Jitsi Meet vs Zoom Workplace
Updated October 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Jitsi Meet
Free, open-source video meetings you can use instantly in the browser or host yourself.
Zoom Workplace
The best-known video meeting app, now bundled with chat, phone, whiteboards and AI notes.
The short answer
Jitsi Meet suits people who want free, open-source calls that guests join from a browser without an account, and organisations that want to run their own meeting server. Zoom suits teams that need polished apps, webinars, large meetings and admin features with vendor support. The biggest difference is control versus convenience: Jitsi can be fully self-hosted, Zoom is a managed commercial service.
Jitsi Meet or Zoom Workplace: our take
Jitsi Meet is an open-source video conferencing project developed by a team at 8x8. You can use the public instance at meet.jit.si for free: pick a meeting name, share the link, and guests join from a browser or the iOS and Android apps without creating an account, although hosts on the public instance now need to sign in to create meetings. It includes screen sharing, chat, lobbies and passwords, breakout rooms, live streaming to YouTube and shared notes via Etherpad. Zoom is a commercial platform, now sold as Zoom Workplace, that adds chat, whiteboards, docs, calendar and an AI companion around its meetings.
Cost works differently. Jitsi is free to use, and self-hosting costs only what your servers cost, though large meetings need well-provisioned hardware. Zoom's free Basic plan allows 100 participants but ends meetings at 40 minutes; Zoom Pro costs $14.16 per user per month billed annually and allows meetings of up to 30 hours, and Business supports 300 participants.
Data control is Jitsi's main advantage. Because the whole stack is open source, schools, governments and privacy-minded organisations run their own servers and keep calls on infrastructure they manage. Zoom offers desktop apps for Windows, macOS and Linux, reliable quality on weak connections, webinars and admin controls, with Phone, Webinars and Rooms sold as add-ons. Jitsi trails on polish and has fewer webinar and admin features.
Choose Jitsi Meet for quick free calls, for embedding meetings you control, or when policy says data must stay on your own servers and you have someone to run them. Choose Zoom when you want a managed service with full desktop apps, large-event tools and support, and are happy to pay per user.
Which should you pick?
Choose Jitsi Meet if…
- People who want free calls without accounts, or organisations that want to self-host
- You want open-source software
- You need to host it on your own servers
- You need Self-hosted, which Zoom Workplace doesn't list
- Free and open source
Choose Zoom Workplace if…
- Organisations that want a familiar, reliable meeting tool guests already know
- You need macOS, Windows and Linux, which Jitsi Meet doesn't list
- Reliable call quality, even on poor connections
- Apps for every desktop and mobile platform
About each app
What is Jitsi Meet?
Jitsi Meet is an open-source video conferencing project. You can use the public instance at meet.jit.si for free: pick a meeting name, share the link, and guests join without an account from a browser or the iOS and Android apps. Features include screen sharing, chat, raised hands, lobbies and passwords, breakout rooms, live streaming to YouTube and shared document editing via Etherpad, and calls are encrypted by default. Because the whole stack is open source, many schools, governments and privacy-minded organisations run their own Jitsi servers, and the handbook covers self-hosting on Linux. The project is developed by a team at 8x8, which also sells Jitsi as a Service for embedding meetings into apps. The trade-offs: very large meetings need well-provisioned servers, the public instance now asks hosts to sign in to create meetings, and polish trails commercial tools. It suits anyone who wants free calls guests can join without an account, or a meeting server they fully control.
What is Zoom Workplace?
Zoom became the default name for video calls during the pandemic and is still the meeting tool many companies and schools standardise on. Meetings are reliable on weak connections, joining is simple for guests, and it handles everything from one-to-one calls to large town halls with breakout rooms, polls, recording, live captions and webinars. The product is now sold as Zoom Workplace, which wraps meetings together with team chat, whiteboards, scheduling, docs, mail and calendar, and an AI companion that writes meeting summaries; Zoom Phone, Webinars, Events and Rooms are separate add-ons. The free Basic plan caps group meetings at 40 minutes, while paid plans priced per user per month lift the time limit, raise participant caps and add cloud storage and admin features. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and in the browser. Zoom suits almost any organisation that wants a familiar, dependable meeting tool that external guests already know how to use.
