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Jitsi Meet
Open source video conferencing
CommunicationFreeOpen SourceReplaces Zoom (paid plans)
Quick Take: Jitsi Meet
4.6
Jitsi Meet is the undisputed champion of free, privacy-respecting video conferencing. While it may lack the massive marketing budget and some of the polish of Zoom, it over-delivers on fundamentals: unlimited call times, no accounts needed, and robust encryption. For individuals, small teams, and privacy advocates on macOS, it is an essential utility. Its open-source nature ensures it remains a tool for the people, free from corporate data mining.
Best For
- •Privacy Advocates
- •Open Source Enthusiasts
- •Distributed Developer Teams
Install with Homebrew
brew install --cask jitsi-meetWhat is Jitsi Meet?
Jitsi Meet is a premier open-source video conferencing solution that stands as a powerful, privacy-centric alternative to proprietary giants like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Originally developed as a student project at the University of Strasbourg by Emil Ivov in 2003, Jitsi has evolved under the stewardship of 8x8 since 2018 into a comprehensive suite of real-time communication tools. For macOS users in 2026, the Jitsi Meet Electron-based desktop application offers a seamless, native experience that bridges the gap between web-based convenience and desktop integration. At its core, Jitsi Meet is built on the robust WebRTC standard, ensuring high-definition video and low-latency audio without requiring users to install browser plugins. What distinguishes Jitsi from its competitors is its radical commitment to privacy and freedom. It supports full end-to-end encryption (E2EE) and, crucially, does not require account creation for basic usage—users can simply generate a link and meet. This 'anonymous by default' approach makes it a favorite among privacy advocates, journalists, and secure enterprises. The macOS client is optimized for both Intel and Apple Silicon (M-series) processors, delivering efficient performance that respects battery life—a critical factor for mobile professionals. It integrates deeply with macOS system permissions for camera and microphone access, ensuring transparency and security. Unlike many free tier competitors that impose draconian time limits or participant caps, Jitsi Meet remains refreshingly unrestricted, supporting up to 100 participants (or more on self-hosted instances) with no artificial duration constraints. Whether utilized via the free community server (meet.jit.si) or deployed on a private server for absolute data sovereignty, Jitsi Meet represents the gold standard for open, secure, and accessible digital communication.
Deep Dive: Jitsi Meet Architecture & Ecosystem
To truly appreciate Jitsi Meet, one must understand the sophisticated stack of open-source technologies that powers it. It is not just an app; it is a collection of projects working in harmony.
History & Background
Jitsi began as a SIP communicator called 'SIP Communicator' in 2003. It was rebranded to Jitsi in 2011. The crucial pivot to WebRTC happened around 2013 with the release of Jitsi Meet, moving away from the legacy Java desktop client to a modern web-centric architecture. Atlassian acquired the team in 2015, then sold it to 8x8 in 2018, who have maintained its open-source status while using the tech for their enterprise products.
How It Works
The architecture is built on XMPP. The core component is the Jitsi Videobridge (JVB), a Selective Forwarding Unit (SFU). Unlike older MCU architectures that mix video streams (high CPU), the SFU forwards video packets to participants, allowing for much better scaling. 'Prosody' handles XMPP signaling, 'Jicofo' (Jitsi Conference Focus) manages the media sessions, and 'Jibri' handles broadcasting and recording.
Ecosystem & Integrations
The Jitsi ecosystem is vast. Beyond the main meet client, there is the Jitsi Meet SDK (Android/iOS) allowing developers to embed video into their own apps. There is also 'Jigasi', a gateway allowing regular telephone (SIP) participants to dial into meetings. This modularity allows organizations to deploy exactly the components they need.
Future Development
Future development is focused on improving the efficiency of the VP9 and AV1 video codecs to further reduce bandwidth usage. There is also ongoing work to enhance the decentralized nature of the network, potentially exploring mesh networking capabilities to reduce reliance on central bridges for smaller calls.
