With Zoom's privacy issues coming to light, many are looking for an open source alternative that protects user data while offering robust features.
The good news is there are viable open source options that provide video conferencing capabilities on par with Zoom, often with greater security, privacy, and customizability.
In this article, we'll compare leading platforms like Jitsi Meet, BigBlueButton, and Jami to Zoom, evaluating critical factors like call quality, scalability, security, and accessibility across education, business, and personal use cases. We'll also discuss whether there are truly free and open options comparable to Zoom, and provide recommendations on the best open source Zoom alternatives currently available.
Introduction to Open Source Zoom Alternatives
Zoom rapidly gained popularity as an easy-to-use video conferencing solution. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Zoom became the platform of choice for remote work and education. However, as usage grew exponentially, serious privacy and security concerns came to light. This drove many individuals and organizations to seek open source alternatives that offer greater transparency, configurability, and ownership over data.
Zoom's Rise in Popularity
Over the last few years, Zoom became the dominant video conferencing app due to its ease of use and reliability. During the pandemic, daily meeting participants on Zoom grew from 10 million in December 2019 to 300 million in April 2020. However, media reports soon uncovered various privacy issues with Zoom, ranging from leaked emails to exposed webcam streams. There were also "Zoom bombing" attacks by external parties. These problems highlighted the need for more secure video conferencing apps.
The Search for Open Source Zoom Alternative Free Options
Many individuals and organizations recognize the need for a privacy-focused video conferencing solution without a cost barrier. Open source apps provide the transparency to inspect code for vulnerabilities. They also give users more control over data and infrastructure. Jitsi Meet, one of the most popular open source Zoom alternatives, is free to use and hosts meetings on a user's own server infrastructure. These aspects drive adoption among privacy-conscious users.
Is Zoom Open Source? Understanding the Landscape
Zoom's software is proprietary rather than open source. The core app code is closed off from public view. While Zoom has worked to improve its security protections following past criticism, closed source apps provide less flexibility for user customization. Open source Zoom alternative options like Jitsi Meet allow greater adaptability around user needs.
Overview of Article
This article analyzes Jitsi Meet as a leading open source alternative for secure and private video conferencing. It discusses Jitsi's features, setup options, integrations, and overall viability as a Zoom replacement across personal and business use cases. Comparisons will highlight advantages and limitations compared to Zoom based on metrics such as call quality, functionality, and scalability.
Is there an open source alternative to Zoom?
Jitsi. Jitsi Meet - Secure, Simple and Scalable Video Conferences that you use as a standalone app or embed in your web application.
Jitsi Meet is a popular open source alternative to Zoom and other proprietary video conferencing solutions. It is fully encrypted and provides the same core video meeting features as Zoom, including audio/video calls, screen sharing, chat, virtual backgrounds, and meeting recording.
Some key benefits of using Jitsi over Zoom include:
- Totally free and open source under the Apache license
- No account needed to create or join meetings
- End-to-end encryption for improved security and privacy
- Ability to host on your own server for better control and customization
- Cross-platform compatibility across desktop and mobile
- Accessible web conferencing for those with disabilities
- Seamless integration into web apps using Jitsi Meet API
Jitsi Meet uses WebRTC technology to provide high quality video that can match proprietary solutions like Zoom. It can comfortably support calls with up to 50 participants by default. Hosts also have access to moderator controls and can secure meetings using passwords and lobby screens.
While Jitsi Meet covers the core functionality needed for most use cases, some advanced features like breakout rooms, spotlighting, and virtual backgrounds require additional community plugins. The open source community around Jitsi continues improving and building on the platform.
For teams or organizations that prioritize privacy and transparency, want to avoid vendor lock-in, or need easy video conferencing directly integrated into their internal web tools, Jitsi Meet represents an excellent open source alternative to evaluate over Zoom or other proprietary options.
Is there anything like Zoom for free?
