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Comparison · Meetings
BigBlueButton vs Haivision
A side-by-side editorial comparison of BigBlueButton and Haivision — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
BigBlueButton vs Haivision: 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 Haivision?
A streaming-video vendor doubling down on defense ISR and command-center content
Haivision runs two businesses off one video-transport core: broadcast contribution hardware and defense/public-safety ISR. The feed is mostly a marketing blog, but real product surfaces show through — the Play ISR Premium player, the SRT Gateway routing UI, and the Makito ONE / Falkon X4 contribution line.
BigBlueButton vs Haivision: 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.
Haivision
5.0MEETINGS
A streaming-video vendor doubling down on defense ISR and command-center content
◆ Current state
Haivision runs two businesses off one video-transport core: broadcast contribution hardware and defense/public-safety ISR. The feed is mostly a marketing blog, but real product surfaces show through — the Play ISR Premium player, the SRT Gateway routing UI, and the Makito ONE / Falkon X4 contribution line.
◆ Where it's heading
The editorial center of gravity is tactical-edge ISR: situational awareness, drone-as-first-responder, command centers. Product mentions cluster around making low-latency IP video easier to route and analyze, suggesting the roadmap is usability and workflow depth on top of established transport tech.
◆ Prediction
Expect continued ISR/defense positioning paired with incremental UX work on the SRT Gateway and Play ISR tooling, plus event-timed hardware refreshes around the broadcast calendar.
Alternatives to BigBlueButton and Haivision
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 Haivision.
rtpengine
rtpengine pushes a runaway-recursion guard to four branches, then fixes the compile break.
Nextcloud Talk
Nextcloud Talk patches v22 and v23 while v25 stable sits five weeks past its last RC.
Kamailio
Kamailio's feed shows quiet, migration-free upkeep across two stable branches.
HOMER
HOMER 11 spends a release closing security holes in its query and auth surface
Fourwaves
Fourwaves is in a polish cycle: custom-domain fixes, accessibility rules and password UX.
See all BigBlueButton alternatives → · See all Haivision alternatives →
Recent activity from BigBlueButton and Haivision
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 10d agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 rc.5 removes Etherpad and moves to Node.js 24
- 16d agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 rc.4 patches audio and notes security flaws
- 1mo agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 rc.3 hardens LiveKit reconnection
- 1mo agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 rc.2 fixes cross-meeting security flaws
- 1mo agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 rc.1 completes the LiveKit audio migration ⚡
- 2mo agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 beta.5 overhauls mobile layout
- 2mo agoHaivisionBuilding Situational Awareness at the Tactical Edge with ISR
- 3mo agoHaivisionHow ISR Video Improves Situational Awareness Across Defense and Public Safety Operations
- 3mo agoHaivisionHow Play ISR Premium Elevates ISR Analysis
- 4mo agoHaivisionHaivision SRT Gateway Redefined: A Faster, More Intuitive User Experience
- 4mo agoHaivisionBroadcast Innovation in Live Video Contribution with MiLB
- 4mo agoHaivisionYour Checklist for How to Build a Command Center
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between BigBlueButton and Haivision?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. BigBlueButton and Haivision are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is BigBlueButton better than Haivision?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. BigBlueButton and Haivision are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). 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 Haivision?
Top Haivision alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Haivision alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/haivision for the full list with editorial commentary on each.