Janus vs BigBlueButton
A head-to-head comparison of Janus and BigBlueButton, And what features does Video SDK offer?
Janus is a general-purpose WebRTC server that can be used to build a variety of real-time communication applications, including live video calls and live streams. It is a low-level SDK that gives developers full control over the live video experience.
BigBlueButton is a free and open-source web conferencing system that allows users to host and join video conferences, online meetings, and virtual classrooms. It is a popular choice for educational institutions and businesses, as it offers a wide range of features.
How Video SDK make a difference?
Janus and BigBlueButton are both open-source web conferencing platforms. Janus is primarily a WebRTC server that provides the infrastructure for real-time communication as core functionalities, while BigBlueButton is designed specifically for online learning and virtual classrooms with popular LMS platforms. However, there are some key differences so it's essential to be aware of their limitations and constraints.
Presenting the Video SDK - a robust and user-friendly video conferencing SDK that offers an extensive array of features, including chat, polls, break-out rooms, streaming capabilities, and RTMP out. It's the perfect solution for businesses and organizations of any size that require creating top-notch and captivating real-time communication experiences.
Here is a comparison of Video SDK with Janus vs BigBlueButton, and understand why Video SDK emerges as a much better choice for all your requirements.
Features Comparison : Janus vs BigBlueButton vs Video SDK
features | Janus | BigBlueButton | Video SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
No. of participants (Including hosts) | ✕ 2 Participant Only | ✕ Upto 100 Participants Only | ✓ Up to millions of viewers |
Ease of SDK Integration | ✕ Very Complex Integration takes 6+ months | ✕ Complex Integration | ✓ Avg. integration takes only 2 weeks |
Adpative audio/video quality | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available | ✓ Available |
Works behind the Firewall, Private Network | ✕ No | ✕ 3rd Party Deployment | ✓ Yes |
Role Management, Permissions, Policy and Templates | ✕ Not available | ✓ Yes | ✓ Available |
Automatic video and audio track degrade due to bandwidth in-consistency | ✕ Not available | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Dynamic Layout for Studio and RTMP Live Streaming | ✕ Not available | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Build collaborative features like chat, poll, Q & A, whiteboard etc. | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available | ✓ Available |
Virtual Background, Live Transcription & ML Middleware | ✕ Separate integration | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Webhooks | ✕ Not Provide | ✓ Available | ✓ Available |
Pricing Model | ✓ Usage Based | Monthly Price | ✓ Usage based |
Interactive Live Streaming | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Cloud Recording | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Interactive Whiteboard | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Multi-platform | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | |
Interactive Participant Support | ✕ No Support | ✕ Upto 100 | ✓ Up to 5,000 |
Mobile browser support | ✕ Limited (iOS not supported) | ✕ Limited | ✓ 90% |
Automatic audio / video degrade, re-connectivity | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Audio & Video powered by AI | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Independent of Open Source Dependency | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Customised RTMP, Cloud Recording, HLS | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
API for building specific features such as collaborative games, polls etc | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
API to build social features such as merging rooms, battles, coins, gifts sending etc | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Full HD recording | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Open source templates | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Full Custom roles | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
HLS Streaming | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Cost-effective | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Prebuilt SDK | ✕ No | ✕ Separate SDK | ✓ Yes |
Fully customizable UI | ✕ Low Customization | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Metaverse platform support | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Session analytics | ✕ Not Comprehensive | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Tracks | ✕ Not Documented | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
features | Janus | BigBlueButton | Video SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
No. of participants (Including hosts) | ✕ 2 Participant Only | ✕ Upto 100 Participants Only | ✓ Up to millions of viewers |
Ease of SDK Integration | ✕ Very Complex Integration takes 6+ months | ✕ Complex Integration | ✓ Avg. integration takes only 2 weeks |
Adpative audio/video quality | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available | ✓ Available |
Works behind the Firewall, Private Network | ✕ No | ✕ 3rd Party Deployment | ✓ Yes |
Role Management, Permissions, Policy and Templates | ✕ Not available | ✓ Yes | ✓ Available |
Automatic video and audio track degrade due to bandwidth in-consistency | ✕ Not available | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Dynamic Layout for Studio and RTMP Live Streaming | ✕ Not available | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Build collaborative features like chat, poll, Q & A, whiteboard etc. | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available | ✓ Available |
Virtual Background, Live Transcription & ML Middleware | ✕ Separate integration | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Webhooks | ✕ Not Provide | ✓ Available | ✓ Available |
