BigBlueButton vs Element Web
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
BigBlueButton
Virtual classroom and web conferencing for education
VS
Element Web
Glossy Matrix client for the web and desktop
| Feature | BigBlueButton | Element Web |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video Conferencing | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | LGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 9,182 | ★ 13,353 |
| First released | 2009 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Zoom, Microsoft Teams | Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is BigBlueButton or Element Web better?
Element Web is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider BigBlueButton if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are BigBlueButton and Element Web free and open-source?
Yes. BigBlueButton is licensed under LGPL-3.0 and Element Web under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run BigBlueButton and Element Web with Docker?
BigBlueButton: check the project docs for container support. Element Web: yes.