There are several free and open source alternatives to Zoom available that offer similar features for video conferencing, screen sharing, and online meetings. Some popular options include:
Jitsi Meet
Jitsi Meet is an open source video conferencing platform that is completely free to use without any restrictions. It allows unlimited meeting duration, number of participants, and features like screen sharing, chat, and audio/video conferencing. It can be self-hosted on your own Linux servers or used via the Jitsi public deployment.
Whereby
Whereby (formerly known as appear.in) provides a freemium model with its browser-based video chat that's good for small teams. Its free version supports up to 4 people per room and unlimited usage.
Google Meet
Google's video conferencing platform was opened up last year for free access to anyone with a Google account. Its free version supports meetings of up to 60 minutes duration and up to 100 participants. It includes features like screen sharing, meeting recording, attendance reports, etc.
For open source enthusiasts who value privacy and control, Jitsi Meet is likely the best fully free alternative with no usage limits. For small teams, Whereby works well, while Google Meet offers a solid freemium option from a reputable tech provider. With multiple quality alternatives now available, Zoom is no longer the only viable option for free video calling and online meetings.
Is there a free Zoom option?
Yes, Zoom offers a free Basic plan that allows up to 100 participants and 40 minutes per meeting. This includes features like:
- Virtual backgrounds
- Breakout rooms
- Encryption
- Screen sharing
However, if you need meetings longer than 40 minutes or have more than 100 participants, you'll need to upgrade to a paid Zoom plan.
An excellent open source alternative to Zoom is Jitsi Meet. Jitsi is 100% free with no time limits, participant limits, or feature restrictions.
Key benefits of Jitsi Meet:
- Completely free with no limits
- End-to-end encrypted video meetings
- Screen sharing, chat, session recording and more
- Customizable interface and theming
- Self-hosted option available
So if you're looking for a fully-featured video conferencing platform without any pricing, Jitsi Meet is a fantastic open source alternative to services like Zoom. And with comparable core functionality, Jitsi removes the time, user, and feature restrictions imposed by Zoom's free tier.
For personal or small team use, Jitsi Meet provides a capable free alternative for secure and flexible video meetings.
Is there a free video conferencing with no time limit?
There are a few great open source video conferencing platforms that offer unlimited meeting times for free. Two of the most popular and user-friendly options are Jitsi and Jami.
Jitsi Meet
Jitsi Meet is an incredibly robust open source Zoom alternative that enables encrypted video calls with up to 100 participants, screen sharing, chat, and more. It is completely free with no time limits on meetings.
Some key benefits of Jitsi include:
- Built-in encryption for secure video meetings
- Customizable interface with different layout options
- Easy setup - just share a meeting link for participants to join
- Cross-platform support across desktop and mobile
- Integrations with Google Calendar, Slack, etc.
Jitsi Meet uses WebRTC technology for fast and reliable video quality across networks. It is self-hosted as well so you retain control over data and privacy. The intuitive interface and lack of time limits make Jitsi a top choice for replacing Zoom or other paid services.
Jami
Jami is another fully encrypted peer-to-peer (P2P) calling and instant messaging app. It allows 1-on-1 HD video and audio calls with no limits.
Key features include:
- Decentralized infrastructure for privacy
- Support for group video chat with up to 10 people
- Screen sharing capability
- Cross-platform availability
As Jami operates on a P2P network, it may have more variability in call quality than Jitsi depending on network conditions. However, its focus on security, privacy controls, and lack of restrictions still make it an excellent open source alternative for unlimited video chats.
For unlimited and secure video meetings, Jitsi and Jami both fit the bill with easy to use apps. Evaluate your priorities around features, integrations, and infrastructure to pick the best free Zoom alternative.
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Comparing Jitsi and Zoom: A Look at Jitsi Meet
Jitsi Meet: An Introduction to the Platform
Jitsi Meet is an open-source video conferencing platform that serves as an alternative to proprietary solutions like Zoom. It offers secure encrypted calls, screen sharing, chat, and other standard conferencing features.
As an open-source project, Jitsi Meet places strong emphasis on privacy. It does not collect or sell user data. The software is transparently developed by a community of contributors.
