Jitsi vs BigBlueButton: which to choose

Jitsi vs BigBlueButton: when each one is the right choice

Choose Jitsi Meet when your team needs general video meetings with many small or medium rooms and wants to grow capacity by adding media servers. Choose BigBlueButton when the session is a class, training course or workshop that needs slides with annotations, polling, breakout rooms and shared notes built around a presenter. The decision turns on three factors: the type of session, the number of rooms you expect to run at the same time, and the budget for dedicated servers. The session type comes first. Jitsi Meet is a meeting app: its architecture combines the Jitsi Videobridge media router, the Jicofo conference focus, the Prosody XMPP server and optional Jibri for recording. The Jitsi scalable setup guide says bridges scale horizontally by adding more, so bridge-based scaling matters when concurrency is the constraint and each room is a peer conversation. BigBlueButton's teaching features justify its heavier server needs when the room has a moderator, presenters and students, and when instructors depend on those tools every session.

Concurrency and hosting budget follow from that. The BigBlueButton 4.0 install documentation asks for at least 16 GB of RAM with swap, 8 CPU cores with high single-thread performance, 500 GB of disk for recordings (50 GB without recording) and 250 Mbit/s symmetrical bandwidth per server. Jitsi's scalable guide suggests a 4 CPU, 8 GB machine for the central server and 4 or 8 CPU with 8 GB RAM for each bridge, so the first Jitsi node is usually smaller. Confirm your own peak room count, participants per room and recording volume before you size either platform, because those numbers, not the feature list, set the server count. In practice, ask three questions before you buy hardware. Will teachers or trainers use whiteboards, polls and breakout rooms in most sessions? Will you run more concurrent rooms than one server can hold? Can your budget fund a dedicated BigBlueButton host, plus a TURN server for users behind restrictive firewalls? If the first answer is yes, plan for BigBlueButton. If the second answer is yes and the first is no, plan for Jitsi with additional bridges.

Which platform fits which scenario, and why

This table maps common meeting, event, classroom and training scenarios to the platform that fits better and the supplied capability behind that choice. Read each row for the condition that could change the answer, such as concurrency, recording needs or the number of servers you are willing to run.

Scenario	Better fit	Why, and what changes the answer
Company-wide internal meetings	Jitsi Meet	Jitsi is built as a general meeting app with a web client and separate media routers, so staff can join without a classroom workflow. Confirm the bridge count you need before go-live, since Jitsi scales by adding Jitsi Videobridge instances.
Customer calls and external dial-in	Jitsi Meet	Jitsi Jigasi provides SIP dial-in as an optional component, which suits customers who join from phones. Confirm SIP trunk and dial-in configuration in your own environment, because it is an add-on to the core deployment.
All-hands events with many listeners	Depends on concurrency	Jitsi can add videobridges horizontally, which helps large meetings grow with hardware. BigBlueButton 4.0 expects a dedicated server with 16 GB RAM and 8 CPU cores, so test the listener count you expect on a staging system for either platform.
Classes with breakout rooms	BigBlueButton	BigBlueButton includes breakout rooms, shared notes, polling and a multi-user whiteboard in the core feature set, all aimed at teaching. Jitsi is a meeting app first, so teachers would need to add tooling to match this flow.
Tutoring with shared whiteboards	BigBlueButton	The multi-user whiteboard and slides with annotations let a tutor and student work on the same material in one session. Choose Jitsi only if the tutoring is conversational and does not need shared annotated materials.
Training with recorded sessions	Depends on recording setup	BigBlueButton records sessions as part of its virtual classroom flow, but needs 500 GB of disk for recordings per the install documentation. Jitsi uses optional Jibri for recording or streaming, which adds a separate component to deploy and monitor.
Teams already running an LMS	BigBlueButton	BigBlueButton is embedded in learning management systems including Canvas, Moodle Cloud and Sakai, according to the project. Confirm the plugin or LTI setup for your specific LMS version before committing.

How each platform is built and what that means for operations

Jitsi splits a meeting across several cooperating services that scale out by adding bridges, while BigBlueButton ships as one heavier server image that you size up or front with a load balancer. The cards below name the component or install requirement on each side and the operational consequence your team inherits from it.