Side by side
| Attribute | Jitsi Meet | Zoom Workplace |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Open source | Free plan + paid |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Self-hosted | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Best for | People who want free calls without accounts, or organisations that want to self-host | Organisations that want a familiar, reliable meeting tool guests already know |
| Status | Active | Active |
Jitsi Meet vs Zoom Workplace pricing
Jitsi Meet: open source
We couldn't verify Jitsi Meet's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Zoom Workplace: free plan + paid
- Business plan: 300 participants source
- Free plan: 40 minutes per meeting, 100 participants source
- Pro plan: $14.16 per user/month billed annually source
Platforms
| Platform | Jitsi Meet | Zoom Workplace |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| macOS | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Self-hosted |
Jitsi Meet facts
4 of 4 verified- Self-hosting
- Yes
- Checked Oct 25, 2026jitsi.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
- “It is easy to use, easy to self-host, secure, state-of-the-art, and built from a collection of Open Source projects .”
- Trademark owner
- 8x8
- Checked Oct 25, 2026jitsi.org(opens source in a new tab)
- “Related projects on GitHub Jitsi Meet Jitsi is a trademark of © 8x8, Inc. All Rights Reserved.”
- Open source
- Yes, 100%
- Checked Oct 25, 2026jitsi.org(opens source in a new tab)
- “Jitsi Meet is a fully encrypted, 100% open source video conferencing solution that you can use all day, every day, for free — with no account needed.”
- Account needed to join
- No
- Checked Oct 25, 2026jitsi.org(opens source in a new tab)
- “use all day, every day, for free — with no account needed.”
Zoom Workplace facts
5 of 5 verified- Business plan
- 300 participants
- Checked Oct 25, 2026zoom.us(opens source in a new tab)
- “Business Best for larger teams. $21.99 /user per month · billed monthly $18.33 /user per month · billed annually USD Meetings 300 participants”
- Pro meeting length
- Up to 30 hours
- Checked Oct 25, 2026zoom.us(opens source in a new tab)
- “Meetings Simplified video conferencing and messaging across any device Meeting duration basic: 40 mins pro: 30 hours”
- Desktop apps
- Windows, macOS and Linux
- Checked Oct 25, 2026zoom.us(opens source in a new tab)
- “Native Windows, MacOS and Linux desktop apps”
- Free plan
- 40 minutes per meeting, 100 participants
- Checked Oct 25, 2026zoom.us(opens source in a new tab)
- “Basic Meetings 40 minutes per meeting 100 participants per meeting”
- Pro plan
- $14.16 per user/month billed annually
- Checked Oct 25, 2026zoom.us(opens source in a new tab)
- “$16.99 /user per month · billed monthly $14.16 /user per month · billed annually USD”
Pros and cons of Jitsi Meet
- Free and open source
- Guests join from a browser with no account
- Can be self-hosted for full control
- Large meetings need well-provisioned servers
- Less polished than commercial tools
- Fewer admin and webinar features
Pros and cons of Zoom Workplace
- Reliable call quality, even on poor connections
- Apps for every desktop and mobile platform
- Breakout rooms, webinars and large meetings in one ecosystem
- Free plan cuts group meetings at 40 minutes
- Webinars, phone and rooms cost extra
- The app has grown cluttered with non-meeting features
Other apps to consider
BigBlueButtonInstead of Jitsi Meet
Open-source and self-hostable, but designed specifically for online classes.
MiroTalkInstead of Jitsi Meet
Another open-source, self-hostable WebRTC meeting app with P2P and SFU versions.
- Ga
Google MeetInstead of Zoom Workplace
Runs in the browser with no install and comes with Google Workspace.
WebexInstead of Zoom Workplace
Similar enterprise feature set with a free plan and strong hardware ecosystem.
WherebyInstead of Zoom Workplace
Simpler browser-based rooms with permanent links and no downloads for guests.
Jitsi Meet vs Zoom Workplace: common questions
Is Jitsi Meet better than Zoom Workplace?
Jitsi Meet suits people who want free, open-source calls that guests join from a browser without an account, and organisations that want to run their own meeting server. Zoom suits teams that need polished apps, webinars, large meetings and admin features with vendor support. The biggest difference is control versus convenience: Jitsi can be fully self-hosted, Zoom is a managed commercial service.
Is Jitsi Meet free?
Yes. Jitsi Meet is free, open-source software you can host yourself.
Is Zoom Workplace free?
Zoom Workplace has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Jitsi Meet or Zoom Workplace open source?
Jitsi Meet is open source; Zoom Workplace is not.
Which platforms do Jitsi Meet and Zoom Workplace support?
Jitsi Meet: Web, iOS, Android and Self-hosted. Zoom Workplace: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.