BigBlueButton vs Etherpad
Comparing two open source alternatives . Use the comparison below to decide which one fits your needs.
BigBlueButton
Open-source virtual classroom platform built for online education and webinars.
Etherpad
Apache-2.0Open-source real-time collaborative text editor you can self-host.
Side-by-side comparison
| BigBlueButton | Etherpad | |
|---|---|---|
| License | — | Apache-2.0 |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| GitHub Stars | 9,108 | 18,310 |
| Forks | 5,987 | 3,011 |
| Open Issues | 693 | 20 |
| Last Commit | May 11, 2026 | May 12, 2026 |
| First Released | May 25, 2010 | Mar 26, 2011 |
| Categories | ||
| Tags |
Similar open source alternatives
Jitsi Meet
Open-source video conferencing platform — free, secure, and self-hostable.
Google Meet
ONLYOFFICE
Self-hosted office suite with real-time collaboration.
Google Docs
CryptPad
End-to-end encrypted collaborative office suite with zero-knowledge privacy.
Google Docs
Element Call
End-to-end encrypted group video calling built on the Matrix open protocol.
Google Meet
HedgeDoc
Real-time collaborative markdown note editor you can self-host — write together with rich formatting and seamless sharing.
Google Docs
LibreOffice
A powerful free and open source office suite with word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and more.
Microsoft 365