Videobridge media router

Jitsi Videobridge (JVB) carries the audio and video streams for participants, so it is the component that consumes bandwidth and CPU as meetings grow. The Jitsi scalable setup guide suggests 4 or 8 CPU cores with 8 GB RAM for each bridge. Operationally, capacity planning means counting bridges and watching their load, not sizing one machine. Confirm UDP port 10000 is reachable from every client network you plan to serve, because the Debian quick start depends on it.

Jicofo conference focus

Jicofo is the conference focus that allocates participants to videobridges and manages conference state. It is the coordinating layer between signalling and media, so a misconfiguration here affects every room regardless of how many bridges sit behind it. Your team should treat Jicofo and Prosody as one control plane, monitor both, and confirm how the install you choose wires them together before you add bridges.

Prosody signalling and identity

Prosody is the XMPP server that carries signalling, and it is also where the room authentication options live. The Jitsi Docker guide lists internal XMPP accounts, JWT tokens, LDAP, Matrix verification and a hybrid mode, set in the .env file. The handbook marks the older secure domain method as deprecated for new installations and recommends JWT tokens. Decide your authentication model early, since changing it later touches every client integration.

Optional Jibri and Jigasi

Jibri handles recording and streaming, and Jigasi bridges SIP dial-in. Both are optional, and each adds its own moving parts, such as recording storage and a headless browser pipeline on Jibri. Leave them out of the first deployment unless recording or phone access is a stated requirement. When you do need them, price the extra hosts and storage as separate work in your scope.

BigBlueButton single-server baseline

BigBlueButton 4.0 is normally installed as one server that runs media, the web layer, recording and document conversion together. The install docs call for Ubuntu 24.04, at least 16 GB of RAM with swap, 8 CPU cores with high single-thread performance, and 250 Mbit/s symmetrical bandwidth. Plan for 500 GB of disk if you record, or 50 GB without recording. Direct upgrades from 2.6, 2.7 or 3.0 are not supported, so budget for a clean install.

Scalelite load balancing

Scalelite is the open-source option for spreading BigBlueButton meetings across several media servers. It adds a front layer that your team must deploy, monitor and keep in step with the BigBlueButton versions behind it. Expect a multi-node estate with its own certificates, networking and failure modes, rather than the single box most small teams start with. Confirm that your chosen BigBlueButton version and Scalelite release are supported together before you commit to that topology.

Capability differences that decide the shortlist

This table compares the two platforms on the capabilities that usually settle the choice: licensing, teaching tools, scaling, recording, dial-in, LMS embedding, identity and install needs. Read each row against your own use case, and treat any cell that says to confirm as an open question for the vendor before you commit.

Capability	Jitsi Meet	BigBlueButton
License	Apache-2.0 for Jitsi Meet, with Jitsi a trademark of 8x8, Inc.	LGPL-3.0, maintained by BigBlueButton Inc. with hosting and commercial support available
Primary use case	General video meetings with a web app, optional recording and SIP dial-in	Virtual classroom built around presenting slides, polling, whiteboard and breakout rooms
Teaching tools	Not a core focus of the supplied facts; confirm any polling, shared notes or whiteboard needs with the vendor	Polling, multi-user whiteboard, shared notes, breakout rooms and slides with annotations are listed as core features
Scaling model	Add more Jitsi Videobridge media routers horizontally; the default install is already set up for this	Single-server install by default; confirm load-balanced options and the Scalelite project before planning multi-server capacity
Server sizing	Central server suggested at 4 CPU and 8 GB; each videobridge at 4 or 8 CPU with 8 GB RAM	BigBlueButton 4.0 needs 16 GB RAM with swap, 8 CPU cores and 500 GB disk for recordings
Recording and streaming	Optional Jibri container for recording or streaming	Recording is built in; plan 500 GB of disk for recordings, or 50 GB without recording
SIP dial-in	Optional Jigasi component provides SIP gateway access	Not covered in the supplied facts; confirm dial-in support with the vendor
LMS embedding	Not covered in the supplied facts; confirm integration paths with your LMS	Embedded in Canvas, Moodle Cloud, Sakai, Jenzabar, D2L and Schoology per the project
Identity options	Internal XMPP accounts, JWT tokens, LDAP, Matrix user verification and hybrid Matrix plus JWT	Greenlight v3 supports OpenID Connect; the docs suggest Keycloak for Google, Microsoft and SAML logins
Install prerequisites	Debian 12 or newer or Ubuntu 24.04 or newer with OpenJDK 17; ports 80, 443 and 10000/UDP	Ubuntu 24.04 64-bit, TCP 80 and 443, UDP 16384 to 32768, a valid hostname and Docker for document conversion

