2 open source alternatives to Google Meet
Meetings embedded in Google Workspace. Here are the open source projects real teams use instead — ranked by fit, with honest pros and cons for each.
What people don't love about Google Meet
- Tied to Google account ecosystem.
- Free tier has 60-minute limit on group calls.
- Privacy concerns for non-Workspace users.
Current Google Meet pricing (for reference): Free (time-limited for groups); full access with Workspace.
Quick comparison
| Alternative | Best for | License | Self-host | Hosted cloud? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jitsi Meet Open source video meetings you can self-host or use free. |
Instant browser meetings with no Google account. | Apache-2.0 | ★★★☆☆ | Yes |
|
BigBlueButton Open source web conferencing built for online learning. |
Structured learning and webinar workflows. | LGPL-3.0 | ★★★★☆ | Yes |
1. Jitsi Meet — Instant browser meetings with no Google account.
Open source video meetings you can self-host or use free.
Strengths
- Free public instance (meet.jit.si) with no sign-up.
- Self-hostable for privacy.
- Webhook and SDK integrations available.
Weaknesses
- Tuning a self-hosted instance for scale takes ops work.
- Advanced features (e2ee, breakouts) evolving.
- No native desktop app.
Jitsi Meet homepage · Source on GitHub · Google Meet vs Jitsi Meet →
2. BigBlueButton — Structured learning and webinar workflows.
Open source web conferencing built for online learning.
Strengths
- Designed for virtual classrooms with whiteboard and polls.
- Recording, breakout rooms, and captions built in.
- Integrates with Moodle and other LMS.
Weaknesses
- Demanding hardware for self-hosting.
- Setup and maintenance are not beginner-friendly.
- UI feels academic, not corporate.
BigBlueButton homepage · Source on GitHub · Google Meet vs BigBlueButton →
Not what you're looking for?
Browse other tools in Video Conferencing, or check out open source projects by category on the full category index.
Other SaaS in Video Conferencing
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