Jitsi Meet uses WebRTC technology for browser-based video calls. This allows it to work without downloads or plugins. Users can quickly start or join meetings via a simple meeting link.
The platform is designed to be easy to self-host. Organizations can run their own Jitsi server for customized control and security. Jitsi also integrates with popular open-source tools like OAuth, LDAP, and streaming platforms.
Feature Comparison: Jitsi Meet vs. Zoom
Jitsi Meet provides core video meeting capabilities on par with Zoom, including simultaneous HD video/audio, screen sharing, messaging, meeting recording, and virtual backgrounds.
However, as an open-source platform, Jitsi trails behind Zoom's maturity in some aspects:
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Zoom offers more extensive user management, granular roles, and administrative controls suited for large organizations. Jitsi Meet lacks equivalents for features like company branding, custom emails, managed domains, etc.
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Zoom provides specialized apps for platforms like desktop, mobile, and conference room systems. Jitsi Meet is primarily web and mobile-based.
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Zoom has higher participant limits for meetings, webinars, and cloud recording transcriptions.
Conversely, Jitsi surpasses Zoom regarding privacy, transparency, and cost:
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As open source, Jitsi gives users full control and oversight of their data security/privacy practices. Zoom faced backlash regarding data handling.
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Jitsi Meet is entirely free to use with no participant limits. Zoom requires paid plans for meetings over 40 minutes or large meeting capacity needs.
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Jitsi Meet guarantees platform transparency as an open source project with publicly visible development. Zoom's closed-source model provides less visibility into its internal workings.
Ease of Use and Accessibility
Jitsi Meet offers exceptional browser-based access requiring no downloads or plugins. Users can quickly share meeting links to join instant video calls. The clean and minimalist interface keeps things simple for the average user.
Compared to Zoom though, Jitsi Meet lacks some refinements when it comes to user experience:
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Its mobile experience is not as smooth and fully-featured as Zoom's dedicated apps.
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The administrative dashboard for organizing profile settings, recordings, schedules, etc. is relatively basic.
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Accessibility could be improved regarding keyboard controls, screen reader support, and extended language options.
So while Jitsi Meet offers easy out-of-the-box use, Zoom has an edge regarding UX polish tailored for business users. But Jitsi remains under active development, gaining improvements with each release.
Scalability and Performance
Jitsi Meet runs exceptionally well for smaller-sized meetings, providing a fast and reliable conferencing solution. However, as an open-source project, questions remain about its ability to scale for extremely large use cases.
In independent stress tests, Jitsi showed solid performance supporting ~75 participant meetings on average consumer hardware. Further optimization and resources could push this higher.
Zoom likely holds the advantage currently regarding scaling to support meetings with hundreds or thousands of participants. However, for contexts like classrooms, small events, teams, and personal use, Jitsi Meet's capabilities match or exceed Zoom.
Jitsi also enables greater scalability control since organizations can self-host instances and tune server resources as required. So while the default public service may lack Zoom's scale, the platform enables flexible enterprise-grade expansion.
Key Features to Consider in an Open Source Zoom Alternative
Compare the most important functionality, integrations, customizations, and other factors to evaluate when assessing open source Zoom competitors.
Video and Audio Quality Comparisons
Jitsi Meet, a popular open source Zoom alternative, offers HD video quality up to 1080p resolution for 1-on-1 calls. For group calls, it provides up to 720p HD video. Audio is available in Opus codec, providing high quality sound.
Zoom offers HD video up to 720p for group meetings and 1080p for 1-on-1 calls. Audio quality is also high over Zoom with built-in echo cancellation and background noise suppression.
Overall, both Jitsi and Zoom offer excellent video and audio conferencing capabilities out of the box. However, Zoom may have a slight edge for larger group calls given its proprietary bandwidth management technology.
Group Size Support Across Platforms
Jitsi Meet allows up to 75 participants in a single video meeting room without any licensing or fees.
Zoom also supports up to 100 participants per meeting in the free tier. The paid Zoom tiers allow up to 500 or 1,000 participants.
