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How to switch from Zoom to Jitsi Meet

Jitsi Meet is a free and open source video calling service. On meet.jit.si you create a room in seconds and meetings have no time limit. It works in the browser and has apps for computers and phones. The organiser signs in to open the room; guests join with the link, with no account and nothing to install.

Updated: · 3 min read · How we choose the alternatives

In short

  • No time limit and no subscription to pay.
  • Guests join from the browser, without an account.
  • Screen sharing, chat, lobby, password and breakout rooms.

It’s for you if…

  • You run classes, tutorials or team meetings and keep hitting the 40-minute limit of Zoom’s free plan.
  • You want guests to join without creating an account or installing anything.
  • You prefer an open source tool that you can even host on your own server.

Better pick something else if…

  • You run webinars with hundreds of attendees, registration and reports: Jitsi works best with small and medium groups.
  • You need automatic cloud recording of all your meetings.

From Zoom to Jitsi Meet: equivalents

ZoomJitsi Meet
Schedule a meetingA fixed link, meet.jit.si/room-name, that you paste into any calendar or chat
Waiting roomLobby, in the security options
PasscodeRoom password, in the security options
Share screenShare screen, from the browser or the app
Breakout roomsBreakout rooms, created by the moderator
Raise hand and reactionsRaise hand and reactions
Virtual backgroundBlur or virtual background
Cloud recordingLimited on meet.jit.si: to always record, use OBS Studio

Step by step

  1. Create the room

    Go to meet.jit.si in your browser or the Jitsi Meet app and type a name for the room. Pick a long, hard-to-guess one such as “history-class-3b-tuesday”: anyone with the link can join.

  2. Sign in as the organiser

    Since 2023, whoever opens a room on meet.jit.si has to sign in with an account, for example Google or GitHub. Only the organiser does this: guests join without an account.

  3. Share the link

    Copy the room address and paste it into your calendar, email or group chat. On a computer the browser is enough; on a phone, use the Jitsi Meet app for Android or iOS.

  4. Protect the room

    In the security options you can turn on the lobby, so you admit each person, and set a password. Use them for classes or meetings with outside people.

  5. During the meeting

    The bottom bar has screen sharing, chat, raise hand and background blur. The more-options menu has breakout rooms and other settings.

  6. If you need to record

    To keep the meeting on your computer without depending on the service, use OBS Studio, which is free, and record the call window. Always tell participants before you record.

Files and formats

There are no files to migrate from Zoom: a Jitsi meeting is a link (meet.jit.si/room-name) that opens in the browser with nothing to install, in Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari. There are also apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. Just replace the Zoom link with the Jitsi one in your invitations and calendars.

What you won’t find

Tips

Jitsi MeetOpen Source
Go to the official site of Jitsi MeetSee all alternatives to Zoom →

Frequently asked questions

Does Jitsi Meet have a time limit?

No. On meet.jit.si meetings aren’t cut off after 40 minutes, as they are on Zoom’s free plan.

Do guests need an account?

No. Only the person who creates the room signs in; everyone else joins with the link from the browser or the app.

Is it secure?

Calls are encrypted, you can use a lobby and a password and, in supported browsers, turn on end-to-end encryption. It’s also open source.

Independent: we have no commercial relationship, sponsorship or affiliation with Zoom or with these alternatives, and nobody pays us to recommend them. Links go to their official websites and are not affiliate links; the site is funded only by Google AdSense ads, which don't influence the selection. Learn more.

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