When it comes to selecting a video conferencing app, BigBlueButton and Lifesize offer distinct advantages depending on your needs. BigBlueButton is engineered with educational environments in mind, providing tools for interactive learning, such as breakout rooms and real-time collaboration features, ideal for virtual classrooms. On the other hand, Lifesize targets professional settings, offering high-definition video quality and enterprise-grade support, making it suitable for corporate meetings and large-scale conferences. This article breaks down the core benefits of each platform to help you choose the best solution for your needs.
General Information
BigBlueButton, developed by Blindside Networks, was released in 2007. It supports multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Web. This makes it versatile for users across different devices and operating systems.
Lifesize, on the other hand, was developed by Lifesize and released earlier in 2003. Similar to BigBlueButton, Lifesize also supports Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Web platforms, ensuring broad accessibility for its users.
Both applications offer comprehensive platform support, making them accessible on a wide range of devices. BigBlueButton and Lifesize cater to users who need flexibility in their conferencing tools, regardless of the operating system they use.
Verdict:
Lifesize is better due to its earlier release date and equal platform availability.
| Attribute |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Developer/Company | Blindside Networks | Lifesize |
| Release Date | 2007 | 2003 |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web |
Core Features
BigBlueButton and Lifesize both offer robust core features for conferencing.
Video Quality: Both BigBlueButton and Lifesize provide HD video quality, ensuring clear and sharp visuals during meetings. This makes them suitable for professional presentations and detailed visual communication.
Audio Quality: In terms of audio, both platforms deliver high-quality sound. This ensures that participants can hear each other clearly, which is crucial for effective communication.
Overall, both BigBlueButton and Lifesize excel in providing high-definition video and high-quality audio, making them reliable choices for virtual meetings.
Verdict:
Both have HD video and high audio quality. They are equally matched in core features.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Video Quality | HD | HD |
| Audio Quality | High | High |
Interactive demos of BigBlueButton and Lifesize
BigBlueButton Demo
Lifesize Demo
Collaboration Tools
BigBlueButton and Lifesize offer distinct features for collaboration tools.
BigBlueButton allows unlimited participants for both free and paid versions, making it ideal for large groups. In contrast, Lifesize supports up to 25 participants for free and up to 300 for paid plans.
Meeting duration is another key difference. BigBlueButton offers unlimited meeting time for free users, while Lifesize limits free meetings to 40 minutes.
Both platforms support screen sharing, which is essential for collaborative work. However, when it comes to recording meetings, BigBlueButton does not offer this feature, whereas Lifesize does.
Virtual backgrounds are another area where Lifesize has an advantage, offering this feature to enhance user experience. BigBlueButton does not support virtual backgrounds.
Verdict:
BigBlueButton is better for free users; Lifesize is better for paid users.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Participants (Free) | Unlimited | 25 |
| Participants (Paid) | Unlimited | Up to 300 |
| Meeting Duration (Free) | Unlimited | 40 minutes |
| Screen Sharing | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Recording | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Virtual Backgrounds | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
Integration and Compatibility
BigBlueButton and Lifesize are both robust conferencing apps, offering a range of features that enhance virtual meetings.
Both platforms support in-meeting chat, file sharing, breakout rooms, polls and Q&A, whiteboarding, and meeting notes, making them versatile tools for various meeting needs.
When it comes to integration and compatibility, Lifesize has an edge. It integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, which BigBlueButton does not. This makes Lifesize a more attractive option for users who rely heavily on these productivity suites.
Both apps support third-party app integration and offer API availability, allowing for customization and extended functionality.
Verdict:
Lifesize is better due to its integration with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| In-meeting Chat | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| File Sharing | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Breakout Rooms | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Polls and Q&A | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Whiteboarding | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Meeting Notes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Google Workspace Integration | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Microsoft 365 Integration | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Third-party Apps Integration | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| API Availability | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Security and Privacy
BigBlueButton and Lifesize both prioritize security and privacy in their conferencing apps.
End-to-End Encryption: Both BigBlueButton and Lifesize offer end-to-end encryption, ensuring that communications are secure from sender to receiver.
Password Protection: Both platforms provide password protection for meetings, adding an extra layer of security to prevent unauthorized access.
Waiting Room: Each app includes a waiting room feature, allowing hosts to control who enters the meeting and when.
Participant Authentication: Both BigBlueButton and Lifesize support participant authentication, ensuring that only verified users can join the meeting.
Data Compliance: Both platforms comply with GDPR regulations, ensuring that user data is handled according to stringent European privacy standards. While BigBlueButton does not specifically mention HIPAA compliance, Lifesize is HIPAA compliant, making it a suitable choice for healthcare-related communications.