How identity integration differs between Jitsi and BigBlueButton

Jitsi and BigBlueButton solve identity in opposite places. Jitsi Meet authenticates the room and the person joining it through its own stack (Prosody, Jicofo and the chosen authentication method), so you decide early whether moderators are *signed-in users* or anyone with a link. BigBlueButton does not run a user directory at all. Its API is authenticated by a shared secret, and any identity logic lives in the front end that calls that API, most often Greenlight v3. The first decision is therefore where your identity provider plugs in: the conference server, or the application in front of it. For Jitsi, the Docker guide lists internal XMPP accounts, JWT tokens, LDAP, Matrix user verification and a hybrid Matrix plus JWT mode, all set through the .env file. The Jitsi handbook marks the older secure domain method (username and password room creation) as deprecated for new installations and recommends JWT token authentication, with a separate anonymous domain for guests. Your application signs the token with the moderator's identity and room claims, so the identity provider stays outside Jitsi. Confirm which of these options your chosen install method supports and whether LDAP or Matrix fits your directory before you pick one.

BigBlueButton's API requires every call to carry a checksum computed with a secret shared with the server. The docs use SHA-256 by default, keep SHA-1 for legacy use, and support SHA-384 or SHA-512 since version 2.5. The docs also warn never to embed the shared secret in a web page. Any browser-visible code that holds the secret can create or join meetings for anyone, so the secret must stay on your back end. For Greenlight v3, external authentication uses OpenID Connect, configured with environment variables. The Greenlight docs suggest Keycloak as a broker for Google, Microsoft, SAML and other login methods. Confirm that your identity provider supports OpenID Connect directly, or plan a broker such as Keycloak, and check which role and group claims Greenlight can read for moderator rights. Before you commit, write down who creates meetings, who moderates and who only joins, then map each group to a claim in your identity provider. Check whether guests need accounts, how deprovisioning removes access in both systems, and who rotates the BigBlueButton shared secret and the Jitsi JWT signing key. Those rotation duties, and the logging of sign-ins, usually become the recurring identity work, so ask your implementation partner to cover them in the written scope.

What the licenses allow and what is paid for

Jitsi Meet is licensed under Apache-2.0, a permissive license that lets you run, modify and redistribute the code, including in commercial products, provided you keep the license and notices. Using the open-source code does not require a license fee from the project. The name, however, is a trademark: jitsi.org states that Jitsi is a trademark of 8x8, Inc., so branding a service as Jitsi should be checked against the trademark position before you publish it.

Apache-2.0 code: The license covers the self-hosted stack, so you can run it on your own servers without a per-user license.
Trademark note: Jitsi is a trademark of 8x8, Inc., which matters if you rebrand or market a hosted service under the name.
JaaS as a separate paid service: 8x8 offers JaaS (Jitsi as a Service), a hosted option run by the team that builds Jitsi, billed as its own service and separate from the open-source license.
Free public instance: meet.jit.si is a public instance, which is not a supported production service for your organization.
Support is your choice: The facts supplied do not list a paid self-hosted support tier from the project, so request written support terms from 8x8 or your implementation partner.

Confirm with 8x8 in writing whether your intended use of the name and any hosted offering falls within its trademark guidance.

What drives the running cost of each platform

The running cost of either stack is set less by the license, which is free for both Jitsi Meet (Apache-2.0) and BigBlueButton (LGPL-3.0), than by the servers, bandwidth, people and storage you commit to. Jitsi's documented starting point is a central server with 4 CPU and 8 GB of memory, plus one videobridge per capacity block at 4 or 8 CPU with 8 GB RAM each, and the Jitsi scalable setup guide notes that bridges are added horizontally. BigBlueButton 4.0 has a higher fixed floor: at least 16 GB of RAM with swap, 8 CPU cores with high single-thread performance, 500 GB of disk if you record (50 GB without recording) and 250 Mbit/s symmetrical bandwidth. Because one BigBlueButton server is the whole unit, a small team that only needs occasional meetings often pays for more idle capacity on BigBlueButton than on Jitsi. Confirm the bandwidth your peak concurrency will use, since media traffic, not the central server, usually sets that line.

