BigBlueButton vs Zoom: which is better for online classes?

BigBlueButton is built for teaching (whiteboard on slides, breakout rooms, polls, LMS integration) on a server you choose. Zoom is a commercial platform for meetings, chat, phone and webinars in Zoom's cloud. Pick by whether you need a classroom inside your LMS or a general meeting suite.

Is BigBlueButton free?

The software is open source and free to use. Hosting, set-up and support are services, so they have a cost you agree with your partner.

Can students join BigBlueButton without installing anything?

Yes. Students join from the browser on a computer, tablet or phone, from a link or straight from their course.

Does BigBlueButton work inside Moodle?

Yes. BigBlueButton is a standard activity in the Moodle™ software [5], so teachers add a live class like any other activity.

Can I keep my data in my country?

Yes, if you host BigBlueButton on a server in your country. Your partner sets it up where you need it.

BigBlueButton vs Zoom for Online Classes

BigBlueButton vs Zoom for teaching online? An honest comparison of classroom tools, privacy, data location and cost model. Try an open-source classroom live.

Short answer

BigBlueButton is best for schools, academies and training teams that want an open-source classroom built for teaching, running on a server they choose, and working inside Moodle or Chamilo.
Zoom is best for organisations that want one well-known commercial platform for meetings, chat, phone and webinars, run in Zoom's cloud.

Feature comparison

	BigBlueButton	Zoom
What it is	Open-source virtual classroom (LGPL-3.0) [1]	Commercial video and collaboration platform [2]
Whiteboard on your slides	Yes, multi-user [1]	Yes; editable boards limited on lower plans [2]
Breakout rooms	Yes	Yes, all plans [2]
Polls	Yes	Paid plans [2]
Recordings	Yes, with MP4 download [3]	Local on all plans; cloud on paid plans [2][4]
Inside your LMS	Standard activity in Moodle; Chamilo plugin; LTI [5]	LTI integration on Business and Enterprise plans [2]
Free plan meeting limit	No vendor limit; depends on your server	40 minutes per meeting on Basic [2]
Where it runs	Any server you or your partner choose	Zoom's cloud

Privacy and data location

With BigBlueButton, recordings, chat and attendance stay on the server that hosts it. MynaParrot hosting is the usual option, but your partner can also host it on servers you choose, so you decide the country and who processes the data.

Zoom runs in Zoom's cloud. Its pricing page lists "Regional Data Centers" from the Pro plan up and "Multi-region storage and media control" on Business [2]. Check Zoom's terms with your data protection officer.

Cost model (no prices)

BigBlueButton: the software is free (open source). You pay for hosting, set-up and support, agreed with your partner. No per-teacher licence.
Zoom: subscription per licensed user, monthly or yearly, with features by plan; participants join free [2].

When to choose the other option

Choose Zoom if you mainly run business meetings, already pay for Zoom Workplace, need its phone system or chat, or want one vendor with no server to think about. For large webinars, Zoom sells separate webinar options [2].

FAQ

BigBlueButton vs Zoom: which is better for online classes?: BigBlueButton is built for teaching (whiteboard on slides, breakout rooms, polls, LMS integration) on a server you choose. Zoom is a commercial platform for meetings, chat, phone and webinars in Zoom's cloud. Pick by whether you need a classroom inside your LMS or a general meeting suite.
Is BigBlueButton free?: The software is open source and free to use. Hosting, set-up and support are services, so they have a cost you agree with your partner.
Can students join BigBlueButton without installing anything?: Yes. Students join from the browser on a computer, tablet or phone, from a link or straight from their course.
Does BigBlueButton work inside Moodle?: Yes. BigBlueButton is a standard activity in the Moodle™ software [5], so teachers add a live class like any other activity.
Can I keep my data in my country?: Yes, if you host BigBlueButton on a server in your country. Your partner sets it up where you need it.

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Sources

BigBlueButton install docs / project: https://docs.bigbluebutton.org/administration/install
Zoom pricing and plan comparison (checked 15 Oct 2026): https://zoom.us/pricing
BigBlueButton customisation (MP4 video format): https://docs.bigbluebutton.org/administration/customize
Zoom support, local and cloud recording: https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0059859
BigBlueButton Moodle integration: https://bigbluebutton.org/moodle-integration/

Last checked: 15 Oct 2026

This website uses BigBlueButton and is not endorsed or certified by BigBlueButton Inc. BigBlueButton and the BigBlueButton Logo are trademarks of BigBlueButton Inc. Moodle™ is a registered trademark of Moodle Pty Ltd. Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Jitsi are trademarks of their respective owners. MYNAPARROT SL is not affiliated with or endorsed by these organisations. Comparisons are based on public information checked on 15 Oct 2026 and may change.

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