# BigBlueButton vs Whereby

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Whereby

| Attribute | BigBlueButton | Whereby |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 42.9 (44% (low)) | 85.5 (72% (medium)) |
| 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. | Whereby provides secure video calling with built-in compliance (HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001) for telehealth, education, and general business use. Available as a managed service for individuals/teams or as an embedded API for product builders. |
| 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","free_tier":true,"messaging":true,"api_access":true,"whiteboard":true,"e2e_encryption":true,"screen_sharing":true,"video_meetings":true,"app_marketplace":false,"max_participants":"200","compliance_controls":true,"guest_external_access":true,"recording_transcription":"recording"}` |
| integrations.count | 1 | 7 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Sakai"}]` | `[{"name":"Google Calendar"},{"name":"Microsoft Outlook"},{"name":"Google Docs"},{"name":"Trello"},{"name":"YouTube"},{"name":"Slack"},{"name":"Chrome"}]` |
| market.availability | `{"hqCountry":"CA","primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"hqCountry":"NO","primaryMarkets":["EU","US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","summary":"Free and open source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://bigbluebutton.org","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T23:00:49.909Z"}` | `{"type":"hybrid","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Explore","summary":"Free tier with 2,000 participant minutes/mo and limited features","features":["Up to 2,000 participant minutes/mo","Video calls","Chat","Screensharing","Waiting rooms","Background effects","Breakout groups","Insights suite (analytics)","Limited white labelling","Developer community","99.9% availability"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Test the API for free with limited features","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"active_videos":"24","max_participants":"200","participant_minutes":"2,000/mo"}},{"free":false,"name":"Build","summary":"$9.99/mo base + usage metering for participants, recording, and transcription","features":["2,000 included participant minutes/mo","Additional participant minutes at $0.004/min","Cloud recording at $0.01/min","Session transcriptions from $0.0065/unmuted min","Live captions from $0.0065/unmuted min","Recording transcriptions at $0.024/min","Live streaming at $0.01/min","30 GB days included monthly storage","Additional storage at $0.0015/GB day","Custom branding","File sharing","Chat","Screensharing","Waiting rooms","Background effects","Breakout groups","Insights suite (analytics)","Remove Whereby branding","Email support (response in 3 business days)","Developer community","99.9% availability"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":9.99,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"participant minute"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.004,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"minute"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.01,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"unmuted participant minute"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.0065,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"minute"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.024,"currency":"USD"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"GB day"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.0015,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Self-service plan for SMBs and proof-of-concepts with usage-based metering","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"storage":"30 GB days/mo","active_videos":"24","max_participants":"200","participant_minutes":"2,000/mo"}},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise","summary":"Custom pricing with volume discounts and dedicated support","features":["Custom participant minute allowances","Volume discounts","Early access to new features","Implementation support","Technical Success Manager","HIPAA compliance included","Slack channel support (response in 1 business day)","All Build plan features","99.9% availability"],"description":"Custom pricing and support for large-scale deployments","contactSales":true}],"addOns":[{"name":"HIPAA Compliance","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":16.99,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}]}],"summary":"From $9.99/mo for Build plan with 2,000 included participant minutes. Free tier available. Usage-based metering for recording, transcription, and overage minutes.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://whereby.com/information/embedded/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T22:39:07.935Z","startingPrice":{"amount":0.0015,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | free | low |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| reliability.sla_pct | - | 99.9 |
| reliability.status_page | - | yes |
| security.disclosure_policy | - | yes |
| security.gdpr | - | yes |
| security.hipaa | - | yes |
| security.iso27001 | - | yes |
| security.pci | - | yes |
| security.soc2 | - | yes |

## Capabilities (Collaboration Software)

| Capability | BigBlueButton | Whereby |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Modality** |  |  |
| Messaging | - | ✓ |
| Video meetings | ✓ | ✓ |
| Whiteboard | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Meetings** |  |  |
| Screen sharing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recording / transcription | Recording | Recording |
| **Security** |  |  |
| End-to-end encryption | - | ✓ |
| SSO / SCIM | - | - |
| **Access** |  |  |
| Guest / external access | - | ✓ |
| **Compliance** |  |  |
| Compliance controls | - | ✓ |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Hosting | Self-hosted only | Cloud only |
| **Scale** |  |  |
| Max participants | - | 200 |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| App marketplace | ✓ | ✗ |
| Public API / bot framework | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Commercial** |  |  |
| Free tier | ✓ | ✓ |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T14:57:06.562Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*