Recurring costs are the ones that persist after go-live: hosting for the servers, recording storage that grows with every session, bandwidth, staff time for patching and monitoring, and any support retainer. Jitsi needs a valid domain certificate for working audio and video, so certificate issuance and renewal are a standing task on every bridge and the web tier, and the handbook warns against self-signed certificates. Jibri recording and Jigasi dial-in add components to run, so each one brings its own hosting and troubleshooting work. BigBlueButton also needs Docker for sandboxed document conversion and recommends a TURN server for users behind restrictive firewalls, which is another service to host and monitor. Upgrades recur on both sides, but BigBlueButton 4.0 does not support direct upgrades from 2.6, 2.7 or 3.0, so moving an existing installation is a one-time migration project, not a routine update.

Ask any implementation partner or internal team for a written quote that separates one-time work from recurring work. One-time items should list installation, TLS setup, authentication integration (JWT, LDAP or OpenID Connect where relevant), and any migration from an earlier BigBlueButton line. Recurring items should list hosting by server role, the recording retention and storage model, bandwidth assumptions, monitoring, patch and upgrade windows, and support hours. For Jibri recording, Jigasi dial-in and BigBlueButton recording storage, the quote should name who owns retention and deletion. Also ask who performs upgrades to the Jitsi and BigBlueButton releases in use, how many releases behind the vendor is covered, and what happens when a bridge or the central server fails. DeployOpen scopes these items in writing before work begins, and the same written scope is what you should compare across quotes.

Moving users from one platform to the other

This sequence moves a team's meeting and classroom workflows from Jitsi Meet to BigBlueButton, or the reverse, on a clean target server with identities, recordings and links carried across deliberately rather than assumed to follow the users.

Inventory current meeting and class workflows
List every recurring meeting, lecture, office hour and webinar, who hosts each one, which ones use recording, dial-in, breakout rooms or an embedded link in a learning management system or intranet page, and which ones need a moderator role. Ask the people who run these sessions, not only the platform administrators, because embedded links and personal bookmarks are often missed. The step is done when you have a written list of workflows with a named owner for each one and a note on which features each workflow depends on.
Decide identity and room-naming conventions
Choose how users will sign in on the target platform, whether through internal accounts, an external identity provider reached through Greenlight v3 with OpenID Connect, or a token-based setup on the Jitsi side, and decide how rooms or meeting identifiers will be named and who may create them. Record which identities map one to one from the current directory and which must be created or re-linked. The step is done when the naming scheme and the identity mapping are approved in writing by the owners of the directory and the platform.
Stand up the target on a clean server
Install the target platform on a new server that meets its documented requirements rather than upgrading the existing installation in place. BigBlueButton 4.0 does not support direct upgrades from 2.6, 2.7 or 3.0, so a clean installation is recommended, and the server should be checked against the stated memory, CPU, disk and port requirements before work begins. Confirm TLS with a valid hostname, the TURN server for users behind restrictive firewalls and the sizing for expected concurrency. The step is done when a test meeting completes with audio, video and screen sharing from at least one client on each network you support.
Migrate recordings and content that must persist
Decide which existing recordings, slide decks, shared notes or chat transcripts must be kept and move them into an archive that the team can search and retrieve. Recordings from one platform are not played back by the other, so plan for the archive to live beside the new system or in your document store, with access rules copied from the old access list. Confirm retention periods with your records owner before deleting anything. The step is done when a sample of migrated files opens for the people who need them and the archive owner has signed off.
Rebuild integrations, links and moderator roles
Recreate the things that do not carry over: room or meeting links, learning management system activities, intranet embeds, calendar invitations, dial-in details, moderator and presenter roles, and any recording pipeline. For BigBlueButton integrations, API calls must carry a checksum computed with a secret shared with the server, and the secret must never be placed in a web page, so the integration developer should confirm this before go-live. The step is done when each workflow from the inventory has a rebuilt link or integration and a tested moderator role.
Pilot with one user group
Move a single, well-defined group, such as one course, one department or one recurring team meeting, and run their real sessions on the target platform for a period agreed with the group owner. Collect feedback on joining, audio quality, recording and moderation, and log every issue with its workflow. The step is done when the pilot group has completed its planned sessions without an open blocking issue and the owner has accepted the result in writing.
Cut over and retire the old platform
Announce the switch date, publish the new links and instructions, redirect old links where your web server allows, and keep the previous platform read-only for a retention window your records owner has approved. Monitor sessions, capacity and support requests for the first live period, then decommission the old server after its archive and access logs are confirmed. The step is done when all workflows from the inventory run on the target, the old links redirect or are withdrawn, and the decommissioning record is signed off.

