Google Hangouts → BigBlueButton

Video conferencing has good open-source options now — the quality gap closed in 2023.

BigBlueButton is a free and open source video conferencing tool focussed on online teaching and presenting. As such, it provides special features like slide-sharing, private and group chat, emoji feedback, polls, breakout rooms and many more.

Why consider the swap

If you currently rely on Google Hangouts and want more control over data, lower long-term costs, or a privacy-friendly licensing model, BigBlueButton covers most of the same ground.

What you trade off

Most privacy-friendly alternatives require more setup than their commercial counterparts and may lag on polish, mobile apps, or ecosystem integrations. Check the project’s documentation for current feature parity with Google Hangouts before committing.

Where to start

• Project page: BigBlueButton
• Comparison reference: Google Hangouts

This recommendation is indexed from switching.software. Read their full project notes for the latest changes.