" value; setting them to anything else stops the container from starting. source

Fetched 6 days ago - each note links to its source

Alternatives (5)

  • Dawarich - Dawarich is a self-hosted location-history web app that replaces Google Timeline (also called Google Location History) by visualizing GPS d…
  • Grid: Private Location Sharing - Share locations with friends, family or anybody you choose with privacy in your hands.
  • Life360 Family Locator - Easily and privately stay connected with loved ones with invite-only circles that let you share locations and get notified of changes.
  • PearCircle Seeder - Run a blind seeder for your PearCircle circles on your Umbrel so their history stays in sync even when every phone is offline.
  • People Tracker App - People Tracker App allows you to stay connected to your employees, friends, family, co-workers...

Checked 12 days ago - source: AlternativeTo

Common questions

Does OwnTracks Recorder require an external database?

No, it stores data in plain files and serves it through its built-in REST API.

Can OwnTracks Recorder receive location data without MQTT?

Yes, it obtains data via MQTT subscribes or HTTP POST.

What mTLS issue is reported when pairing OwnTracks Recorder with Mosquitto and an Android client?

The thread reports that the recorder can connect to Mosquitto without TLS, but the author is stuck configuring mTLS.

Is there a beginner guide for running OwnTracks Recorder in Docker?

A Reddit post provides a beginner-oriented guide for running OwnTracks Recorder in Docker.

What troubleshooting topics are covered for OwnTracks Recorder?

The troubleshooting page covers diagnosing issues, monitoring system health, and regular maintenance procedures.

Answers sourced from deepwiki.com, github.com, www.reddit.com, www.reddit.com

Community

Collected 14 days ago - public community threads