Looking for the perfect conferencing solution can be a daunting task, but two standout contenders in the arena are BigBlueButton and Discord. Whether you’re hosting an online class, a business meeting, or a casual hangout, both platforms offer unique features tailored to different needs. BigBlueButton is a powerhouse designed with educators in mind, boasting features like real-time sharing, whiteboards, and breakout rooms to enhance the learning experience. On the other hand, Discord, initially popular among gamers, has evolved into a versatile communication tool with voice, video, and text capabilities, making it a great choice for both professional and personal use. Dive in to discover which app suits your conferencing needs best!
General Information
BigBlueButton, developed by Blindside Networks, was released in 2007. It supports platforms including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Web. Discord, created by Discord Inc., came out in 2015 and is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web, and Linux.
BigBlueButton focuses on providing a robust virtual classroom experience, making it a popular choice for educational institutions. Its features are tailored to online learning, including tools for presentations, whiteboards, and breakout rooms.
Discord, initially aimed at gamers, has evolved into a versatile communication platform. It offers voice, video, and text chat, along with community-building features like servers and channels. Its flexibility has made it popular beyond gaming, including among remote work teams and social groups.
In summary, BigBlueButton is a specialized tool for education, while Discord offers a broader range of communication features suitable for various communities and purposes.
Verdict:
Discord is better due to its broader platform support and more recent release date.
| Attribute |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Developer/Company | Blindside Networks | Discord Inc. |
| Release Date | 2007 | 2015 |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web, Linux |
Core Features
BigBlueButton and Discord both offer robust core features for conferencing.
BigBlueButton provides HD video quality, ensuring clear and sharp visuals during meetings. Similarly, Discord also supports HD video, making it equally effective for visual communication.
In terms of audio quality, both platforms deliver high-quality sound, which is crucial for clear and effective communication.
Overall, both BigBlueButton and Discord excel in providing HD video and high audio quality, making them reliable choices for conferencing needs.
Verdict:
Both BigBlueButton and Discord offer HD video and high audio quality. They are equally good in core features.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Video Quality | HD | HD |
| Audio Quality | High | High |
Interactive demos of BigBlueButton and Discord
BigBlueButton Demo
Discord Demo
Collaboration Tools
BigBlueButton and Discord offer distinct features for collaboration tools.
BigBlueButton allows unlimited participants in both free and paid versions, making it ideal for large meetings. Discord, on the other hand, supports up to 25 participants for free and 50 for paid users. Both platforms offer unlimited meeting duration, ensuring no interruptions during sessions.
Screen sharing is available on both BigBlueButton and Discord, facilitating presentations and collaborative work. However, neither platform supports recording, which might be a drawback for users needing to archive meetings. Additionally, both lack virtual backgrounds, which could be a limitation for those seeking a more professional or private setting.
In summary:
– Participants (Free): Unlimited vs 25
– Participants (Paid): Unlimited vs 50
– Meeting Duration (Free): Unlimited vs Unlimited
– Screen Sharing: Yes vs Yes
– Recording: No vs No
– Virtual Backgrounds: No vs No
Verdict:
BigBlueButton is better for collaboration tools due to unlimited participants in both free and paid versions.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Participants (Free) | Unlimited | 25 |
| Participants (Paid) | Unlimited | 50 |
| Meeting Duration (Free) | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Screen Sharing | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Recording | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Virtual Backgrounds | ❌ No | ❌ No |
Integration and Compatibility
BigBlueButton and Discord both offer robust features for conferencing, but they differ significantly in terms of integration and compatibility.
In-meeting Chat: Both BigBlueButton and Discord support in-meeting chat, making real-time communication seamless.
File Sharing: Both platforms allow file sharing, facilitating the exchange of documents and media during meetings.
Breakout Rooms: BigBlueButton supports breakout rooms, enabling smaller group discussions within a larger meeting. Discord does not offer this feature.
Polls and Q&A: BigBlueButton includes polls and Q&A functionalities, enhancing interactive sessions. Discord lacks these features.
Whiteboarding: BigBlueButton provides whiteboarding tools for collaborative drawing and note-taking. Discord does not have whiteboarding capabilities.
Meeting Notes: BigBlueButton allows for meeting notes, helping participants keep track of discussions. Discord does not offer this feature.
Google Workspace Integration: Discord integrates with Google Workspace, allowing users to connect their Google services. BigBlueButton does not support this integration.
Microsoft 365 Integration: Neither BigBlueButton nor Discord integrates with Microsoft 365.
Third-party Apps Integration: Both platforms support third-party app integrations, offering flexibility to connect with other tools and services.
API Availability: Both BigBlueButton and Discord provide API availability, enabling developers to
Verdict:
BigBlueButton is better due to Breakout Rooms, Polls and Q&A, Whiteboarding, and Meeting Notes.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| In-meeting Chat | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| File Sharing | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Breakout Rooms | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Polls and Q&A | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Whiteboarding | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Meeting Notes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Google Workspace Integration | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Microsoft 365 Integration | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Third-party Apps Integration | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| API Availability | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Security and Privacy
BigBlueButton and Discord offer different levels of security and privacy features.
End-to-End Encryption:
BigBlueButton: Yes
Discord: No
Password Protection:
BigBlueButton: Yes
Discord: Yes
Waiting Room:
BigBlueButton: Yes
Discord: No
Participant Authentication:
BigBlueButton: Yes
Discord: Yes
Data Compliance:
Both BigBlueButton and Discord comply with GDPR regulations, ensuring that user data is handled according to European privacy standards.
BigBlueButton provides a more robust security framework with end-to-end encryption and a waiting room feature, enhancing control over participant access. Discord, while also offering password protection and participant authentication, lacks end-to-end encryption and a waiting room, which may be a consideration for users prioritizing security.
