# BigBlueButton vs Gather

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Gather

| Attribute | BigBlueButton | Gather |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 42.9 (44% (low)) | 66.9 (75% (high)) |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"cloud":true}` |
| description.long | A web-based system designed for online education, offering instructors tools for remote instruction including video conferencing, shared whiteboards, screen sharing, and analytics to monitor student progress. | Gather is a cloud-based virtual office platform that enables distributed teams to collaborate naturally through a shared digital space. Team members can see each other's availability, join conversations instantly, share screens, record meetings with AI-generated notes, and build team culture—all without the friction of constant meeting scheduling. |
| features.capabilities | `{"hosting":"self","free_tier":true,"api_access":true,"whiteboard":true,"screen_sharing":true,"video_meetings":true,"app_marketplace":true,"recording_transcription":"recording"}` | `{"hosting":"cloud","sso_scim":true,"free_tier":true,"messaging":true,"api_access":false,"whiteboard":false,"e2e_encryption":false,"screen_sharing":true,"video_meetings":true,"app_marketplace":false,"deployment_model":"cloud_web_app","max_participants":"hundreds","compliance_controls":true,"guest_external_access":true,"recording_transcription":"recording_ai_notes"}` |
| integrations.count | 1 | 5 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Sakai"}]` | `[{"name":"Google Calendar"},{"name":"GitHub"},{"name":"Spotify"},{"name":"Google Chrome Extension"},{"name":"Outlook (planned)"},{"name":"Google Chrome"},{"name":"Outlook"}]` |
| market.availability | `{"hqCountry":"CA","primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"hqCountry":"US","primaryMarkets":["US","EU","GB","JP"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"web":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","summary":"Free and open source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://bigbluebutton.org","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T23:00:49.909Z"}` | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Essential","summary":"$12/member/month","features":["Personalized virtual office","Unlimited meetings and chat","Meeting recordings","AI meeting notes and transcriptions","Meeting screen sharing","Google Calendar integration","GitHub and Spotify integrations","Chat channels and direct messages","Guest access"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"member","amount":12,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Includes all core features for team collaboration","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"members":"up to 100","guest_access":"starting at 30 hours","meeting_recordings":"starting at 20 hours","meeting_transcriptions":"starting at 30 hours"}},{"free":false,"name":"Custom","summary":"Custom pricing","features":["All Essential features","Custom onboarding","Larger customized spaces","Hybrid solutions","Single sign-on (SSO)","Extended trial"],"description":"For large teams with specialized needs","contactSales":true}],"summary":"From $12/member/month, 30-day free trial","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.gather.town/pt/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T22:24:26.870Z","freeTrialDays":30,"startingPrice":{"amount":12,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | free | low |
| pricing.starting_price | - | `{"amount":12,"currency":"USD"}` |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| reliability.status_page | - | yes |
| security.disclosure_policy | - | yes |
| security.gdpr | - | yes |
| security.soc2 | - | yes |

## Capabilities (Collaboration Software)

| Capability | BigBlueButton | Gather |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Modality** |  |  |
| Messaging | - | ✓ |
| Video meetings | ✓ | ✓ |
| Whiteboard | ✓ | ✗ |
| **Meetings** |  |  |
| Screen sharing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recording / transcription | Recording | Recording + AI notes |
| **Security** |  |  |
| End-to-end encryption | - | ✗ |
| SSO / SCIM | - | ✓ |
| **Access** |  |  |
| Guest / external access | - | ✓ |
| **Compliance** |  |  |
| Compliance controls | - | ✓ |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Hosting | Self-hosted only | Cloud only |
| **Scale** |  |  |
| Max participants | - | hundreds |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| App marketplace | ✓ | ✗ |
| Public API / bot framework | ✓ | ✗ |
| **Commercial** |  |  |
| Free tier | ✓ | ✓ |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T15:12:25.150Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*