Jami

Distributed peer-to-peer calls and chat, a GNU project.

jami.net
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Price
FreeFree and open source, with no paid tiers.
Works on
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web
Based in
Canada
Source code
Open source
Encryption
End-to-end encrypted

Jami covers calls, video and chat without a server anywhere in the path. It's a GNU package built by Savoir-faire Linux in Canada. Instead of central servers it uses a distributed hash table to find people. Your account never lives on anyone else's machine. It runs on every major platform plus the web and it's GPL-licensed and free. Being peer-to-peer has the usual price. Call quality and whether you can reach someone depend on the network. Direct connections can also expose your IP to your contacts. For a genuinely serverless tool that does voice, video and text in one place, not much else is this complete.

Strengths

  • Fully distributed, with no central servers or server-side account
  • Voice, video and chat on every major platform plus web
  • GPL-licensed GNU project, free with no ads

Considerations

  • Peer-to-peer reliability depends on network and NAT traversal
  • Contacts can be exposed to your IP address
Listed inMessaging

Jami alternatives

SimpleX ChatMessaging with no user identifiers at all, not even a random number.SignalThe mainstream secure messenger, trusted and easy to use.SessionOnion-routed messaging with no phone number and no central servers.ElementOpen, federated chat on the Matrix network, no phone number needed.