Pricing Model | ✓ Usage Based | Monthly Price | ✓ Usage based |
Interactive Live Streaming | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Cloud Recording | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Interactive Whiteboard | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Multi-platform | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | |
Interactive Participant Support | ✕ No Support | ✕ Upto 100 | ✓ Up to 5,000 |
Mobile browser support | ✕ Limited (iOS not supported) | ✕ Limited | ✓ 90% |
Automatic audio / video degrade, re-connectivity | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Audio & Video powered by AI | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Independent of Open Source Dependency | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Customised RTMP, Cloud Recording, HLS | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
API for building specific features such as collaborative games, polls etc | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
API to build social features such as merging rooms, battles, coins, gifts sending etc | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Full HD recording | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Open source templates | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Full Custom roles | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
HLS Streaming | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Cost-effective | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Prebuilt SDK | ✕ No | ✕ Separate SDK | ✓ Yes |
Fully customizable UI | ✕ Low Customization | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Metaverse platform support | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Session analytics | ✕ Not Comprehensive | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Tracks | ✕ Not Documented | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Price Comparison : Janus vs BigBlueButton vs Video SDK
features | Janus | BigBlueButton | Video SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
Volume Discount | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Video Conferencing | ✓ Yes |
|
|
Analytics | ✕ No | NA | ✓ Free |
Separate pricing for video and audio | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Free 10,000 minutes every month | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Minimum price for video calls | ✕ Separate Charge | Pro plan starts at $149.90 per year per license Additional Pricing (Maximum 25 users per 60 min session):
| $0.002 per participant minute |
Minimum price for audio-only calls | ✕ Not Available | Pro plan starts at $149.90 per year per license Additional Pricing (Maximum 25 users per 60 min session):
| $0.0006 per participant min |
Advanced Firewall Control | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Free |
Cloud recording pricing | ✕ Not Include | Recording storage: $19 per TB per month (for 25 participants on session) |
|
RTMP pricing | ✕ Not Included | $2.5 per GB per month |
|
ILS pricing | Aggregated resolution based per participant pricing | $99 per month (For Maximum 25 users per 60 min session) |
|
Storage pricing | High Cost |
|
|
features | Janus | BigBlueButton | Video SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
Volume Discount | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Video Conferencing | ✓ Yes |
|
|
Analytics | ✕ No | NA | ✓ Free |
Separate pricing for video and audio | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Free 10,000 minutes every month | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Minimum price for video calls | ✕ Separate Charge | Pro plan starts at $149.90 per year per license Additional Pricing (Maximum 25 users per 60 min session):
| $0.002 per participant minute |
Minimum price for audio-only calls | ✕ Not Available | Pro plan starts at $149.90 per year per license Additional Pricing (Maximum 25 users per 60 min session):
| $0.0006 per participant min |
Advanced Firewall Control | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Free |
Cloud recording pricing | ✕ Not Include | Recording storage: $19 per TB per month (for 25 participants on session) |
|
RTMP pricing | ✕ Not Included | $2.5 per GB per month |
|
ILS pricing | Aggregated resolution based per participant pricing | $99 per month (For Maximum 25 users per 60 min session) |
|
Storage pricing | High Cost |
|
|
Support Comparison : Janus vs BigBlueButton vs Video SDK
features | Janus | BigBlueButton | Video SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
Support | ✕ Community Support | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Cost | Not Available | $149/mo | Free |
Access to Testing | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ All paid accounts get access to testing support from Video SDK. |
Access to TAM / CS Engineer | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Dedicated CS & Solution Engineers |
SLAs | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes, but Additional.
| ✓ Inexpensive SLA with 99.9% uptime |
features | Janus | BigBlueButton | Video SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
Support | ✕ Community Support | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Cost | Not Available | $149/mo | Free |
Access to Testing | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ All paid accounts get access to testing support from Video SDK. |
Access to TAM / CS Engineer | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Dedicated CS & Solution Engineers |
SLAs | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes, but Additional.
| ✓ Inexpensive SLA with 99.9% uptime |
Discover why Video SDK is the top choice for customers
“I still remember when I was trying out the product and connected over discord with Arjun Kava, and he immediately responded. It is one of the things that we found less often. The team is super enthusiastic to make the product as next big thing. Easy integration is the beauty of it. Few lines of code and it's done.”
Ankur Chandra ,
Engineering Manager at Fynd
FAQ
