Apache Openmeetings is a free, open-source video conferencing and whiteboard platform. See its features, self-hosting requirements, and alternatives for 2026.
Category
Collaboration
Pricing
Open Source, from Free
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 19, 2026
Founded
2007
Headquarters
United States (Apache Software Foundation, a distributed volunteer organization)
Web AppOpen SourceSelf-Hosted
Overview
Apache Openmeetings is a free, open-source web conferencing and collaboration platform offering video meetings, whiteboards, and document collaboration tools, governed as a top-level Apache Software Foundation project since December 2012.
Development began in 2007, and after years of community contribution the project achieved ASF top-level status, ensuring it is maintained through an open, vendor-neutral governance process rather than by a single company.
Key Features
Openmeetings offers HTML5 audio and video conferencing, screen sharing, meeting recording with MP4 export, and a multi-whiteboard tool that supports importing documents for real-time collaborative annotation.
For enterprise use it supports LDAP/ADS and OAuth2 authentication, REST and SOAP APIs for embedding conferencing into other applications, calendar-based meeting scheduling, and granular moderator permission controls.
Pricing
Openmeetings is entirely free under the Apache License 2.0, with no licensing fees, per-user costs, or paid tiers offered by the project itself.
Organizations self-host it on their own infrastructure or through third-party hosting providers, and can optionally engage independent consultancies for commercial support since the ASF does not sell support contracts.
Key Features
HTML5 video conferencing — Audio and video meetings powered by the Kurento media server, accessible from web browsers without plugins.
Screen sharing — Share screens with adjustable quality levels during meetings.
Multi-whiteboard collaboration — Multiple collaborative whiteboards per room with support for importing documents to annotate.
Meeting recording — Record meetings and export them as MP4 files with integrated playback.
Calendar and scheduling — Built-in calendar for scheduling meetings with automatic invitations.
Enterprise authentication — LDAP/ADS integration and OAuth2 support for enterprise identity management.
REST and SOAP APIs — Embed Openmeetings conferencing into external websites, intranets, or applications.
Polls and moderator controls — Run polls and voting with visualized results, plus granular permission controls for moderators.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Completely free and open source under the Apache License
Self-hostable for full control over meeting data and privacy
No per-user licensing fees regardless of meeting size
HTML5-based with no plugin requirements
Integrates with enterprise identity systems via LDAP and OAuth2
Cons
User interface is dated compared to modern tools like Zoom or Google Meet
Self-hosting requires server and media infrastructure expertise (Kurento setup)
Smaller community and slower release cadence than commercial competitors
Mobile experience is more limited than native mobile conferencing apps
Documentation can be sparse for advanced configuration scenarios
Pricing
Open Source (Self-Hosted) Free N/A
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Apache Openmeetings free?
Yes, Openmeetings is free and open source under the Apache License 2.0, with no licensing costs from the project itself.
Can Openmeetings replace Zoom or Google Meet?
It can for organizations willing to self-host and manage their own server infrastructure, though its interface and polish are less refined than mainstream commercial tools.
What media server does Openmeetings use?
Openmeetings relies on the Kurento media server for real-time audio and video processing.
Does Openmeetings support meeting recording?
Yes, meetings can be recorded and exported as MP4 files with built-in playback.
Can I integrate single sign-on with Openmeetings?
Yes, Openmeetings supports LDAP/ADS authentication and OAuth2 for enterprise identity integration.
Is hosted Openmeetings available, or must I self-host?
The Apache Software Foundation does not offer official hosting; organizations self-host it or use third-party hosting providers.
When did Openmeetings become an Apache top-level project?
Openmeetings entered the Apache Incubator in December 2011 and became a top-level Apache Software Foundation project in December 2012.