So for very large event-style video conferences, Zoom may be better suited. But Jitsi provides ample capacity for most everyday video chat needs.
Screen Sharing and Collaborative Tools
Jitsi Meet provides fully featured screen sharing functionality for both desktop and mobile devices. Users can share their entire screen or individual app windows.
Zoom too has excellent screen sharing with annotation capabilities like mouse pointers and drawing tools to collaborate.
Both services enable seamless content collaboration with remote teams. Jitsi also offers collaborative document editing via integration with Etherpad.
Recording and Transcription Capabilities
Jitsi Meet allows local recording of meetings. Users have to manually start and stop recording and save it locally.
Zoom provides cloud recording and automated transcripts for all meetings. Recordings can be easily searched through AI-generated transcripts.
So Zoom has more advanced native recording features. But Jitsi recordings can be fed to a speech-to-text service like AssemblyAI to generate transcripts.
Top Open Source Zoom Alternatives
As video conferencing becomes an increasingly critical part of both personal and professional communications, many are looking for open source alternatives to popular proprietary options like Zoom. Open source video chat tools often provide comparable features while prioritizing user privacy, security, and customization.
Exploring Jitsi Meet as a Top Contender
Jitsi Meet has emerged as one of the leading open source competitors to Zoom. Developed by 8x8, Jitsi Meet utilizes WebRTC technology to enable encrypted video calls that run directly in the browser, without needing any downloads or plugins.
Key features include:
- Encrypted audio/video calls with up to 75 participants
- Screen sharing and live streaming capabilities
- Customizable interface with user-controlled layouts
- Slido integration for polls, quizzes and Q&A
- Available as a standalone product or embeddable in apps and sites
As an open source platform, Jitsi Meet allows full control over confidential calls and meetings. It checks the boxes for security, privacy, and customization that many find lacking in closed-source tools. For those seeking an easy-to-use Zoom alternative to self-host or integrate into existing tools, Jitsi Meet is a top choice.
BigBlueButton for Educational Settings
Developed specifically for online learning, BigBlueButton is an open source web conferencing tool optimized for educational video chat.
It provides:
- Real-time sharing of audio, video, slides, chat, and more
- Collaborative whiteboards and breakout rooms
- Polls, emojis, multi-user webcam views
- Moderator controls and security options
- Integration with LMS platforms like Moodle and Canvas
As a self-hosted system, BigBlueButton enables schools and universities to hold private virtual classes with extensive options to engage students. For education settings looking to replace Zoom with a more tailored open source solution, BigBlueButton is purpose-built for instructional needs.
Jami for Peer-to-Peer Communication
As a decentralized alternative, Jami provides private audio and video calls without relying on a central server. It forms a peer-to-peer network between user devices to enable secure video chat and messaging.
Jami standout aspects include:
- End-to-end encrypted group video calls
- Calling across platforms and devices
- Username-based addressing without shared phone numbers
- Messaging and file transfers
- Decentralized infrastructure with no server access to data
For one-on-one or small group calls where user privacy is paramount, Jami's decentralized approach delivers confidentiality without a central point of failure. It provides robust encryption and control without centralized storage of user data.
Additional Noteworthy Alternatives
Beyond the leading options outlined above, the open source community offers additional Zoom alternatives for specific use cases:
- Nextcloud Talk - Self-hosted team communication through Nextcloud
- Rocket.Chat - Open source team chat with video call support
- Wire - Secure collaboration platform with audio/video
- Matrix - Decentralized chat/VoIP server for custom deployments
For teams seeking self-hosted Zoom alternatives deeply integrated into existing collaboration stacks, products like Nextcloud Talk and Rocket.Chat warrant a look. Wire and Matrix offer robust platforms for fully customized video chat that prioritizes user privacy and control.
The open source video conferencing landscape provides a wealth of options to meet unique needs and preferences when replacing closed-source offerings like Zoom. From standalone browsers apps like Jitsi Meet to decentralized infrastructures like Jami and Matrix, open source conferencing tools cater to diverse use cases with strong security, extensibility, and customization capabilities.
