Open-source video conferencing is one of the few remaining glimpses of the utopian potential of the internet. If youre willing to get a little sentimental about what the internet is or was supposed to deliver, you can see it within the chat windows of apps such as Jitsiemerging technologies developed and given away for free so that anyone and everyone can participate in the digital communications revolution.

Thats the idealized version of Jitsis existence, anyway. The reality is that while the highly adaptable, open-source app is still free to use and deploy within personalized platforms, it has become something of a research and development unit for subscription content providers. So, Jitsi stands as a kind of glorified public Beta test of the latest video conferencing technology.

Its logical counterpoint in many ways is Appear.in (recently rechristened Whereby). This WebRTC-powered video platform has taken the same open-access ideals of Jitsi and turned them into a commercial subscription service.

The Appear.in vs. Jitsi clash is a living demonstration of how the internets free-to-all ideals have evolved into commercial reality.

Jitsi operates on two levels. If youre an end-user in need of a free video conferencing service, it has the flexibility and features to provide just about everything youll need to conduct a social or professional group meeting. If your ambitions extend to creating your own video calling portal, it can be deployed within a website or an Android or iOS mobile app to give you control over how people interact with your domain.

The platform operated as an independent, open-source meeting point until it was bought by Atlassian in 2015. That company had plans to use Jitsis tech to power native video in its HipChat and Stride services, but when those were bought and scuttled by Slack, the service became unnecessary. So, in 2018 Jitsi was sold to video vendor 88. This new owner has promised to continue acting as a benefactor for the free service and its creators while using the Jitsi tech to boost its own paid WebRTC, video calling, and video bridging services.

Why would 88 give away the same Jitsi technology it is trying to sell in its own product? Because theres a downside to the open-source ideal. Open-source means going it alone, as theres no reliable revenue stream to fund dedicated infrastructure. Jitsi doesnt offer any commercial support for its products, and many of its features exist in a state of developmental flux. The app has free background blur and live streaming features, for example, but theyre firmly in the Beta mode, while it offers only clever workarounds to deliver video conferencing standards such as meeting recording (it recommends you stream your meeting to YouTube and use that sites recording function).

Such drawbacks make Jitsi a potentially unreliable and cumbersome option for business clients and restrict the service to developers with superior IT skills and casual users with limited ambitionswhich is why the creative teams behind digital communication services need to find a revenue source for their endeavors.

Just like Appear.in (Whereby) has done.

Appear.in (Whereby) is like Jitsis mature older sibling that took the shared passion for WebRTC communication and turned it into a commercial business.

The platform, which changed its name to Whereby after a legal battle over the Appear.in moniker, uses the same browser-based WebRTC technology that allows users to stage instant video meetings online without accounts or downloads. As we discussed in our previous reviews of Wherebyhere as a standalone service, and here in comparison with Googles Hangouts platformthe result is a lightning-quick service that removes the barriers of subscription services and lets anyone with a common browser speak face-to-face across a reliable video connection.

Whereby (that name is going to take some getting used to) has since evolved into a subscription business that offers the support professional customers require. Just like Jitsi, it offers chat, screen sharing, group video calls (although capped at four in the limited free version and 12 in the Pro Plan), customizable meeting URLs, and encrypted connections. Unlike Jitsi, theres someone available online 24/7 should you run into technical difficulties.

Such a backstop should make Whereby a clear winner over Jitsis community of developers, but the execution just isnt there. Theres no noticeable difference between the presentation of either product, and Jitsi actually offers a more comprehensive list of features, including emerging must-have video features like live streaming. Both services can be integrated with leading workflow platforms including Slack, but in Wherebys case, youre doubling your subscription fee just to add a video calling alternative to the baked-in native options of a collaboration platform.

Truthfully, if youre choosing between these platforms, you face an underwhelming decision between an earnest amateur and a clumsy professional.

On a sheer product-to-product comparison, wed have to give the open-source platform the edge in any Appear.in vs. Jitsi digital bout. However, there are clear differences between the target audiences for each that may make such comparisons moot.

Jitsi is for developers and casual users. If you want to build your own video-enabled website or you just want a free, universally accessible way to video chat, then Jitsi is for you. If you are looking for a commercial tool, youd have to go with Appear.in/Whereby. Unless your IT team is prepared to shoulder the entire tech support burden, it is irresponsible to deploy an open-source platform.

In the end, both services are probably more flash than substance for a small-to-medium businesss liking. Wed suggest you take a look at Zoom, BlueJeans, or the workflow integration of Microsoft Teams before making your final decision.

Still, its nice to know that a little of the internets free-to-all ideals live on in the open-source and WebRTC roots of both Jitsi and Whereby.

Note that while this site is sponsored by Logitech, reviews contain the writers own opinions and are not influenced by the views of our sponsor.

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Appear.in Vs. Jitsi: Subscription WebRTC Faces Off Against Open-Source VC - VC - VC Daily