Where Jitsi and BigBlueButton projects usually run long

Most delays on either platform come from the network and certificate work that happens before any user joins a call. For Jitsi Meet, the first gate is HTTPS with a proper domain certificate, because the Jitsi handbook says audio and video depend on it and warns that self-signed certificates cause problems, especially with mobile clients. Confirm the domain, DNS record and certificate process before scheduling the install. The Debian or Ubuntu quick start expects Debian 12 (Bookworm) or newer or Ubuntu 24.04 or newer, OpenJDK 17, and open ports 80/TCP, 443/TCP and 10000/UDP. Firewall changes in a regulated network often need a separate change window, so raise them at the start. You also have to choose between the package install and the Docker setup, since the two differ in upgrade path and authentication configuration.

BigBlueButton front-loads a different set of checks. The server needs TCP ports 80 and 443 and UDP ports 16384 to 32768 reachable, a valid hostname for SSL, and Docker for sandboxed LibreOffice document conversion. The install documentation says 4.0 cannot be upgraded directly from 2.6, 2.7 or 3.0, so an existing server means a clean rebuild and migration plan. A TURN server is recommended for users behind restrictive firewalls, and it is often the step that slips, because it needs its own ports and credentials. Recording storage is the other common overrun: the install documentation lists 500 GB of disk with recording and 50 GB without. If you plan to embed the product in an LMS, the bbb-install.sh script can add Greenlight or LTI support, but the LMS side, its launch settings and its user roles remain your work.

On both platforms, identity integration and scaling are where budgets move. Jitsi's Docker guide offers internal XMPP accounts, JWT tokens, LDAP and Matrix verification, and the handbook recommends JWT over the deprecated secure domain method, so decide on the auth model and token issuer early. Adding bridges is documented as horizontal scaling, but each bridge is another host you must provision, patch and monitor. For BigBlueButton, Greenlight v3 supports OpenID Connect, and the docs suggest Keycloak for other login methods, so an identity provider must exist before go-live. Provide the DNS zone, certificate authority, firewall owner, identity provider contact, storage sizing decision and expected concurrency. Ask DeployOpen for a written scope that lists these dependencies before any quote is agreed.

Questions buyers ask before choosing Jitsi or BigBlueButton

Which platform costs less to run, Jitsi or BigBlueButton?

Jitsi Meet usually costs less to host for general meetings, because the supplied requirements for BigBlueButton 4.0 are much heavier: 16 GB of memory, 8 CPU cores, 500 GB of disk for recordings (50 GB without recording) and 250 Mbit/s symmetrical bandwidth on a single server. Jitsi's scalable setup guide suggests a 4 CPU, 8 GB central server with 4 or 8 CPU and 8 GB RAM for each videobridge, and you add bridges as concurrency grows. Your recurring cost is the infrastructure, bandwidth and the staff time to patch and monitor. Ask any partner for a written scope that states the server counts, recording storage, retention and the upgrade plan for each option.

Can Jitsi run a virtual classroom with breakout rooms and a whiteboard?

Jitsi is built as a video meeting stack, so it covers conferencing well but does not provide the classroom feature set that BigBlueButton is designed around. BigBlueButton's documented features include slides with annotations, a multi-user whiteboard, shared notes, polling and breakout rooms, and it embeds in learning management systems such as Canvas, Moodle Cloud and Sakai. If your teaching workflow depends on those features, BigBlueButton is the natural starting point. Confirm the exact feature set you need against the current documentation before you commit.

