Cisco Webex

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Cisco Webex

A curated collection of the 3 best self hosted alternatives to Cisco Webex.

Cisco Webex is a cloud-based collaboration platform offering video conferencing, meetings, messaging, screen sharing, calling, and webinar tools to enable remote teamwork, virtual events, and unified communications for organizations.

Alternatives List

#1
Jitsi Meet

Jitsi Meet

Self-hostable video conferencing with browser-based meetings, screen sharing, chat, moderation tools, and optional end-to-end encryption.

Jitsi Meet screenshot

Jitsi Meet is a video conferencing application for running secure, real-time meetings in the browser and via mobile apps. It’s part of the Jitsi ecosystem and is commonly deployed with Jitsi Videobridge for scalable SFU-based conferencing.

Key Features

  • Browser-based meetings (no dedicated desktop client required)
  • WebRTC audio/video conferencing with SFU architecture via Jitsi Videobridge
  • Screen sharing, in-meeting chat, and meeting links/room URLs
  • Moderator controls (mute/kick participants, manage permissions)
  • Lobby / waiting room and password-protected rooms (deployment-dependent)
  • Recording and live streaming integrations (commonly via Jibri)
  • Optional end-to-end encryption mode (deployment/client support dependent)
  • Calendar and directory integrations and configurable UI/branding (deployment-dependent)

Use Cases

  • Internal team meetings for organizations that need control over deployment and data path
  • Online classes, community calls, and webinars with moderated rooms
  • Embedded video meetings inside existing web apps via the Jitsi Meet External API

Limitations and Considerations

  • Horizontal scalability and features like recording/streaming typically require additional components (e.g., Videobridge scaling, Jibri) and careful capacity planning.

Jitsi Meet provides a flexible, widely deployed conferencing stack with strong WebRTC foundations and an extensible architecture. It is well-suited for organizations needing a customizable meeting experience and integration options while keeping operational control.

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#2
BigBlueButton

BigBlueButton

Open-source virtual classroom for web conferencing with whiteboard, screen sharing, breakout rooms, recordings, and LMS integrations.

BigBlueButton screenshot

BigBlueButton is a web conferencing system designed for online learning and virtual classrooms. It provides real-time audio/video meetings plus teaching-focused collaboration tools such as whiteboarding, polls, and breakout rooms, with integrations commonly used in education.

Key Features

  • WebRTC-based real-time audio/video with moderator controls
  • Interactive whiteboard and multi-user annotations (slides/PDF)
  • Screen sharing with presenter controls
  • Breakout rooms for small-group activities
  • Public and private chat, emoji/status, and participant management
  • Polling and presentation tools for live instruction
  • Session recording and playback (with published recording formats)
  • API-first meeting management (create/join/end, metadata, hooks)
  • Learning-platform integrations (commonly Moodle and others via plugins)

Use Cases

  • Live online classes, tutoring, and office hours
  • Webinar-style lectures with moderated Q&A and polls
  • Group work sessions using breakout rooms and shared whiteboard

Limitations and Considerations

  • Server sizing and media performance depend heavily on concurrency and recording usage; deployments often require dedicated tuning and bandwidth planning.

BigBlueButton focuses on teaching workflows rather than general-purpose meetings, making it a strong fit for schools and training providers that need classroom features and LMS integration. Its API and extensible ecosystem also make it suitable for embedding virtual classrooms into custom learning platforms.

9kstars
6kforks
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#3
Mumble

Mumble

Open-source VoIP voice chat with low latency, positional audio, access control, and a self-hostable server (Murmur) for teams and communities.

Mumble screenshot

Mumble is an open-source voice-over-IP (VoIP) application designed for low-latency, high-quality voice communication. It uses a client/server architecture: the Mumble desktop/mobile clients connect to the Murmur server, where admins manage channels, permissions, and authentication.

Key Features

  • Low-latency voice communication optimized for group chat
  • Murmur server with hierarchical channels and ACL-based permissions
  • Strong security: TLS-encrypted transport and optional end-to-end encryption (E2EE)
  • Multiple authentication options (e.g., built-in user database and external methods such as LDAP)
  • Opus audio codec support for high quality at low bitrates
  • Positional audio support for games (3D/spatial voice)
  • Text chat, channel messaging, and user status information
  • Cross-platform clients (notably Windows, macOS, Linux; mobile support available)

Use Cases

  • Voice comms for gaming clans and communities needing channels and positional audio
  • Team voice coordination for self-managed organizations (IT/ops, makerspaces, LAN parties)
  • Event voice backchannels with controlled access and moderation via permissions

Limitations and Considerations

  • Primarily focused on audio; it is not a full video-conferencing platform
  • Some advanced identity integrations depend on server configuration and build options

Mumble remains a popular choice for communities that value reliable, low-latency audio and fine-grained server-side control. Its mature ecosystem and performance-focused design make it suitable for both small groups and large, structured voice servers.

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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running