Element Call vs BigBlueButton
Both are alternatives to Zoom. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as BigBlueButton vs Element Call — same comparison, one verdict.
Element Call keeps your data local by default and BigBlueButton keeps it in the vendor's cloud — for most teams that single fact decides it.
Element Call
Decentralized, end-to-end encrypted calls on the Matrix network.
Element Call is a native Matrix video-conferencing app: end-to-end encrypted by default, federated across Matrix homeservers, and free to use or self-host. It is the best fit for teams that want secure, decentralized calls with no single company controlling the infrastructure — calls can even happen between users on different homeservers.
BigBlueButton
Open-source virtual classroom and web conferencing.
BigBlueButton is an open-source web-conferencing system built for online teaching, with slides, whiteboard, breakout rooms, and polls. It is the strongest fit when the priority is education and interactive sessions rather than casual calls.
Side by side
10 points of comparison, every one read from a verified field. Green marks the side that wins a row outright. A dash means we do not hold that fact — never that it is zero.
| Element Call | BigBlueButton | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty ScoreOur transparent 0–100 composite for data ownership and exit cost. | 89 | 84 |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Local-first data | Yes | No |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | LGPL-3.0 |
| Pricing | Free / open-source (use element.io or self-host with a Matrix homeserver) | Free / open-source (self-host) |
| RAM to run it wellThe figure that actually matters, not the vendor's minimum. | 2–4 GB for Synapse, PostgreSQL, the LiveKit SFU and the MatrixRTC authorization service on one small box | 16 GB — this is the documented production minimum, not a suggestion |
| Realistic running costWhat the box costs each month if you run it yourself. | $12–24/mo on a 4 GB VPS for Synapse plus LiveKit, but bandwidth is the real bill: the SFU sends each participant a copy of everyone else's video, so outbound traffic climbs with every person who joins | $80–160/mo — it is the heaviest tool in this catalogue |
| Setup timeHonest first-install estimate, not the marketing quickstart. | A weekend if you already run Synapse; longer if this is your first Matrix homeserver | 4+ hours, and it wants a dedicated machine |
| Ongoing maintenanceThe part nobody budgets for. | The homeserver flags Element Call needs are still marked experimental, so re-check them against the self-hosting doc on every Synapse and Element Call release. LiveKit and the auth service are separate things to patch, and LiveKit's UDP media ports (50000–60000) must survive every firewall change. | High. It is a large stack and the upgrade path is version-specific. |
Element Call edges it on the Sovereignty Score, but the right pick depends on the trade-offs below.
Weighing both against staying on Zoom? Is Zoom free? What it actually costs →
Element Call
Strengths
- +End-to-end encrypted and decentralized (Matrix + LiveKit)
- +Federated — call across different homeservers
- +Use free online or self-host for full control
- +No account lock-in to a single provider
Trade-offs
- −Self-hosting means running a Matrix homeserver and LiveKit backend
- −Younger and less turnkey than Jitsi for large calls
- −Ecosystem is smaller than mainstream conferencing tools
BigBlueButton
Strengths
- +Purpose-built for teaching
- +Whiteboard, breakouts, polls
- +Self-hostable
Trade-offs
- −Heavier to install and run
- −Overkill for simple calls
Which one fits you
The trade-offs above, turned into a decision. Find the line that describes your team.
Choose Element Call
if your data should stay on machines you control, and end-to-end encrypted and decentralized (Matrix + LiveKit).
Choose BigBlueButton
if purpose-built for teaching.
Neither, yet
if both carry a real cost you should weigh first — self-hosting means running a Matrix homeserver and LiveKit backend, and heavier to install and run. If either of those is a dealbreaker for your team, the shortlist is wrong rather than the choice.
What it takes to run these yourself
Real requirements and honest running costs, not the vendor quickstart.
Self-hosting Element Call
2–4 GB for Synapse, PostgreSQL, the LiveKit SFU and the MatrixRTC authorization service on one small box RAM · A weekend if you already run Synapse; longer if this is your first Matrix homeserver
$12–24/mo on a 4 GB VPS for Synapse plus LiveKit, but bandwidth is the real bill: the SFU sends each participant a copy of everyone else's video, so outbound traffic climbs with every person who joins
Self-hosting BigBlueButton
16 GB — this is the documented production minimum, not a suggestion RAM · 4+ hours, and it wants a dedicated machine
$80–160/mo — it is the heaviest tool in this catalogue
Element Call vs BigBlueButton — common questions
Is Element Call a better fit than BigBlueButton for video conferencing?
It depends on what you are optimising for, and the honest split is this: Element Call scores 89 to BigBlueButton's 84 on data ownership and exit cost, so it is the safer choice if you care about being able to leave. BigBlueButton earns its place on a different axis — purpose-built for teaching. Neither is a wrong answer for every team; the table above is the actual comparison.
What happens if we want to switch later?
Element Call keeps its data local or in open formats, so leaving is an export rather than a negotiation. BigBlueButton is still self-hostable, so the files stay on your server either way — but it is not local-first by design, so check what its export produces before you rely on it.
Can I self-host Element Call or BigBlueButton?
Both can be self-hosted. The difference is what it costs you in time rather than whether it is possible — see the setup and maintenance rows above.
Are Element Call and BigBlueButton both alternatives to Zoom?
Yes — both appear in our Zoom comparison, which is why they are worth putting side by side. People usually arrive here already having decided to move off Zoom and now choosing between the two replacements, which is a narrower and much easier question.
Related alternative guides
Facts verified 2026-07-12. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.