Choosing a video conferencing solution nowadays has become like choosing a utility company in a monopoly. You pick from the few available, Zoom, Teams, Meet, pay the price, and accept the terms.
However, once you're in, you're usually trapped. The costs keep rising, your data is on someone else's servers, and you're not in full control when it comes to tailoring the setup to your individual needs.
But what if there was an open-source alternative that is putting you back in the driver's seat?
That tool is Jitsi.
Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, Jitsi offers three distinct models, allowing you to choose the right trade-off for your specific needs:
1. The "Easy Option" (meet.jit.si)
This is Jitsi's free, public service. It’s browser-based, requires no accounts for participants, and works instantly. Perfect for quick, convenient connections where you don't need to own the infrastructure.
2. The "Data Privacy First Option" (Self-Hosted)
For organizations where data privacy and digital sovereignty are non-negotiable. You deploy Jitsi on your own infrastructure (on-prem or cloud). This gives you complete control over your data, security, and branding, perfect for meeting GDPR or HIPAA compliance. It requires technical expertise, but the payoff is complete ownership of your communication infrastructure and data.
3. The "Managed Option" (JaaS)
Jitsi as a Service (JaaS) is the commercial offering from 8x8. It gives you all the power and customizability of Jitsi through an API, without the headache of managing servers. It's designed for businesses that want to embed scalable, branded video experiences directly into their own apps and websites.
Sources:
Jitsi Meet: https://meet.jit.si/
Official website: https://jitsi.org/
GitHub repository: https://github.com/jitsi
JaaS by 8x8: https://jaas.8x8.vc/#/
