Jitsi vs Linphone

Jitsi, it could be said, is the kind of tool that, upon first glance, gives you the impression it might be plotting something profound. It offers all the essentials—encrypted meetings, screen sharing and even a vague sense of camaraderie among distant colleagues. It does so with a seamless interface that seems to want to hug you warmly but respectfully, as if saying, "Come, let us communicate across galaxies, but do so securely and for free, if you please." Jitsi takes on the chaotic task of video conferencing and, miraculously, makes it look easy, which is more than you can say for most things involving cameras and human faces.

Linphone, meanwhile, is the quieter sibling at the party. It doesn't care about showing you videos or offering you virtual applause. It is more interested in voices—specifically, your voice traveling across mystical data channels at impressively high quality. "SIP compatibility?" Linphone chimes in, "Of course!" It’s the sort of app that seems to have a thousand strings pulling in a thousand different directions, only it makes sure every string ends up tied neatly in a bow labeled "VoIP." And if you ever wanted to synchronize calls across various gadgets with the same finesse as a conductor guiding an orchestra, Linphone is ready, batons in hand.

See also: Top 10 Videoconferencing software