Verdict:
Lifesize is better due to additional HIPAA compliance.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| End-to-End Encryption | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Password Protection | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Waiting Room | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Participant Authentication | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Data Compliance | GDPR | GDPR, HIPAA |
User Experience
BigBlueButton and Lifesize both offer a high ease of use, making them accessible for users of all technical levels.
In terms of UI design, BigBlueButton features a simple interface, which can be beneficial for users who prefer straightforward navigation. Lifesize, on the other hand, offers an intuitive design, which may appeal to those who appreciate a more polished and user-friendly experience.
Both platforms support mobile functionality, allowing users to join meetings from their smartphones or tablets without any issues.
Accessibility is a strong point for both BigBlueButton and Lifesize, ensuring that users with disabilities can effectively use the platforms.
When it comes to customer support, BigBlueButton relies on community support, which can be helpful but may lack the immediacy some users need. Lifesize provides more robust support options, including live chat, email, and phone support, offering users multiple ways to get assistance quickly.
Verdict:
Lifesize is better due to its intuitive UI design and comprehensive customer support options.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | High | High |
| UI Design | Simple | Intuitive |
| Mobile Functionality | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Accessibility | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Customer Support | Community support | Live Chat, Email, Phone |
Pricing
BigBlueButton and Lifesize offer different pricing structures for their conferencing services.
BigBlueButton is open-source and free to use, making it an attractive option for those looking to minimize costs. It does not have a paid plan, which means users can access all its features without any subscription fees. However, it does not offer a free trial, as the entire platform is already free.
Lifesize, on the other hand, provides a free tier but also has a paid plan priced at $12.50 per month. This paid plan may include additional features and support that are not available in the free tier. Lifesize also offers a free trial, allowing users to test the paid features before committing to a subscription.
Verdict:
BigBlueButton is better due to being open source and free.
Performance
BigBlueButton and Lifesize both excel in performance, making them strong contenders in the conferencing app market.
Reliability for both BigBlueButton and Lifesize is high. Users can depend on either platform for consistent and stable connections during meetings, ensuring minimal disruptions.
Latency is low for both applications. This means that users experience minimal delays, allowing for smooth and real-time communication, which is crucial for effective virtual meetings.
Resource usage is also low for both BigBlueButton and Lifesize. They are optimized to run efficiently on various devices without consuming excessive system resources, making them suitable for users with different hardware capabilities.
High traffic feedback is positive for both platforms. Users report satisfactory performance even during peak usage times, indicating that both BigBlueButton and Lifesize can handle large numbers of participants without significant performance degradation.
Verdict:
Both are equally good in terms of performance.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Reliability | High | High |
| Latency | Low | Low |
| Resource Usage | Low | Low |
| High Traffic Feedback | Positive | Positive |
Unique Selling Points
BigBlueButton and Lifesize are two popular conferencing apps, each with unique selling points.
BigBlueButton stands out for being open-source, making it highly customizable and cost-effective. It offers extensive educational tools, making it ideal for online learning environments. Features like real-time sharing of audio, video, slides, and chat, along with breakout rooms and polling, cater specifically to educators and students.
Lifesize, on the other hand, excels in providing high-quality video and audio, ensuring a seamless communication experience. It supports large participant capacity, making it suitable for corporate meetings and large-scale webinars. Lifesize also integrates well with various business tools, enhancing its appeal for professional use.
Verdict:
BigBlueButton is better for educational tools, while Lifesize excels in video/audio quality and participant capacity.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Key Features and Differentiators | Open-source, extensive educational tools | High-quality video and audio, large participant capacity |
User Feedback and Reviews
BigBlueButton and Lifesize are two popular conferencing apps, each with distinct strengths and weaknesses based on user feedback and reviews.
BigBlueButton is highly rated for educational use and customization. Users appreciate that it is free, open-source, and customizable. However, it requires self-hosting for full control, which can be a drawback for some users.
Lifesize, on the other hand, is highly rated for its video and audio quality. Users find it easy to use and praise its high-quality video. The main downside is the higher cost for large meetings, which can be a significant factor for organizations with extensive conferencing needs.
Verdict:
BigBlueButton is better for educational use and customization. Lifesize excels in video and audio quality.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Ratings | Highly rated for educational use and customization | Highly rated for video and audio quality |
| Pros | Free, open-source, customizable | High-quality video, easy to use |
| Cons | Requires self-hosting for full control | Higher cost for large meetings |
Final Verdict
BigBlueButton and Lifesize both excel in core features, offering HD video and high-quality audio. In terms of security, Lifesize has an edge with HIPAA compliance. Lifesize also offers a more intuitive UI and comprehensive customer support. However, BigBlueButton stands out for being open-source and completely free, making it highly cost-effective. Overall, Lifesize is better for users needing advanced support and compliance, while BigBlueButton is ideal for those prioritizing cost savings.