Key Features
End-to-End Encryption (E2EE)
Security is Jitsi Meet's hallmark feature. It offers robust End-to-End Encryption (E2EE) support, currently powered by the Insertable Streams API in WebRTC. This ensures that media streams are encrypted on the sender's device and can only be decrypted by the intended recipients, preventing even the server host from accessing the content of the conversation. For macOS users, this feature is easily togglable within the security settings of the active meeting. This level of cryptographic security is essential for confidential business meetings, legal consultations, and healthcare telehealth sessions, providing peace of mind that sensitive data remains strictly private.
No Account Required
One of Jitsi Meet's most user-friendly features is its frictionless entry barrier. Unlike Zoom or Teams, which often mandate user registration, email verification, or software installation for guests, Jitsi allow anyone to host or join a meeting instantly. A user simply defines a unique meeting URL and shares it. This 'click-to-join' philosophy significantly reduces onboarding time and technical troubleshooting, making it ideal for ad-hoc meetings with clients or non-technical family members. The macOS desktop app preserves this simplicity while adding the stability of a dedicated application window.
Screen Sharing and Remote Control
Jitsi Meet provides comprehensive screen sharing capabilities, allowing users to share their entire desktop, a specific application window, or a Chrome tab with high frame rates suitable for video playback. Beyond passive viewing, the Remote Desktop Control feature allows authorized participants to take control of another user's mouse and keyboard. This is particularly valuable for IT support scenarios, pair programming sessions, or collaborative document editing. On macOS, this integrates with the operating system's accessibility permissions to ensure secure and intentional granting of control access.
Advanced Moderator Controls
Despite its open nature, Jitsi Meet equips meeting hosts with powerful moderation tools to maintain order and security. Hosts can mute all participants, kick disruptive users, and set passwords for meeting entry (Lobby Mode). The 'Lobby Mode' acts as a waiting room, requiring moderator approval before a guest can join the active session. Additionally, moderators can disable camera or microphone access for all participants, which is essential for webinar-style presentations or large virtual classrooms where controlling the noise floor is critical for the speaker's clarity.
Collaborative Document Editing
Integration with Etherpad allows participants to collaborate on documents in real-time directly within the meeting interface. This feature transforms a standard video call into a productive working session. Users can open a shared text pad to take meeting notes, draft agendas, or brainstorm ideas simultaneously without leaving the Jitsi Meet window. This seamless context switching enhances productivity and ensures that the output of the meeting is captured and accessible to all attendees immediately, fostering a more collaborative and efficient workflow.
Recording and Live Streaming
Jitsi Meet simplifies content distribution with built-in recording and live streaming capabilities. Meetings can be recorded locally or uploaded directly to cloud storage services like Dropbox. Furthermore, Jitsi supports RTMP streaming, allowing users to broadcast their meetings live to platforms like YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook Live. This is a game-changer for content creators, town hall meetings, and educational lectures, enabling them to reach a vast audience in real-time while simultaneously archiving the content for on-demand viewing later.
HD Audio with Opus Codec
Audio quality is paramount in remote communication, and Jitsi Meet leverages the Opus audio codec to deliver high-fidelity, low-latency sound. Opus is highly versatile, scaling efficiently from low-bitrate narrowband speech to high-quality stereo music. This ensures that voice communication remains crisp and intelligible even in challenging network conditions with fluctuating bandwidth. The macOS client takes advantage of Core Audio to further optimize input and output processing, providing echo cancellation and noise suppression features that rival paid commercial solutions.
Who Should Use Jitsi Meet?
1Privacy-Conscious Journalist
A journalist working on a sensitive investigative piece needs to interview a source who requires absolute anonymity and security. Using Jitsi Meet on their MacBook Air, the journalist connects to a self-hosted Jitsi instance running on a secure, offshore server. They generate a random, complex room name and share it via an encrypted messenger like Signal. Enabling End-to-End Encryption (E2EE) upon entry, they ensure that not even the server administrator can eavesdrop. The 'No Account' requirement means the source leaves no digital paper trail of registration, protecting their identity while facilitating a high-fidelity face-to-face interview.