How long does a self-hosted Jitsi or BigBlueButton rollout take?

No supplied fact gives a reliable duration, so treat any timeline as something to be written into the scope rather than assumed. The effort depends on the number of servers, whether you need a valid domain certificate (the Jitsi handbook says HTTPS with a proper certificate is necessary for working audio and video), your identity integration, recording storage and whether you run a clean BigBlueButton 4.0 install, since direct upgrades from 2.6, 2.7 or 3.0 are not supported. Ask for a milestone plan with named deliverables and the test steps you will sign off.

Can our own team install and run Jitsi or BigBlueButton without outside help?

Your team can install either platform with its own staff if it can manage Linux servers, DNS, TLS certificates and firewall rules. Jitsi's Debian and Ubuntu quick start needs OpenJDK 17 and ports 80/TCP, 443/TCP and 10000/UDP, while BigBlueButton needs TCP 80 and 443, UDP 16384 to 32768, Docker for document conversion and, for users behind restrictive firewalls, a TURN server. The harder work is ongoing: upgrades, monitoring, capacity planning and incident response. Decide which of those your team will own before you start.

What does outside help from DeployOpen cover for these platforms?

DeployOpen plans, implements, customizes, integrates, hardens, backs up, upgrades, documents and supports self-hosted open-source platforms inside your own infrastructure. For video, that can include the server build, certificate and firewall work, authentication setup, recording configuration and documentation. Most engagements are fixed-scope, with scope, deliverables and timelines agreed in writing before work starts, and ongoing support, upgrades and testing are available as retainers. DeployOpen does not publish a price list, so ask for a quote based on your written scope and confirm exactly which components and environments are included.

How do we move users from Jitsi to BigBlueButton, or the other way?

Migration is mostly a change in workflow, not a data move, because a meeting platform holds little persistent content compared with a file or email system. The work falls into three parts: changing how rooms and links are created, rebuilding authentication (Jitsi recommends JWT tokens over the deprecated secure domain method, while BigBlueButton API calls need checksums and Greenlight v3 can use OpenID Connect), and moving any recordings you need to keep. Plan a parallel run and ask for the cut-over steps in writing.

What should we confirm about licensing before we choose?

Both platforms are open source, but the licenses differ in a way that matters for packaging and redistribution. Jitsi Meet is Apache-2.0 and BigBlueButton is LGPL-3.0. Jitsi is a trademark of 8x8, Inc., and 8x8 offers a hosted service called JaaS, which is a separate commercial choice. BigBlueButton Inc. offers hosting and commercial support. Have your legal or procurement team confirm the license terms against the versions you plan to deploy, and ask any vendor to state in writing which components are covered by support.

How DeployOpen helps teams choose, implement or migrate

DeployOpen plans, implements and supports self-hosted open-source platforms inside the client's own infrastructure, so the Jitsi or BigBlueButton decision is made against your network, hosting budget and user mix. Engagements are fixed-scope, with scope, deliverables and timelines agreed in writing before work starts.

How we scope

Start by confirming the meeting mix: general calls, virtual classroom sessions or both.
Size expected concurrent rooms and participants per room before choosing a topology.
Record hosting constraints, including cloud accounts, data center or air-gapped networks.
Agree the written scope, deliverables and timeline before any implementation work begins.

How we build

Deploy the chosen stack in your environment, with HTTPS certificates on a proper domain.
Configure authentication, such as JWT tokens or LDAP, to match your identity setup.
Plan TURN, firewall and UDP port reachability with your network team before go-live.
Test audio, video and scaling behavior under load before handing the system over.

How we hand over

Document architecture, hostnames, ports, configuration and upgrade steps for your operators.
Provide backup and recovery procedures covering recordings and configuration files.
Walk your administrators through day-two tasks such as adding bridges or updating releases.
Deliver the written handover pack and confirm acceptance against the agreed scope.

How we support

Ongoing support, upgrades and continuous testing are available as retainers.
Upgrades are planned against each platform's release line and documented before rollout.
Ask any provider to confirm recording storage, bandwidth and support terms in writing.
Quotes follow from the written scope, so request one after the requirements are agreed.

Jitsi vs BigBlueButton