Skip to main content

Jitsi Meet vs BigBlueButton: Open Source Video Conferencing

·OSSAlt Team
jitsibigbluebuttonvideo conferencingzoomcomparison

Jitsi Meet vs BigBlueButton: Open Source Video Conferencing

Both are mature, open source video conferencing platforms — but built for different audiences. Jitsi Meet is a general-purpose Zoom replacement. BigBlueButton is purpose-built for online education. Here's how they compare.

Quick Verdict

Choose Jitsi Meet for general video meetings, quick calls, and team communication. Choose BigBlueButton for online classes, webinars, and educational environments.

The Comparison

FeatureJitsi MeetBigBlueButton
Best forGeneral meetingsEducation/training
Max participants75-100 (practical)100-150
Screen sharing
Chat
Recording
Breakout rooms
WhiteboardBasic✅ (best)
Polls
Hand raising
Shared notes✅ (Etherpad)✅ (built-in)
No account needed✅ (join via link)Requires login
Lobby/waiting room
E2E encryption
SIP/phone dial-in
LMS integration✅ (Moodle, Canvas, etc.)
Presentation modeBasic✅ (PDF upload, annotations)
Multi-user whiteboard
StackJava, JavaScript (Oce Oce)Java, JavaScript
LicenseApache 2.0LGPL-3.0
RAM for 50 users4-8 GB8-16 GB
Setup complexityMediumHigher

When to Choose Jitsi Meet

  • General team meetings and video calls
  • Quick, no-account-needed video calls
  • Integration with Mattermost or Matrix
  • E2E encryption is needed
  • Lower server requirements
  • Simpler setup and maintenance

When to Choose BigBlueButton

  • Online classes and training
  • Presentation-heavy meetings (PDF upload, annotations)
  • LMS integration (Moodle, Canvas, Schoology)
  • Collaborative whiteboard sessions
  • Breakout rooms for group work
  • Educational institutions

The Bottom Line

Jitsi Meet is the Zoom replacement. BigBlueButton is the Zoom-for-education replacement. For general business meetings, Jitsi is simpler and lighter. For teaching and training, BigBlueButton's educational features (whiteboard, presentations, LMS integration) are unmatched.


Compare video conferencing tools on OSSAlt — features, capacity, and deployment options side by side.