3CX
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Comparison · Meetings
BigBlueButton vs Ant Media Server
A side-by-side editorial comparison of BigBlueButton and Ant Media Server — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
BigBlueButton vs Ant Media Server: at a glance
What is BigBlueButton?
BigBlueButton 4.0 rc.5 drops Etherpad and makes BlockNote the only notes editor.
BigBlueButton 4.0.0-rc.5 removes Etherpad, so upgrading uninstalls bbb-etherpad and bbb-pads and leaves BlockNote as the only shared-notes editor. It also moves Node components to Node.js 24, switches the client to the 1.0 pre-release plugin SDK, and redesigns the poll and quiz panels. It follows two security-only candidates, and the project still recommends 3.0.x for production.
What is Ant Media Server?
Ant Media Server 3.2 adds WHEP playback, Prometheus metrics and plugin installs from the dashboard.
Ant Media Server is a self-hosted streaming server spanning WebRTC, RTMP, SRT, HLS and LL-HLS. 3.2.0 on November 13, two months after 3.1.0, adds WHEP signalling, a Prometheus metrics endpoint with a matching Grafana dashboard, app and plugin installation from the dashboard, SRT passphrases and a new stream-source ingest manager. Its 43 bug fixes are mostly about SRT, RTSP and LL-HLS stability, plus restoring plugin files after an upgrade.
BigBlueButton vs Ant Media Server: editorial side-by-side
BigBlueButton
5.0MEETINGS
BigBlueButton 4.0 rc.5 drops Etherpad and makes BlockNote the only notes editor.
◆ Current state
BigBlueButton 4.0.0-rc.5 removes Etherpad, so upgrading uninstalls bbb-etherpad and bbb-pads and leaves BlockNote as the only shared-notes editor. It also moves Node components to Node.js 24, switches the client to the 1.0 pre-release plugin SDK, and redesigns the poll and quiz panels. It follows two security-only candidates, and the project still recommends 3.0.x for production.
◆ Where it's heading
The 4.0 cycle is removing legacy components one by one: SIP.js audio went in beta.4, and Etherpad goes now. Between the removals, security-only candidates harden the new LiveKit audio and BlockNote notes surfaces. The plugin SDK reaching a 1.0 pre-release suggests the extension API is being frozen for GA.
◆ Prediction
Expect at least one more candidate to settle the plugin SDK 1.0 change and Etherpad removal before 4.0.0 GA. The pace of security advisories makes the exact timing unclear.
Ant Media Server
2.5MEETINGS
Ant Media Server 3.2 adds WHEP playback, Prometheus metrics and plugin installs from the dashboard.
◆ Current state
Ant Media Server is a self-hosted streaming server spanning WebRTC, RTMP, SRT, HLS and LL-HLS. 3.2.0 on November 13, two months after 3.1.0, adds WHEP signalling, a Prometheus metrics endpoint with a matching Grafana dashboard, app and plugin installation from the dashboard, SRT passphrases and a new stream-source ingest manager. Its 43 bug fixes are mostly about SRT, RTSP and LL-HLS stability, plus restoring plugin files after an upgrade.
◆ Where it's heading
The 2026 releases moved from adding protocols and codecs (SRT restreaming, AV1, RTSP output) toward running the server as operated infrastructure: monitoring, plugin management from the panel and upgrade-safe plugins. WHEP joins standard WebRTC signalling, and the MoQ library update shows the team tracking the next streaming transport, though only as a library and CDN test so far.
◆ Prediction
Expect 3.2.x patches for the SRT and plugin fixes that ship in volume with each minor; whether MoQ becomes a usable output is not clear from these notes.
Alternatives to BigBlueButton and Ant Media Server
Other Meetings products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either BigBlueButton or Ant Media Server.
Eventcombo
Eventcombo adds webinar demo checklists to its 2027 buyer guides.
Fourwaves
Fourwaves doubles Free plan submissions to 50 and reworks reviewer assignment.
JW Player
JW Player's Android SDK 4.28 adds live Chromecast and new background audio controls.
Nextcloud Talk
Nextcloud Talk v23.0.14 fixes Firefox video and keeps v25 waiting at RC3.
Kurento
Kurento's JavaScript client gets a 7.3.1 point release with no notes.
See all BigBlueButton alternatives → · See all Ant Media Server alternatives →
Recent activity from BigBlueButton and Ant Media Server
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 1d agoAnt Media Server3.2.0: WHEP, Prometheus metrics and dashboard plugin installs
- 1mo agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 rc.5 removes Etherpad and moves to Node.js 24
- 1mo agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 rc.4 patches audio and notes security flaws
- 2mo agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 rc.3 hardens LiveKit reconnection
- 2mo agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 rc.2 fixes cross-meeting security flaws
- 2mo agoAnt Media ServerNew management panel, RTSP output and multi-audio SRT ingest
- 2mo agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 rc.1 completes the LiveKit audio migration ⚡
- 3mo agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 beta.5 overhauls mobile layout
- 6mo agoAnt Media Server3.0.3 maintenance build with no listed changes
- 6mo agoAnt Media Server3.0.2 code quality and stability build
- 6mo agoAnt Media Server3.0.1 adds AV1 and removes deprecated APIs
- 9mo agoAnt Media ServerRestream to SRT, local license server, on-demand playlists
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between BigBlueButton and Ant Media Server?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. BigBlueButton is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is BigBlueButton better than Ant Media Server?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. BigBlueButton is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Meetings products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to BigBlueButton?
Top BigBlueButton alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "BigBlueButton alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/bigbluebutton for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Ant Media Server?
Top Ant Media Server alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Ant Media Server alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/ant-media-server for the full list with editorial commentary on each.