Fourwaves
Fourwaves follows its participant inbox with a week of admin fixes and security hardening.
Comparison · Meetings
BigBlueButton vs TrueConf
A side-by-side editorial comparison of BigBlueButton and TrueConf — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
BigBlueButton vs TrueConf: 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 TrueConf?
Mobile and calendar add-on tweaks dominate; the AI summarization story shipped last month is the real signal.
TrueConf's recent feed is heavy on marketing posts (Top Performer award, market overview piece) and small companion-tool updates — calendar add-ons, the Calendar Connector for Exchange. The substantive product moves are TrueConf 3.2 for Android (voice messages, PIN-protected app access) and, from April, TrueConf AI Server 1.0.2 adding meeting summarization on top of transcription.
BigBlueButton vs TrueConf: 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.
TrueConf
5.0MEETINGS
Mobile and calendar add-on tweaks dominate; the AI summarization story shipped last month is the real signal.
◆ Current state
TrueConf's recent feed is heavy on marketing posts (Top Performer award, market overview piece) and small companion-tool updates — calendar add-ons, the Calendar Connector for Exchange. The substantive product moves are TrueConf 3.2 for Android (voice messages, PIN-protected app access) and, from April, TrueConf AI Server 1.0.2 adding meeting summarization on top of transcription.
◆ Where it's heading
The on-premise video conferencing positioning continues to lean on enterprise-friendly extras — calendar integration, security patches, AI summarization that runs on customer-controlled infrastructure. Most of the cadence is incremental; the AI Server work is the only line of investment that could meaningfully change the competitive frame against cloud-first conferencing.
◆ Prediction
Expect AI Server to keep extending (action items, multi-language transcription, integrations with the meeting client UI). The core server and mobile apps will continue their slow stability-and-feature cadence.
Alternatives to BigBlueButton and TrueConf
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 TrueConf.
HOMER
HOMER 11.0.369 fixes S3 auth on Ceph-based storage and stops compaction memory growth.
Element Call
Element Call starts moving to new LiveKit transports and falls back to remote SFUs when needed.
JW Player
JW Player moves CMAF VOD into the dashboard, adds AV1, and opens Broadcast Live to audio-only feeds.
rtpengine
rtpengine opens the mr26.3 branch with a rollback message and leaner call state.
Nextcloud Talk Desktop
Nextcloud Talk Desktop 2.3.3 adds accessibility options and bundles Talk v25.0.6.
See all BigBlueButton alternatives → · See all TrueConf alternatives →
Recent activity from BigBlueButton and TrueConf
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 21d agoBigBlueButtonBigBlueButton 4.0 rc.5 removes Etherpad and moves to Node.js 24
- 28d 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
- 5mo agoTrueConfTrueConf Earns “Top Performer” Recognition in by FeaturedCustomers’ Spring 2026 Report
- 5mo agoTrueConfTrueConf 2.0.1 Add-ons for Corporate Calendars
- 5mo agoTrueConfTrueConf 3.2 for Android: Voice Messages and PIN to Access the App
- 5mo agoTrueConfBest Video Conferencing Software Solutions for 2026
- 5mo agoTrueConfTrueConf Calendar Connector 2.3: Changes and Improvements
- 5mo agoTrueConfPassword Management in TrueConf
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between BigBlueButton and TrueConf?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. BigBlueButton and TrueConf 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 TrueConf?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. BigBlueButton and TrueConf 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 TrueConf?
Top TrueConf alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "TrueConf alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/trueconf for the full list with editorial commentary on each.