Jitsi Meet vs Zoom - An Open Source Alternative for Companies (GDPR-compliant)

Today, video conferencing is part of basic business equipment – from internal meetings to international project calls. Many companies use Zoom as a standard solution. However, proprietary cloud software involves data protection risks, license dependencies and limited integration options.

Jitsi Meet offers a sovereign, open-source alternative: browser-based, flexible, secure and fully self-operated. As a managed service provider, we support companies with hosting, integration, SSO connection, rebranding and individual UI development – for maximum control and GDPR compliance.

👉 WZ-IT Jitsi Meet Managed Service

2. Overview: Zoom and Jitsi Meet in Comparison
- Zoom - The Cloud Top Dog
- Jitsi Meet - The Data-Sovereign Open Source Solution
3. Feature Comparison
4. Browser Compatibility: Universal Access Without Barriers
5. Architecture and Scaling
6. Extensibility and Integrations
7. Security and Data Protection
8. Costs and Operation
- Jitsi Meet (Self-Hosting / Managed by WZ-IT)
- Zoom (Cloud)
9. Which Solution Suits Which Companies?
- Zoom is a good fit for:
- Jitsi Meet is interesting for:
10. Conclusion: Jitsi Meet as a Data-Sovereign Alternative to Zoom
Sources and Further Links

2. Overview: Zoom and Jitsi Meet in Comparison

Zoom - The Cloud Top Dog

Zoom is a proprietary video conferencing platform operated via Zoom's own cloud infrastructure. It offers a wide range of functions, but only as part of the SaaS model.

License model: Subscription per user or enterprise plan
Hosting: Zoom Cloud (USA, global data centers)
Features: Meetings, breakout sessions, webinars, whiteboards, recording
SSO: via Zoom One / SAML 2.0 (Zoom SSO Docs)
API / SDKs: Available, but proprietary licensed
Data control: Entirely with the provider

Jitsi Meet - The Data-Sovereign Open Source Solution

Jitsi Meet is a free video conferencing system under Apache 2.0 license, developed by 8×8 Inc. and an active open source community. The platform is based on WebRTC and runs directly in the browser – without additional installation or plugins.

Official website: https://jitsi.org/
GitHub Repository: https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet
License: Open Source (Apache 2.0)
Hosting: Self-hosting or managed operation in German data centers
Technology: WebRTC, Prosody, Jicofo, Jitsi Videobridge, Jibri
Compatibility: Browser-based (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari)
Customizability: UI, branding, themes, API hooks
Authentication: Secure Domain, LDAP, optionally via proxy SAML / OIDC
Breakout Rooms: Natively integrated (Jitsi Docs)

Official info: Jitsi.org – About Jitsi Meet | Jitsi Meet GitHub Docs | Wikipedia – Jitsi

3. Feature Comparison

Criterion	Jitsi Meet (Self-Hosted)	Zoom (Cloud)
License	Open Source (Apache 2.0)	Proprietary
Hosting	Own data center / Managed by WZ-IT	Zoom Cloud (USA / EU)
Browser Support	Complete (WebRTC)	Web / Client App
Participant Limit	Depends on server performance	100 – 1000 per license
Video Quality	HD Video, Opus Audio, Simulcast	HD / Full HD
Breakout Rooms	Natively supported	Integrated
Recording / Streaming	With Jibri (local or YouTube)	Cloud / local
SSO / Integration	LDAP, Secure Domain, SAML / OIDC via proxy	SAML, OAuth
Rebranding / UI Customization	Possible (CSS/JS, themes, logos)	Only via enterprise license
APIs / Embedding	JavaScript API, iframe integration	SDK / REST API
Data Protection / GDPR	Full control, hosting in DE	Third-country processing
Cost Model	Infrastructure + operation	License costs per user

4. Browser Compatibility: Universal Access Without Barriers

One of the biggest advantages of Jitsi Meet is its complete browser basis. Meetings start directly via link – no installation, no clients, no plugins. This minimizes support effort and increases participation rates, especially with external partners or on mobile devices.

Zoom offers a web app but recommends the desktop client for functional reasons – a disadvantage in strictly managed IT environments.

5. Architecture and Scaling

Jitsi Meet uses a modular architecture:

Jitsi Videobridge (JVB): Efficiently forwards streams
Jicofo: Coordinates conferences
Prosody: XMPP server for signaling and authentication
Jibri: Recording / streaming
Jigasi: SIP connectivity

The platform can be scaled horizontally by deploying additional video bridges. In managed setups, WZ-IT handles scaling, monitoring and failover protection.

Zoom operates scaling centrally in its own cloud – users have no influence on this.

6. Extensibility and Integrations

SSO / Authentication

Jitsi Meet supports LDAP login directly via Prosody. SAML or OIDC integration is also possible via upstream auth proxies (e.g. Keycloak, Authelia or Shibboleth). This allows corporate identity services such as Azure AD or Keycloak to be used – with full control over tokens and sessions.

Documentation: Jitsi Meet LDAP Guide

Rebranding and UI Customization

The frontend can be customized – logos, colors, texts and even custom buttons or branding themes. As Jitsi is based on React, deeper UI customizations are technically possible, but should be maintained in a version-safe manner.

Integration into Your Own Software

Via the Jitsi Meet JavaScript API, the system can be embedded in portals, intranets or training platforms. Admins can programmatically control functions such as participant management, mute status or chat control.

Reference: Jitsi Meet API Reference

Integration in Nextcloud

Using the official Jitsi app for Nextcloud, Jitsi Meet can be integrated directly into the Nextcloud interface via iframe. This allows users to start meetings without leaving the platform. However, Nextcloud Talk does not use Jitsi as a backend.

Source: Nextcloud App "Jitsi"

7. Security and Data Protection

Jitsi Meet encrypts all connections via TLS. End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is available for 1:1 meetings. In self-hosted environments, all metadata, logs and backups remain under company control. This means Jitsi meets the requirements for digital sovereignty and GDPR compliance.

Zoom also offers encryption, but processing in US-based systems remains legally problematic (Schrems II).

More info: Zoom Security Whitepaper

8. Costs and Operation

Jitsi Meet (Self-Hosting / Managed by WZ-IT)

No license costs per user
Predictable costs for servers, operation and support
Hosting in German data centers
Complete data sovereignty

Zoom (Cloud)

Monthly or annual subscriptions per user
Additional costs for webinars, recordings and extensions
No self-hosting option

9. Which Solution Suits Which Companies?

Zoom is a good fit for:

Companies looking for a ready-to-use cloud solution
Teams with less stringent data protection requirements
Organizations that need extensive webinar features
Users without their own IT infrastructure

Jitsi Meet is interesting for:

Companies with high data protection requirements (GDPR, KRITIS)
Organizations that need full control over their communications
Companies with existing IT infrastructure or managed service partners
Teams looking for a customizable, browser-based solution
Public institutions with open source requirements

10. Conclusion: Jitsi Meet as a Data-Sovereign Alternative to Zoom

Open source and transparent – no vendor lock-in
GDPR-compliant – hosting in Germany possible
Browser-based – no installation necessary
Customizable and integrable – SSO, branding, embedding
Predictable costs – no license model per user

Companies that value data protection, control and customization will find Jitsi Meet a fully-fledged alternative to Zoom.

WZ-IT offers Jitsi Meet as a managed service – including hosting, SSO integration, UI customization and ongoing support.

👉 Learn more at https://wz-it.com/en/expertises/jitsi/