Open source video conferencing software lets you hold meetings on a server you control, but it isn't install-and-meet. You need a domain with TLS, open firewall ports and enough server bandwidth, and some tools need a second media server alongside. Pick by what you're willing to operate, then check the licence.
Three kinds of team usually come looking for open source meeting software: schools and trainers who want virtual classrooms, small businesses with an IT person who want calls on their own server, and privacy-minded teams who don't want a big vendor in the middle.
Each of those needs a different set-up, so this page groups nine tools by what you'll have to run, from a single meeting server to no server at all. They're in no particular order, and there are no promises about call sizes, because on your own server the number of people who can join comes down to your bandwidth and hardware.
Four set-ups, sorted by what you'll run
One server with a meeting room app
What you run: a single server with a domain, TLS and open ports. Jitsi Meet installs on Debian, Ubuntu or Docker and lets guests join without an account. MiroTalk offers browser rooms in peer-to-peer and SFU versions; it's open source under the AGPL, with a commercial licence sold for closed or rebranded use. Galene is a low-resource server for lectures and staff meetings; its own site says it doesn't do end-to-end encryption, so the operator can see the media. Its site also says development is supported by NLnet's NGI0Core programme, but exact release dates weren't confirmed here, so check its recent releases before you rely on it.
A classroom or collaboration suite
What you run: a bigger application with more moving parts. BigBlueButton is built for teaching, with its own install guide and third-party hosting if you'd rather not run it. Apache OpenMeetings is a Java system with video, a whiteboard, polls and a calendar, and its release notes urge upgrading after a security fix. Nextcloud Talk lives inside a Nextcloud server, so it suits teams already using that private cloud for files.
A developer platform or a federated network
What you run: the app plus a LiveKit media server, and a developer to wire it together. Element Call brings group calls to the Matrix network, and its repo says every deployment needs a LiveKit server. OpenVidu is built on LiveKit too, with an SDK and a ready-made meeting app, and it has a commercial Pro edition beside the open one.
No meeting server at all
What you run: just the app on each device. Jami is peer-to-peer, a GNU project, with no central server relaying calls. That removes the hosting work, though it suits small groups and personal calls more than large meetings.
Nine tools, one line each
Apache OpenMeetings
Best for: Organisations wanting Java web conferencing with video, chat, a whiteboard, polls, an integrated calendar and document sharing on their own server.
BigBlueButton
Best for: Schools, universities and training teams running virtual classes, on their own install or through third-party hosting.
Element Call
Best for: Teams already on the Matrix network who want decentralised group calls as a widget or standalone app, with a developer to run the media server.
Galene
Best for: Universities and small organisations wanting a low-resource conference server for lectures, seminars and staff meetings, accepting that the operator can see the media.
Jami
Best for: Privacy-minded people and small teams who want calling and messaging that's peer-to-peer, with no central server relaying calls.
Jitsi Meet
Best for: Small businesses with an IT person who want browser meeting rooms on their own server, joinable without an account and embeddable in a web app.
MiroTalk
Best for: Developers and businesses wanting browser meeting rooms with no downloads, in peer-to-peer or SFU versions, with a commercial licence for closed or rebranded use.
Nextcloud Talk
Best for: Organisations already running Nextcloud who want chat, audio and video calls inside the same private cloud, on premises or hosted.
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OpenVidu
Best for: Developers building their own video product who want a self-hosted platform with an SDK and a ready-made meeting app, built on LiveKit.
Advice for the team that will run the server
If you're a school or training team, start with a classroom suite and test it with a real class before term, not a staff demo. If you're a small business with an IT person, a single meeting server is the lightest route, but give it a domain, TLS and a test call from outside your office network on day one. If privacy is the main reason you're here, check whether a tool offers end-to-end encryption, because self-hosting alone doesn't guarantee it. And if nobody on the team will look after a server, a hosted meeting app is the honest answer; our guide to video conferencing software covers those.
Licences side by side
Apache, LGPL and MIT are lenient licences that let you use and adapt the software with few conditions. AGPL and GPL ask you to share your changes if you modify the software and pass it on, and AGPL extends that to offering a modified copy over a network. Two tools here sell a commercial licence or edition beside the open one.
| Tool | Licence | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Apache OpenMeetings | Apache licence | Conferencing with calendar, polls, whiteboard and documents |
| BigBlueButton | LGPL v3 | Virtual classrooms for schools and trainers |
| Element Call | AGPL v3 | Matrix group calls, needs a LiveKit server |
| Galene | MIT | Lectures, seminars and staff meetings on a small server |
| Jami | GPL v3 or later | Peer-to-peer calls with no server to run |
| Jitsi Meet | Apache 2.0 | Meeting rooms on your own server, embeddable in web apps |
| MiroTalk | AGPL v3, commercial option | Browser meeting rooms, peer-to-peer or SFU |
| Nextcloud Talk | AGPL v3 | Calls and chat inside your private cloud |
| OpenVidu | Apache 2.0, Pro edition | Developer video platform with a ready meeting app |
What you'll need to open on your firewall
Self-hosted meetings fail more often on networking than on software. You'll need a domain with a valid TLS certificate, open firewall ports, and enough upload bandwidth on the server for every stream. As one example, Jitsi's own guide lists 443 over TCP and 10000 over UDP as required, with a TURN fallback over TCP for people whose networks block UDP. Other tools have their own lists, and those built on LiveKit need that server's ports too. Test from a phone on mobile data and from a strict office network before you send the first invite. If you're comparing self-hosted options with the big hosted names, our list of alternatives to the best-known meeting app covers both.
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Frequently asked questions
Is open source video conferencing software free?
The software is free to use under its licence, but running it isn't free of effort. You provide the server, the domain and TLS certificate, the bandwidth and the upkeep, unless you buy hosting from a third party.
What do I need to self-host video meetings?
A server with a domain and TLS certificate, the right firewall ports open, and enough upload bandwidth for everyone's video. Some tools also need a separate media server running beside the meeting app.
How many people can join a self-hosted meeting?
It depends on your server's bandwidth and hardware, not on a fixed limit in the software. Test with a realistic group before relying on it for large meetings.
Is self-hosted video conferencing end-to-end encrypted?
Not automatically. Some servers can see the media they relay, and one tool here says so plainly. If encryption matters, check each tool's own documentation for end-to-end support.
Is there open source video conferencing for online classes?
Yes. One suite here is built specifically for virtual classrooms, and others include whiteboards, polls and document sharing that suit training sessions.
Can I run video calls with no server at all?
Yes, with a peer-to-peer app, where devices connect directly to each other. It suits small groups and personal calls, while larger meetings usually need a server.
