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 · Video Communications Software

Google Meet vs BigBlueButton

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Google Meet #1 in Video Communications Software 9.4/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 1 of 3 features Visit Google Meet
BigBlueButton #4 in Video Communications Software 8.9/10 Open source Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit BigBlueButton

Google Meet leads on 0 checks, BigBlueButton on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreGoogle Meet · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly Google Meet

Google Meet scores higher on our rubric for video communications software: 9.4 against 8.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #4.

Google Meet is the better fit for teams wanting reliable meetings at low cost. BigBlueButton is the better fit for schools seeking free, self-hosted video classes.

  • Google Meet fits best

    Teams wanting reliable meetings at low cost

  • BigBlueButton fits best

    Schools seeking free, self-hosted video classes

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 Google Meet 9.4/10 Visit ↗ BigBlueButton 8.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.9
Ranking #1 in Video Communications Software #4 in Video Communications Software
Best for Teams wanting reliable meetings at low cost Schools seeking free, self-hosted video classes
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $7/user/mo Open source
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial 14 days —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Self-hosted, Browser extension
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Web, Linux
Support Email, Phone, Docs · 24/7 Community, Docs
Compliance SOC 2, ISO 27001, 2FA GDPR
Integrations 6 integrations 6 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Google Meet 1/3 · BigBlueButton 1/3
Webinar support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Virtual event support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Breakout rooms ✓ ✓
Specs
Meeting duration limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Participant limit 1000 participants Not checked yet
Recording storage Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Free meetings support up to 100 participants
  • Works across web, desktop, Linux, iOS, and Android
  • Workspace collaboration, captions, recording, and breakout rooms
  • Combines video, sharing, breakout rooms, polling, and whiteboard tools
  • Learning Analytics Dashboard reports attendance, participation, and polls
  • Integrates with Canvas, Moodle Cloud, Sakai, Jenzabar, D2L, and Schoology
Cons
  • Free group meetings are limited to 60 minutes
  • Recording and larger capacities require paid editions
  • Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales
  • Self-hosting requires a Linux server
  • No standard paid plan is published by the project
  • Hosted options and pricing vary by independent provider
Our verdict

Google Meet is a cloud and mobile video conferencing service for personal Google Account users and Google Workspace customers. It supports scheduled or instant meetings, screen sharing, live captions, chat, moderation controls, breakout…

Read the review →

BigBlueButton is open-source virtual classroom software designed for teachers and learners. It suits schools that want teaching tools built into live classes and can manage a self-hosted system. Sessions support live audio and video,…

Read the review →
  1. Google MeetVideo Communications Software 9.4Free plan · 14-day trial
  2. BigBlueButtonVideo Communications Software 8.9Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Google Meet — where it wins

    • Free meetings support up to 100 participants
    • Works across web, desktop, Linux, iOS, and Android
    • Workspace collaboration, captions, recording, and breakout rooms

    Where it doesn't

    • Free group meetings are limited to 60 minutes
    • Recording and larger capacities require paid editions
    • Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales

  • BigBlueButton — where it wins

    • Combines video, sharing, breakout rooms, polling, and whiteboard tools
    • Learning Analytics Dashboard reports attendance, participation, and polls
    • Integrates with Canvas, Moodle Cloud, Sakai, Jenzabar, D2L, and Schoology

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosting requires a Linux server
    • No standard paid plan is published by the project
    • Hosted options and pricing vary by independent provider

More comparisons

All video communications software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update