2Open Source Developer Team
A distributed team of developers working on an open-source project holds their daily stand-up. They prefer Jitsi Meet because it aligns with their FOSS values. The lead developer fires up the Jitsi Meet macOS app and shares their screen to walk through a complex pull request. They utilize the integrated chat for sharing code snippets and the 'Raise Hand' feature to manage the discussion flow without interrupting the speaker. The ability to record the session allows them to post the technical deep-dive to their internal wiki for team members in different time zones to review later.
3Freelance Tutor
A language tutor conducts hourly sessions with students from around the globe. They use Jitsi Meet because it imposes no 40-minute time limit on the free tier, unlike Zoom. The tutor creates a permanent, password-protected room URL (e.g., meet.jit.si/SpanishWithMaria) which serves as their virtual classroom. During lessons, they use the Etherpad integration to type out vocabulary and grammar corrections in real-time, which the student can copy at the end of the lesson. The low-latency audio ensures that pronunciation nuances are clearly heard and corrected.
4Healthcare Provider
A therapist conducting telehealth sessions requires a HIPAA-compliant setup. They utilize a Jitsi Meet instance hosted on a compliant server infrastructure. For each patient session, they generate a unique, one-time link and enable 'Lobby Mode'. When the patient clicks the link, they wait in the virtual lobby until the therapist is ready to admit them, preventing accidental walk-ins from previous appointments. The encrypted connection ensures patient confidentiality, and the simple interface means less tech support time and more time focusing on care.
5Enterprise System Administrator
An IT Admin for a mid-sized company needs to troubleshoot a remote employee's MacBook configuration. They initiate a Jitsi Meet call and request the user to share their screen. Using the Remote Desktop Control feature, the admin requests permission to control the user's mouse. Once granted, they can navigate macOS system settings, run terminal commands, and fix the configuration issue directly, all while maintaining a voice channel to explain what they are doing. This remote hands-on capability significantly reduces ticket resolution time.
How to Install Jitsi Meet on Mac
Installing Jitsi Meet on macOS is straightforward. You can choose between the official DMG installer from the GitHub repository for a standard graphical installation or use Homebrew, the popular package manager, for a command-line approach.
1
Download via Homebrew (Recommended)
For most power users, Homebrew is the fastest method. Open your Terminal app and run the following command: `brew install --cask jitsi-meet`. This will automatically download the latest stable version and link it to your Applications folder.
2
Manual Installation via DMG
Visit the official Jitsi Meet Electron GitHub releases page. Download the latest `.dmg` file (e.g., `jitsi-meet.dmg`). Open the file and drag the Jitsi Meet icon into your Applications folder.
3
Initial Launch and Permissions
Open Jitsi Meet from your Applications folder or Spotlight. macOS may prompt you to verify the developer; click 'Open'. Upon joining your first meeting, grant permissions for Camera, Microphone, and Screen Recording when prompted.
Pro Tips
- • Ensure you allow Screen Recording in System Settings > Privacy & Security to share your screen.
- • Check for updates regularly within the app, as the Electron wrapper is frequently patched.
- • If you use a VPN, ensure it allows UDP traffic for the best video performance.
Configuration Tips
Set Custom Server URL
By default, the app connects to the public `meet.jit.si` server. If your organization hosts its own Jitsi instance for privacy or performance (e.g., `video.mycompany.com`), go to Jitsi Meet > Settings > Server URL and enter your custom domain. This ensures all your meetings route through your private infrastructure rather than the public cloud.
Optimize Audio Processing
If you are in a noisy environment, enable the specialized audio processing features. In the settings menu under 'Audio', look for noise suppression options. Jitsi integrates with Krisp.ai technology on some builds or uses WebRTC's native noise gating. Testing your microphone input level here prevents you from being 'that person' with the echoing audio during a call.
Enable Keyboard Shortcuts
Power users should familiarize themselves with global shortcuts. In the settings, ensure 'Enable Global Shortcuts' is checked. This allows you to use push-to-talk (usually Spacebar) or toggle your camera (V) and microphone (M) even when the Jitsi Meet window is not in focus, which is crucial when multitasking during large meetings.
Alternatives to Jitsi Meet
While Jitsi Meet is excellent, the video conferencing market is crowded. Here is how it stacks up against the most popular alternatives on macOS.