Evaluating Privacy, Security, and Customization
Compare the data privacy protections, encryption standards, and customization options provided across solutions.
User Access Controls in Open Source Alternatives
Open source video conferencing platforms like Jitsi Meet provide robust user access controls to protect meeting privacy. Hosts can enable lobby rooms so they must manually admit attendees. Passwords can also be required for access. During sessions, hosts have controls to mute attendees or shut off individual attendee cameras.
Overall, these open source alternatives provide comparable or greater host controls versus proprietary options like Zoom. Since Jitsi Meet is open source, developers can also build custom modifications for user management if needed.
Encryption and Data Storage Policies
Jitsi Meet uses end-to-end encryption for all meetings by default. This ensures video, audio, and messaging content is securely encrypted as it travels between participants. Jitsi Meet also has no data retention, meaning user content is not stored after sessions end.
This approach aligns with user expectations for privacy. It contrasts with Zoom's record of security issues, which enabled unauthorized meeting access in the past. While Zoom has added end-to-end encryption, it is not enabled by default for most users.
On-Premise and Self-Hosting Options for Security
One major advantage of open source video conferencing platforms is the ability to download and self-host for on-premise installations. Jitsi Meet offers a standalone distribution that users can configure on their own servers.
This allows organizations to have total control over security configurations, user management policies, and hardware resources allocated to video communication. It eliminates reliance on third-party cloud platforms that may present privacy or regulatory compliance risks depending on organizational needs.
Customization and Integration Support
As an open source platform, Jitsi Meet provides open API access to facilitate customizations and third-party integrations. Developers can build custom video chat widgets or embedded communication functionality in other apps.
Jitsi also enables branding customizations, interface modifications, and other tweaks to tailor the platform to specific use cases. This shows the inherent flexibility of open source software that proprietary SaaS platforms may not always allow.
Overall, the leading open source video conferencing alternatives score very well across metrics like security, privacy, and customizability compared to mainstream proprietary options. For many organizations, the ability to self-host on-premise with total control is a key advantage that outweighs lacking some ancillary features.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Top Choice for Customization: Jitsi Meet
Jitsi Meet is likely the best open source Zoom alternative for those who value extensive customization options. As an open source project under active development, Jitsi allows developers to directly contribute code changes to fit their specific video conferencing needs. Experienced users can also self-host Jitsi Meet and modify both client-side and server-side application behavior through open source modules and plugins. The ability to control and modify both interface design and core functionality makes Jitsi Meet the most flexible and hackable option compared to other alternatives.
Best for Decentralization: Jami
For users concerned about privacy and decentralization, Jami stands out with its peer-to-peer infrastructure. Without reliance on central servers, Jami provides a truly decentralized method of encrypted communication. User data and conversations stay private through end-to-end encryption protocols. As an open source project built on open communication standards, Jami also interoperates with other secure messaging platforms. These decentralized and interoperable capabilities make Jami unique among open source video conferencing solutions.
Leading for Education Use Cases: BigBlueButton
BigBlueButton leads as an open source Zoom alternative tailored specifically for educational video conferencing use cases like online lectures and virtual classrooms. It offers specialty features like digital whiteboards, quiz taking, screen sharing moderator controls, and virtual "hand raise" notifications to enable better lesson delivery and student collaboration. BigBlueButton also integrates with many popular learning management systems. For schools and universities seeking a reliable, open source web conferencing platform suited for remote teaching and learning, BigBlueButton is a leading choice.
Final Thoughts on Open Source Alternatives to Zoom
The open source projects discussed each have advantages in certain areas like customization potential, privacy protection, or classroom functionality. Jitsi Meet provides the greatest development flexibility, Jami offers unique decentralization benefits, while BigBlueButton excels for online education needs. When selecting an appropriate alternative, weigh your specific requirements around features, use cases, and priorities like stability, governance, or community support. The open source options highlighted provide excellent Zoom alternatives balancing functionality, reliability, and control - helping match diverse organizational needs.
