Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Virtual Classroom Software

BigBlueButton vs BrainCert Virtual Classroom

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score BigBlueButton #1 in Virtual Classroom Software 9.3/10 Open source Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit BigBlueButton
BrainCert Virtual Classroom #5 in Virtual Classroom Software 8.4/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 4 of 4 features Visit BrainCert

BigBlueButton leads on 0 checks, BrainCert Virtual Classroom on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreBigBlueButton · 9.3/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly BrainCert Virtual Classroom

BigBlueButton scores higher on our rubric for virtual classroom software: 9.3 against 8.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #5.

BigBlueButton is the better fit for LMS-centered education teams on a budget. BrainCert Virtual Classroom is the better fit for small classes needing advanced whiteboard tools.

  • BigBlueButton fits best

    LMS-centered education teams on a budget

  • BrainCert Virtual Classroom fits best

    Small classes needing advanced whiteboard tools

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature BigBlueButton 9.3/10 Visit ↗ BrainCert Virtual Classroom 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 8.4
Ranking #1 in Virtual Classroom Software #5 in Virtual Classroom Software
Best for LMS-centered education teams on a budget Small classes needing advanced whiteboard tools
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Open source $119/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — 14 days
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted, Browser extension Cloud, Mobile
Platforms Web, Linux Web, iOS, Android
Support Community, Docs Email, Live chat, Tickets, Docs · 24/7
Compliance GDPR SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, SSO/SAML
Integrations 6 integrations 1 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features BigBlueButton 4/4 · BrainCert Virtual Classroom 4/4
Breakout rooms ✓ ✓
Attendance tracking ✓ ✓
Class recording ✓ ✓
Interactive whiteboard ✓ ✓
Specs
Maximum participants Not checked yet 25 participants
Supported platforms All All
Our review
Pros
  • Open-source model with a free plan
  • Breakout rooms, polling, recording, and interactive whiteboard
  • Integrates with Canvas, Moodle Cloud, Sakai, and other LMSs
  • LaTeX-enabled whiteboard with annotation and drawing tools
  • Recording, attendance reports, scheduling, and recurring classes
  • REST API integrations for websites and learning platforms
Cons
  • Primarily self-hosted, so teams take on server administration.
  • Platform coverage is narrower than a broad all-in-one classroom suite.
  • Hosted pricing varies by independent providers.
  • Bronze sessions are limited to 25 attendees
  • Paid plans are priced monthly when billed annually
  • The broader plans combine classroom features with LMS plans
Our verdict

BigBlueButton is an open-source virtual classroom system for teachers, learners, and education teams that center their work in a learning management system. It brings live audio and video conferencing, presentation and document sharing,…

Read the review →

BrainCert Virtual Classroom is a hosted, browser-based environment for live online teaching and training. It supports K–12 education, universities, tutoring, corporate training, and group collaboration through HD video, audio, screen…

Read the review →
  1. BigBlueButtonVirtual Classroom Software 9.3Open source
  2. BrainCert Virtual ClassroomVirtual Classroom Software 8.4Free plan · 14-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • BigBlueButton — where it wins

    • Open-source model with a free plan
    • Breakout rooms, polling, recording, and interactive whiteboard
    • Integrates with Canvas, Moodle Cloud, Sakai, and other LMSs

    Where it doesn't

    • Primarily self-hosted, so teams take on server administration.
    • Platform coverage is narrower than a broad all-in-one classroom suite.
    • Hosted pricing varies by independent providers.

  • BrainCert Virtual Classroom — where it wins

    • LaTeX-enabled whiteboard with annotation and drawing tools
    • Recording, attendance reports, scheduling, and recurring classes
    • REST API integrations for websites and learning platforms

    Where it doesn't

    • Bronze sessions are limited to 25 attendees
    • Paid plans are priced monthly when billed annually
    • The broader plans combine classroom features with LMS plans
  • BigBlueButton9.3/10 · Open source

    A free, LMS-connected virtual classroom focused on core online teaching tools.

    Visit BigBlueButtonFull verdict →
  • BrainCert Virtual Classroom8.4/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

    A feature-rich virtual classroom for small classes that need advanced whiteboard tools.

    Visit BrainCertFull verdict →

More comparisons

All virtual classroom software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update