Z
Zoom
The market leader offers higher participant caps on paid tiers and slightly more polished background blur effects. However, Zoom's free tier has a strictly enforced 40-minute limit, whereas Jitsi is unlimited.
G
Google Meet
Deeply integrated into the Google Workspace ecosystem, making it better for heavy Gmail/Calendar users. However, it requires a Google account, sacrificing the anonymity that Jitsi provides.
S
Signal
Signal offers encrypted video calls for smaller groups (up to 40). It is strictly mobile-first but has a desktop client. It is more secure for 1-on-1s but lacks Jitsi's webinar and screen-sharing robustness.
Pricing
Free & Open Source
Jitsi Meet is completely free and open-source software (FOSS). There is no premium 'Pro' version of the app itself. The public server `meet.jit.si` is free to use with no time limits. For enterprises requiring SLAs, guaranteed uptime, or custom branding, the parent company 8x8 offers a paid managed version called '8x8 Meet', which is built on Jitsi technology. However, the core Jitsi Meet software remains free for anyone to download, use, and self-host.
Pros
- ✓Completely free with no time limits
- ✓No account registration required
- ✓Open-source and auditable code
- ✓End-to-End Encryption support
- ✓High-quality screen sharing
- ✓Self-hosting capability for data sovereignty
Cons
- ✗Video quality can fluctuate on public servers
- ✗Fewer 'fun' features like filters/avatars
- ✗Mobile app can be battery intensive
- ✗Large meetings (50+) require self-hosting for stability
- ✗No built-in cloud recording storage (Dropbox only)
Community & Support
Jitsi boasts a vibrant and technically literate community. The primary hub for discussion is the Jitsi Community Forum (community.jitsi.org), where developers and users discuss deployment issues, feature requests, and bugs. The project is hosted on GitHub, where the source code is actively maintained; users can report issues or contribute code directly. Extensive documentation is available for system administrators looking to self-host Jitsi Videobridge (JVB) or customize the web client. Because it is open source, support is primarily community-driven, though commercial support is available through 8x8 services.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jitsi Meet
Yes, Jitsi Meet is 100% free and open-source. You can use the public server at meet.jit.si without cost, or download the server software to host your own instance for free.
Our Verdict
4.6/5
Jitsi Meet is the undisputed champion of free, privacy-respecting video conferencing. While it may lack the massive marketing budget and some of the polish of Zoom, it over-delivers on fundamentals: unlimited call times, no accounts needed, and robust encryption. For individuals, small teams, and privacy advocates on macOS, it is an essential utility. Its open-source nature ensures it remains a tool for the people, free from corporate data mining.
Best for:Privacy AdvocatesOpen Source EnthusiastsDistributed Developer Teams
About the Author
Productivity & Workflow Analyst
Productivity ApplicationsNote-Taking & Knowledge ManagementTask & Project Management
8+ years in operations management · PMP certified
Related Technologies & Concepts
WebRTC8x8XMPPSelective Forwarding Unit (SFU)ElectronProsody
WebRTC (Core underlying real-time communication protocol used by Jitsi.), 8x8 (Parent company that owns and maintains the Jitsi project.), XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol used for signaling.), Selective Forwarding Unit (SFU) (The architectural model used by Jitsi Videobridge.), Electron (Framework used to build the Jitsi Meet macOS desktop application.), Prosody (XMPP server used within the Jitsi infrastructure.)
Related Topics
Open Source Collaboration
Software for teams that prefer FOSS solutions.
Sources & References
Fact-CheckedLast verified: Feb 15, 2026
Key Verified Facts
- Jitsi Meet was acquired by 8x8 in 2018.[cite-1]
- Jitsi supports up to 100 participants on the free public server.[cite-2]
- Jitsi Meet utilizes the Opus audio codec for high fidelity.[cite-3]
- 1Atlassian sells Jitsi chat app to 8x8
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 2Jitsi Meet FAQ
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 3Jitsi Architecture - Audio
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 4Jitsi Videobridge Performance
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 5Electron GitHub Repository
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
Research queries: Jitsi Meet Mac app 2026; Jitsi Meet features macOS