Jitsi vs Zoom

What Jitsi is

Jitsi is a collection of open-source projects centered on Jitsi Meet and Jitsi Videobridge. It can be self-hosted using Debian packages or Docker, embedded through web and mobile APIs/SDKs, consumed through paid 8x8 Jitsi as a Service, or tried on the public meet.jit.si instance. Those options have different guarantees: meet.jit.si is free but its current terms cap aggregate use at 25 Monthly Active End Points and say users should not rely on the service for commercial purposes. Self-hosting removes the service fee but transfers capacity, certificates, authentication, TURN, updates, abuse controls, recording and availability to the operator.

What Zoom is

Zoom became the primary name in video conferencing because it simply works. Its reputation for high stability even on weak internet connections made it the global standard. Beyond simple calls, it provides professional tools for webinars, hybrid events, and digital classrooms. Its extreme ease of use—allowing anyone to join with one click—removed the technical friction of remote communication. With AI-powered summaries and recording features, it remains the standard for high-reliability video talk.

What Jitsi is built to do

Video meetings

Provides WebRTC audio/video, screen sharing, chat and collaborative meeting controls.

Self-hosting

Offers Debian and Docker deployments with configurable authentication and infrastructure.

Embedding

Supplies an external web API and native mobile SDKs for integrated conferencing.

Optional E2EE

Encrypts audio, video and screen sharing end to end on supported clients, with feature exclusions.

What Zoom is built to do

Breakout Rooms

Split large meetings into smaller private rooms for focused group work.

Webinar Support

Host professional broadcasts with participant management and polling.

AI Summary

Get concise summaries and action items from missed meetings via AI.

Virtual Backgrounds

Industry-leading masking technology to look professional from anywhere.

Choose Jitsi if

• Products embedding video meetings through supported web or mobile interfaces
• Organizations self-hosting for custom moderation, identity or data-path requirements
• Low-volume informal trials that fit meet.jit.si's current public-service terms

Skip Jitsi if

• The free public instance is assumed to provide an enterprise SLA or unlimited commercial use
• Every chat, poll, recording and meeting artifact must be end-to-end encrypted
• No team owns capacity planning, patching, TURN, abuse prevention and recovery for self-hosting

Choose Zoom if

• Educators, Sales Teams, and Businesses of all sizes.

Jitsi: pros & cons

• Open-source components can be inspected, modified and deployed under organizational control.
• Web, iOS and Android access plus embeddable APIs/SDKs fit browser and application workflows.
• Self-hosting supports custom authentication, moderation, data path and integration choices.
• Optional E2EE protects supported audio, video and screen sharing on compatible clients.
• Jitsi's optional E2EE does not cover chat, polls or every meeting feature and depends on supported clients.
• On meet.jit.si all users are moderators, while room creators require an account and analytics services are used.
• The public service has a 25-Monthly-Active-End-Point fair-use limit and no dependable commercial-service promise.
• A production self-hosted deployment requires real operations work: TLS, networking, TURN, capacity, authentication, monitoring, upgrades, backups and incident response.

Zoom: pros & cons

• High Stability: Calls rarely drop even on poor-quality internet connections.
• Ease of Use: The simplest video tool for non-technical users to join and use.
• Screen Sharing: Multi-person screen sharing and whiteboard features are very advanced.
• Large Capacity: Can display hundreds of participants on screen simultaneously without lag.
• Free Plan Limits: The 40-minute limit on free group calls can be a major restriction.
• App Dependency: The web version is not as fluid as the dedicated desktop application.
• No Ecosystem: Does not offer a native chat/file ecosystem like Slack or Teams.