Fourwaves
Fourwaves follows its participant inbox with a week of admin fixes and security hardening.
Comparison · Meetings
BigBlueButton vs OpenSIPS
A side-by-side editorial comparison of BigBlueButton and OpenSIPS — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Shared themes:release-candidate
BigBlueButton vs OpenSIPS: 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 OpenSIPS?
OpenSIPS 4.0 is in release-candidate testing, with two RCs a month apart.
OpenSIPS, the open-source SIP proxy and server, has two tracked entries: 4.0.0-rc1 in May and 4.0.0-rc2 in June 2026. Both release notes are one-line announcements, so the specific 4.0 changes are not visible in the feed.
BigBlueButton vs OpenSIPS: 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.
OpenSIPS
0.0MEETINGS
OpenSIPS 4.0 is in release-candidate testing, with two RCs a month apart.
◆ Current state
OpenSIPS, the open-source SIP proxy and server, has two tracked entries: 4.0.0-rc1 in May and 4.0.0-rc2 in June 2026. Both release notes are one-line announcements, so the specific 4.0 changes are not visible in the feed.
◆ Where it's heading
The product is moving toward a 4.0 major release through a standard RC cycle. A second RC a month after the first suggests stabilization work rather than new scope, but the entries do not say what 4.0 changes.
◆ Prediction
A 4.0.0 general release is the next expected step; what it contains cannot be read from these announcements.
Alternatives to BigBlueButton and OpenSIPS
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 OpenSIPS.
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 OpenSIPS alternatives →
Recent activity from BigBlueButton and OpenSIPS
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
- 4mo agoOpenSIPSOpenSIPS 4.0 release candidate 2
- 5mo agoOpenSIPSOpenSIPS 4.0 enters release-candidate testing
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between BigBlueButton and OpenSIPS?
Both compete on the same themes — release-candidate — within Meetings. BigBlueButton is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is BigBlueButton better than OpenSIPS?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. BigBlueButton is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. 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 OpenSIPS?
Top OpenSIPS alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "OpenSIPS alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/opensips for the full list with editorial commentary on each.