FreeSWITCH

Open-source software telecom engine for voice, video and messaging, maintained by SignalWire.

Open sourceBusiness phone systems and PBX software

Updated Oct 30, 2026 · AppBreakup editorial · Linux, Self-hosted

Visit FreeSWITCH See 3 alternatives

Is FreeSWITCH free?

Yes, free and open source

Switch from FreeSWITCH to

All 3

Asterisk
Open source
Fu
FusionPBX
Open source
Twilio
SMS price: From $0.0083 per message

Verified facts: 5 of 5
Alternatives ranked: 3
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About FreeSWITCH

FreeSWITCH is an open-source telephony platform that turns a server into a switch for voice and video calls. It routes calls, bridges SIP and WebRTC endpoints, transcodes media, hosts conferences and lets developers control calls through its Event Socket interface and embedded scripting. Configuration is XML-based, covering SIP profiles, a user directory and the dialplan. It was announced in 2006 by Anthony Minessale and team, who later founded SignalWire, the company that maintains it today. Compared with Asterisk it is often chosen for carrier, contact-centre and multi-tenant platforms that handle heavy call volumes. Like Asterisk, it is an engine rather than an office phone system: most businesses use it through a front end such as FusionPBX. The open-source edition is free, though downloads and packages now require a free SignalWire account; an Enterprise edition with commercial support is sold separately, and SignalWire also offers the same engine as a hosted service.

Best for: Developers and providers building high-volume voice, conferencing or contact-centre platforms..

What works

Handles large call volumes and multi-tenant setups well
Built-in WebRTC, conferencing and media transcoding
Programmable through Event Socket and embedded scripting

Why people leave

Package downloads require signing up for a SignalWire account
No office-style admin UI out of the box; needs a front end like FusionPBX
XML configuration and dialplan take time to learn

FreeSWITCH vs Asterisk, FusionPBX and Twilio

From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.

Attribute	FreeSWITCH	Asterisk	FusionPBX	Twilio
Pricing	Open source	Open source	Open source	Paid
Verified price	—	—	—	From $0.0083 per message
Free plan	Free app	Free app	Free app	No
Open source	No	No	No	No
Self-hostable	No	No	No	No
Platforms	Linux, Self-hosted	Linux, Self-hosted	Linux, Self-hosted	Web

Top FreeSWITCH alternatives

See all 3

1
Asterisk
The most widely deployed open-source PBX engine, with a huge community and FreePBX as a ready front end.
66.5
2Fu
FusionPBX
Keeps FreeSWITCH underneath but adds a full web admin and multi-tenant PBX features.
62.6
3
Twilio
Programmable voice as a hosted API, so you can build call flows without running your own switch.
52.6

Why people left FreeSWITCH

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

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FreeSWITCH: common questions

What is FreeSWITCH?

FreeSWITCH: Open-source software telecom engine for voice, video and messaging, maintained by SignalWire. Best for developers and providers building high-volume voice, conferencing or contact-centre platforms. Available for Linux, and you can host it yourself.

Is FreeSWITCH free?

Yes. FreeSWITCH is free, open-source software.

Is FreeSWITCH open source?

No, FreeSWITCH is not open source.

What platforms does FreeSWITCH run on?

FreeSWITCH is available for Linux and Self-hosted.

What are the best alternatives to FreeSWITCH?

The highest-ranked FreeSWITCH alternatives right now are Asterisk, FusionPBX and Twilio. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

FreeSWITCH vs Asterisk: what's the difference?

Both FreeSWITCH and Asterisk are free and open source. Both run on Linux.

See all 3 FreeSWITCH alternatives

FreeSWITCH facts

5 of 5 verified

First released: 2006; Checked Nov 8, 2026signalwire.com(opens source in a new tab); “FreeSWITCH announced in January 2006, and now runs inside some of the largest telephony platforms in the world.”
Maintainer: SignalWire; Checked Nov 8, 2026signalwire.com(opens source in a new tab); “Today, FreeSWITCH is actively maintained by SignalWire.”
Download requirement: Free SignalWire account; Checked Nov 8, 2026signalwire.com(opens source in a new tab); “Commercial Modules View on GitHub * A free SignalWire account is required to access FreeSWITCH downloads and packages.”
Editions: Open source and commercial Enterprise; Checked Nov 8, 2026developer.signalwire.com(opens source in a new tab); “FreeSWITCH Enterprise — the commercially supported edition from SignalWire, with professional support and services.”
WebRTC: Yes; Checked Nov 8, 2026developer.signalwire.com(opens source in a new tab); “the bundled applications, WebRTC, and the integration interfaces.”