Jami vs BigBlueButton
Both are alternatives to Zoom. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as BigBlueButton vs Jami — same comparison, one verdict.
Jami keeps your data local by default and BigBlueButton keeps it in the vendor's cloud — for most teams that single fact decides it.
Jami
Fully peer-to-peer calls with no server at all.
Jami is a GNU project for calls and messaging that works peer-to-peer and end-to-end encrypted, with no central server to run or trust. It is the most decentralized option — private by design, at the cost of some polish for large group meetings.
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.
| Jami | BigBlueButton | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty ScoreOur transparent 0–100 composite for data ownership and exit cost. | 90 | 84 |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Local-first data | Yes | No |
| License | GPL-3.0 | LGPL-3.0 |
| Pricing | Free / open-source | Free / open-source (self-host) |
| RAM to run it wellThe figure that actually matters, not the vendor's minimum. | Nothing server-side for one-to-one calls. The real requirement moves to whoever starts a group call: that device receives every participant's video, mixes it and sends the mixed stream back to each person, so its upload carries one outgoing stream per participant | 16 GB — this is the documented production minimum, not a suggestion |
| Realistic running costWhat the box costs each month if you run it yourself. | $0 on Jami's default network (Savoir-faire Linux runs the bootstrap, TURN, DHT-proxy and name servers). If you run your own TURN and DHT node, a small VPS at roughly $5/mo, and every call it relays counts against that plan's bandwidth | $80–160/mo — it is the heaviest tool in this catalogue |
| Setup timeHonest first-install estimate, not the marketing quickstart. | 5 minutes to install the app and create an account; an afternoon to stand up your own TURN server and DHT node | 4+ hours, and it wants a dedicated machine |
| Ongoing maintenanceThe part nobody budgets for. | Keep the app updated on every device. If you run your own TURN or DHT node, patch it like any small server and re-test it after firewall or router changes. There's no database to back up, but each person should export their account archive. | High. It is a large stack and the upgrade path is version-specific. |
Jami 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 →
Jami
Strengths
- +Fully peer-to-peer — no server to run
- +End-to-end encrypted by design
- +Cross-platform
Trade-offs
- −Less turnkey for big group meetings
- −Smaller ecosystem than Jitsi
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 Jami
if your data should stay on machines you control, and fully peer-to-peer — no server to run.
Choose BigBlueButton
if purpose-built for teaching.
Neither, yet
if both carry a real cost you should weigh first — less turnkey for big group meetings, 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 Jami
Nothing server-side for one-to-one calls. The real requirement moves to whoever starts a group call: that device receives every participant's video, mixes it and sends the mixed stream back to each person, so its upload carries one outgoing stream per participant RAM · 5 minutes to install the app and create an account; an afternoon to stand up your own TURN server and DHT node
$0 on Jami's default network (Savoir-faire Linux runs the bootstrap, TURN, DHT-proxy and name servers). If you run your own TURN and DHT node, a small VPS at roughly $5/mo, and every call it relays counts against that plan's bandwidth
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
Jami vs BigBlueButton — common questions
Is Jami a better fit than BigBlueButton for video conferencing?
It depends on what you are optimising for, and the honest split is this: Jami scores 90 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?
Jami 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 Jami 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 Jami 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.