Zoom vs Jitsi
Zoom is the video call standard everyone knows. Jitsi is free, open source, and requires no account. Compare them for meetings, privacy, and cost.
Updated 2026-02 · 2026
Zoom
The video conferencing tool everyone already has installed
Strengths
- +Rock-solid reliability even on bad internet connections
- +Everyone knows how to use it - zero onboarding friction
- +Breakout rooms, polling, and webinar features are polished
Weaknesses
- -Free tier limits group calls to 40 minutes
- -Privacy track record has been questioned multiple times
- -Gets expensive for teams that need Pro or Business features
Best for
Teams and organizations that need reliable, full-featured video conferencing that works for everyone without technical setup.
Jitsi
Free, open source video conferencing with no account required
Strengths
- +Completely free with no time limits on calls
- +No account or download required - just share a link
- +Self-hostable for maximum privacy and control
Weaknesses
- -Call quality can degrade with more than 15-20 participants
- -No native breakout rooms or advanced meeting features
- -Recording requires self-hosted setup or Oovoo integration
Best for
Privacy-conscious teams and anyone who wants free, no-account video calls without time limits or per-seat costs.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $13.33/user/mo | Free |
| Account required | Yes | No |
| Call time limit | 40 min (free), unlimited (paid) | Unlimited |
| Max participants | 1,000 (Business) | 75-100 (quality varies) |
| Self-hosting | No | Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | Available | Available |
| Recording | Cloud + local | Self-hosted or Oovoo |
| Breakout rooms | Yes | No |
| Screen sharing | Yes | Yes |
| Browser-based | Yes (limited) | Yes (full support) |
The Verdict
Zoom just works, and that matters a lot when you are in back-to-back meetings. Jitsi is ideal for teams that care about privacy and cost - it is genuinely good for small to mid-size calls. For large meetings or webinars, Zoom is still the safer pick. For everyday team calls under 20 people, Jitsi is hard to beat at free.
Beyond both: self-host Element (Matrix)
Decentralized video calls and messaging on your own Matrix server. End-to-end encrypted, federated, and fully open source.
element.io →