Apache OpenMeetings

Apache OpenMeetings combines video meetings, messaging and collaborative tools in software an organization runs on its own server. It suits teams that want control over their meeting environment and can manage server infrastructure. Its breadth is useful, but Java and Kurento requirements make it a more involved choice than a hosted meeting service.

Overview

Meetings, calendars, shared files and whiteboards live in one room-based system. Users can schedule meetings, invite internal or external attendees by email and share calendars with contacts. A single instance can manage multiple organizations, with rooms assigned to all users or selected groups. This makes OpenMeetings a practical candidate for organizations that need collaboration and user management together, rather than just a video-call client.

OpenMeetings is free and open source, with source and binary downloads and no paid plans or usage limits stated. The trade-off is operational: the installation guide requires Java 21 and Kurento Media Server, and recommends 8 GB of RAM. The project also advises verifying downloads with its signing keys. Version 9.1.0 fixed CVE-2026-49488, an arbitrary file read vulnerability affecting versions from 5.0.0 up to but not including 9.1.0, so deployments should use 9.1.0 or later.

Key features

Meetings and shared work

Participants can choose audio and video, audio only, video only or picture only, and adjust quality, camera resolution and input devices. Screen sharing supports a desktop or window, and sessions can be recorded for MP4 download. These options suit meetings that need different levels of audio and video participation, as well as a recording afterward.

The multi-whiteboard supports drawing, writing, images and clip art, and can import PDF, DOC, ODT and PPT files. Each room has a file explorer and shared public drive; users also have private drives. Together, these tools make it possible to keep meeting materials and collaborative work close to the discussion, though teams seeking a dedicated whiteboard product may prefer one of the focused alternatives below.

Administration and integration

REST and SOAP APIs, LDAP/ADS connectors and VoIP/Asterisk integration modules give organizations options for connecting OpenMeetings to existing systems. The project points to plugins for Moodle, Drupal and Joomla; some are non-ASF downloads. Commercial providers offer services including code support, development, integration and bug fixing. These options can help organizations that want to adapt or support a deployment, but integrations and plugins add decisions to an already substantial setup.

Pricing

Apache OpenMeetings: free. The software is open source, and source and binary downloads are offered as ZIP and TAR.GZ files. There is no free trial because the product is free, and no paid plans or usage limits are stated. The price is compelling for organizations able to run the software themselves; it should not be mistaken for a hosted service that removes infrastructure and maintenance work.

Platforms

OpenMeetings is installed on a server, with tutorials for Windows, MacOS and multiple Linux distributions; Windows startup scripts are provided. The product also indicates web and mobile availability and supports Android, iOS, Linux, MacOS and Windows, alongside an API and self-hosted deployment. Server minimums are 2 GHz CPU and 4 GB RAM without document converters, recorder or upload features, with 8 GB RAM recommended. ImageMagick, Ghostscript, OpenOffice or LibreOffice, FFmpeg and SoX are optional components for image uploads, document imports or recording features. Backups of user-generated data, including uploaded files, can be exported to a ZIP archive and imported into another installation.

Who it's for

OpenMeetings is best suited to organizations with the technical capacity to install and maintain server software, especially those that value managing users and multiple organizations in a single instance. Its combination of meetings, file sharing, calendars, whiteboards and integration modules can serve teams that want those functions in a self-managed environment. It is a weaker fit for individuals or small teams seeking a quick, hosted meeting service without server administration, or for buyers who want a specialized whiteboard as their main tool.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free, open-source software with source and binary downloads, rather than a paid seat plan.
• Pros: Meetings, scheduling, shared and private drives, whiteboards and file imports are combined in one system.
• Pros: APIs, directory connectors and VoIP/Asterisk modules can support integration with organizational systems.
• Cons: Java 21 and Kurento Media Server are required, and the recommended 8 GB of RAM adds to deployment planning.
• Cons: Optional components are needed for some upload, document-import and recording capabilities.
• Cons: The project advises verifying downloads, and deployments must keep current to avoid the vulnerability fixed in 9.1.0.

Alternatives

For a narrower whiteboard or video-conferencing need, the Collaborative Whiteboard Software, Secure Video Conferencing Software and Video Conferencing Software lists offer category starting points.

• Webex App is a hosted alternative with a free plan for unlimited meetings up to 40 minutes and 100 attendees per meeting; choose it when those meeting caps suit better than running a server.
• Boardmix is a freemium, cross-platform alternative whose free plan is limited to one team workspace, three editable boards, 100 objects per board and 1 GB storage; choose it when a bounded board workspace is the priority.
• Canva Whiteboards is a freemium whiteboard alternative; choose it when a whiteboard-focused option is a better fit than OpenMeetings' broader self-hosted groupware.
• FigJam offers a free Starter plan with three editable files and unlimited collaborators; choose it when collaborative files matter more than an integrated self-hosted meeting system.
• Groupboard is freemium, and its free whiteboard plan limits users to five per board, with 20 saved pictures and 10 background images; choose it when those limits fit a smaller whiteboard use case.
• Miro has a free plan with three editable boards, 7,000+ templates and 250+ integrations; choose it when a hosted board-and-integration workspace is preferable to server administration.
• MURAL offers unlimited murals with three editable at a time, unlimited members and view-only visitors, and one workspace on its free plan; choose it when those collaborative mural limits fit.
• Ziteboard has a free Starter plan with three owned boards and unlimited shared boards and realtime collaborators; choose it when shared boards are the priority.

Verdict

Choose Apache OpenMeetings if your organization wants free, self-hosted meetings alongside calendars, files, whiteboards and user management, and has the capacity to maintain the required server stack. Its strongest reason to choose is that breadth in an open-source package; its strongest reason to look elsewhere is the setup and upkeep that a hosted service avoids.