My Self-Hosted Zoom Alternative

Zoom keeps getting worse, so I'm taking back control.

I don't know about you, but lately I've been noticing that the entire Zoom experience keeps getting worse. It used to just be a simple way to connect for meetings or discussions, but now it feels more and more like unnecessary bloatware.

The “enshittification” of Zoom is undoubtedly the result of the boardroom. Like, why do we suddenly need to download even more applications to our devises when connecting through a normal browser has been perfectly fine for years?

I know the answer: Money. Oh, and data collection (which is also, money).

Anyway, I'm not impressed with Zoom anymore. It's more invasive than ever before, and I fully expect that it will continue moving in that crappy direction.

Searching for an Alternative

Unfortunately, there aren't many great alternatives to Zoom.

There are more, but these are the main players.

Not satisfied with these choices, I decided that I should look for an open source, self-hosted option.

I was close to choosing Jitsi, but after reading some reviews on Reddit, I decided against it.

They have a hosted option if you just want to set up a quick meeting, but I stayed away from it because now you have to authenticate with Google or Microsoft (and well, that's just sending data back to the motherships I'm trying to avoid).

Still, I think Jitsi is an okay option for folks who want to self-host (as opposed to using their free, hosted service). There are even hosts out there that make it somewhat easy to get started, like Hostinger. Don't be fooled by the pricing though, you're going to need to spend way more than $4/mo for solid performance from a self-hosted Zoom alternative, that's for damn sure.

Jitsi is, and has been, the segment leader for self-hosted video conferencing. In fact, it is the platform that is forked the most (Brave Talk, for example, is a fork of Jitsi).

As an aside, I did try Brave Talk, but I kept encountering issues that I had to change to Zoom mid-meeting. I don't think it's ready for prime-time just yet.

Landing on MiroTalk

While researching Jitsi on Reddit, I kept coming across people mentioning an open-source software called MiroTalk. You can check out a demo here.

There are several options available through MiroTalk. I won't get into them here, but you can see the comparison in this table.

It looked promising, so I decided to give it a try. There was one problem though: I don't know shit about setting up a server.

Not to be deterred, I ended up finding Cloudron while searching for an easier route. Cloudron manages server installations for you via “apps”, and they have MiroTalk as an app.

Essentially, you just need to follow their onboarding sequence, and it takes care of the rest. They add extra security measures and keep everything up-to-date as well.

Cloudron is free for up to two apps, so you can use it without paying a cent if all you're using it for is MiroTalk. As an added bonus, when you use Cloudron, you don't need to buy a license to MiroTalk either. It's all free.

Still, some technical knowledge is required.

I'll be upfront that you need to know how to do things like configuring a domain, using your domain API, and whitelisting a domain IP. I use Namecheap, and they have documentation for all of this stuff in case you're stuck.

I actually already have a DigitalOcean account, so I just created another droplet for my MiroTalk install (Cloudron was auto-installed when using their one-click feature). I then followed the onboarding for Cloudron and in about an hour or so, I had my own Zoom alternative.

It took me a little longer because I did run into some roadblocks due to my lack of familiarity with setting up servers. A capable developer could tackle this in like 20 minutes.

Some Tips

Here are some tips for getting started with MiroTalk. They are just based on my own assumptions.

Tip 1: Which Package to Choose

Use MiroTalk SFU, and not P2P. I first installed P2P, but it's not ideal for meetings with more than four people. Plus, the SFU UI is more polished.

Tip 2: Use Your Name

Set up your installation so that it's on a domain that includes your real name. For example, mine is https://meet.justinferriman.net. People easily trust Zoom and Google Meet links, but since MiroTalk is virtually unheard of, you need to establish trust in another way. Using your name as the domain makes it clear that you're in control of the platform, and it adds a bit of credibility.

Tip 3: Hosting Plan

If you're not hosting meetings all the time, then choose a low-priced plan on DigitalOcean (like the $6/mo option) for your droplet. Right before your meeting, use the one-click option to upgrade to a server with sufficient capacity to run video conferences reliably. The $18/mo or $24/mo options should work. After the meeting, downgrade again. Your total cost is less than one dollar for an hour meeting.

Tip 4: Scheduling Future Meetings

There is a web application offered by MiroTalk that you can install so you can schedule meetings and have emails sent accordingly. I don't use it. Instead, I create a meeting ID, copy it, and paste it into a meeting invite. If you click it as the admin, you'll fire-up a meeting with that URL. If your guest(s) click the link before you do, they get taken to a landing page indicating that they can join when you start the session.

Tip 5: Enjoy The Freedom

Just have fun! I find that running my own self-hosted Zoom alternative is quite enjoyable. Also, I like that I own all the data. No worries about pricing changes, data being sold, or privacy policy changes. I'm in complete control.

Summarizing

Okay, so let's recap:

I personally think that everyone should start using their own hosted instances tied to their name, instead of putting up with the hellscape that has become video conferencing today.

Take your power back, it's easier than ever before!

#personal

Justin Ferriman

Justin Ferriman

Amateur blogger for over 20 years. I write about life, happiness, entrepreneurship, and politics. Full bio.