Verdict:
BigBlueButton is better: Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, GDPR vs No, Yes, No, Yes, GDPR.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| End-to-End Encryption | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Password Protection | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Waiting Room | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Participant Authentication | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Data Compliance | GDPR | GDPR |
User Experience
BigBlueButton and Discord both offer a high ease of use, making them accessible for users of all skill levels. BigBlueButton features a simple UI design, which is straightforward and easy to navigate. Discord, on the other hand, boasts an intuitive UI design, providing a more engaging and user-friendly experience.
Both apps support mobile functionality, ensuring users can access their services on the go. Accessibility is also a strong point for both, with each app offering features that cater to a wide range of users.
When it comes to customer support, BigBlueButton relies on community support. This means users can find help through forums and user groups, which can be beneficial for shared experiences and solutions. Discord offers both email and community support, providing users with direct assistance as well as the option to seek help from the community.
Overall, both BigBlueButton and Discord excel in user experience, with slight differences in UI design and customer support options.
Verdict:
BigBlueButton: Ease of Use: High, UI Design: Simple, Mobile Functionality: Yes, Accessibility: Yes, Customer Support: Community support.
Discord: Ease of Use: High, UI Design: Intuitive, Mobile Functionality: Yes, Accessibility: Yes, Customer Support: Email, Community Support.
Verdict: Discord is better.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | High | High |
| UI Design | Simple | Intuitive |
| Mobile Functionality | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Accessibility | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Customer Support | Community support | Email, Community Support |
Pricing
BigBlueButton and Discord both offer free tier availability. BigBlueButton is entirely free and open-source, making it a cost-effective option for users who need a conferencing app without any financial commitment. There are no paid plans or free trials for BigBlueButton, which means users can access all its features without any cost.
Discord, on the other hand, provides a free tier as well but also offers paid plans. The Nitro Basic plan is priced at $4.99 per month, while the Nitro plan costs $9.99 per month. These paid plans come with additional features and enhancements that are not available in the free tier. Similar to BigBlueButton, Discord does not offer a free trial for its paid plans.
In summary:
– Free Tier Availability: Yes vs Yes
– Paid Plans: Free (Open Source) vs $4.99/month (Nitro Basic), $9.99/month (Nitro)
– Free Trial Availability: No vs No
Verdict:
BigBlueButton is better due to being completely free and open source.
Performance
BigBlueButton and Discord both offer high reliability, ensuring stable connections during conferencing. Latency is low for both, providing smooth communication without noticeable delays.
In terms of resource usage, BigBlueButton is more efficient, requiring fewer system resources compared to Discord, which has moderate resource usage. This can be a deciding factor for users with limited hardware capabilities.
Feedback under high traffic conditions is positive for both platforms, indicating they handle large numbers of users effectively without significant performance degradation.
Verdict:
BigBlueButton is better due to lower resource usage while maintaining high reliability and low latency.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Reliability | High | High |
| Latency | Low | Low |
| Resource Usage | Low | Moderate |
| High Traffic Feedback | Positive | Positive |
Unique Selling Points
BigBlueButton and Discord cater to different audiences with their unique selling points and key features.
BigBlueButton stands out with its open-source nature, making it highly customizable for users. It is designed with extensive educational tools, including real-time sharing of audio, video, slides, and chat. It also offers features like breakout rooms, polling, and a multi-user whiteboard, making it ideal for online learning environments.
Discord, on the other hand, is gaming-focused and excels in community-building tools. It provides high-quality voice chat, which is crucial for gamers. Discord also supports text and video communication, along with features like screen sharing and server customization. Its user-friendly interface and robust community management tools make it popular among gaming communities and beyond.
BigBlueButton: Open-source, extensive educational tools.
Discord: Gaming-focused features, community-building tools, high-quality voice chat.
Verdict:
BigBlueButton is better for educational tools, while Discord excels in gaming features and community-building.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Key Features and Differentiators | Open-source, extensive educational tools | Gaming-focused features, community-building tools, high-quality voice chat |
User Feedback and Reviews
BigBlueButton and Discord are two popular conferencing apps, each excelling in different areas based on user feedback and reviews.
BigBlueButton is highly rated for educational use and customization. Users appreciate that it is free, open-source, and highly customizable. However, it requires self-hosting for full control, which can be a drawback for some users.
Discord, on the other hand, is highly rated for community building and ease of use. It is also free and offers high-quality voice and video, making it great for community building. However, it has limited professional features and lacks native recording capabilities.
Overall Ratings:
BigBlueButton: Highly rated for educational use and customization
Discord: Highly rated for community building and ease of use
Pros:
BigBlueButton: Free, open-source, customizable
Discord: Free, high-quality voice and video, great for community building
Cons:
BigBlueButton: Requires self-hosting for full control
Discord: Limited professional features, no native recording
Verdict:
BigBlueButton is better for educational use and customization. Discord excels in community building and ease of use.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Ratings | Highly rated for educational use and customization | Highly rated for community building and ease of use |
| Pros | Free, open-source, customizable | Free, high-quality voice and video, great for community building |
| Cons | Requires self-hosting for full control | Limited professional features, no native recording |
Final Verdict
BigBlueButton and Discord both offer strong core features with HD video and high audio quality. However, BigBlueButton excels in security with end-to-end encryption and a waiting room, while Discord lacks these features. In terms of user experience, Discord’s intuitive UI and direct customer support give it an edge. Pricing-wise, BigBlueButton is entirely free and open-source, making it more cost-effective. Overall, BigBlueButton is better for users prioritizing security and cost, while Discord is preferable for
