Free, open-source alternatives to Zoom
Video meetings and webinars. 6 apps you can run yourself instead of Zoom, sorted by how well they replace it. Each one is open source, so your data stays with you.
Jitsi MeetBest match
WebRTC application that uses Jitsi Videobridge to provide high quality, scalable video conferences.
BigBlueButton
Supports real-time sharing of audio, video, slides (with whiteboard controls), chat, and the screen. Instructors can engage remote students with polling, emojis, and breakout rooms.
MiroTalk SFU
Simple, secure, scalable real-time video conferences up to 4k, compatible with all browsers and platforms.
MiroTalk P2P
Simple, secure, fast real-time video conferences up to 4k and 60fps, compatible with all browsers and platforms.
Galene
Video conferencing server that is easy to deploy and that requires moderate server resources.
plugNmeet
Scalable and high performance web conferencing system.
Side by side
| App | Stars | License | Activity | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jitsi Meet | 30,074 | Apache-2.0 | Node.js, Docker, Debian packages | |
| BigBlueButton | 9,241 | LGPL-3.0 | Java | |
| MiroTalk SFU | 3,126 | AGPL-3.0 | Node.js, Docker | |
| MiroTalk P2P | 4,786 | AGPL-3.0 | Node.js, Docker | |
| Galene | 1,418 | MIT | Go | |
| plugNmeet | 572 | MIT | Docker, Go |
Why replace Zoom?
Zoom works, but your data lives in someone else's account, the price can change at any time, and features can disappear. An open-source app you run yourself is yours: you choose where it runs, who can see the data, and when to update.
Questions
What is the best free alternative to Zoom?
Jitsi Meet is the closest open-source replacement for Zoom in our list. BigBlueButton and MiroTalk SFU are worth a look too, depending on what you need.
Can I self-host an alternative to Zoom?
Yes. All 6 apps on this page are open source and can run on your own server, usually with Docker, or on a managed host that installs them for you.