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CommunicationsUtilitiesLinuxVoIPVoice over IPtelephony

What are the best VoIP clients for Linux?

11

Options
Considered

145

User
Recs.

Feb 27, 2021

Last
Updated

Here’s the Deal

10 Options Considered

Best VoIP clients for Linux	Price	Platforms	Required Android Version
89 Jami (formerly GNU Ring, SFLphone)	Free	Windows, Mac, Linux, Android	5.0+
-- Zoiper	FREE	Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, Windows Phone	Jellybean 4.1 and up
-- Linphone	-	-	-
-- Twinkle	FREE	-	-
-- RetroShare	FREE	-	-

Jami (formerly GNU Ring, SFLphone)

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Top Pro

No central server required

If there is a wired and/or wireless connection between the caller and receiver, you can make a call. See More

Top Con

Chat history shared across devices

Not yet supported. https://git.jami.net/savoirfairelinux/ring-project/wikis/features/All-features-by-client#text-messaging See More

DynamicPtocheia's Experience

Using as a sip phone is rubbish. It often loses connection with sip server, but gives you no error and shows a green light like everything is ok. The only way to resolve is to restart the app. Call quality bad too, constant distortion. All Linux softphones suck See More

Specs

Platforms:Windows, Mac, Linux, Android

Required Android Version:5.0+

Videoconferencing:Yes

Top Pro

Active project

Active community with frequent articles posted on their blog. See More

Top Con

Group text chat

Not yet supported; however, group video conferences are supported. https://git.jami.net/savoirfairelinux/ring-project/wikis/features/All-features-by-client#text-messaging See More

SincereKamrusepa's Experience

Language support Translated into many languages and open for more https://www.transifex.com/savoirfairelinux/jami/ See More

Top Pro

Cross platform support (computers, smartphones and televisions)

Works with devices running Android, Android TV, GNU/Linux, iOS, macOS and Windows operating systems. See More

Top Con

Rename contact/conversation

Unable to rename a contact/conversation in the list. See More

Top Pro

Free and open-source code

Contribute to and/or audit the source code here. See More

Top Con

No contact import

Top Pro

Clean, modern and simple interface

Top Pro

Open development

The Jami software has many features and is stable; yet, the rate of development is increasing as more developers are contributing to provide even more features while keeping the software stable. https://git.jami.net/ See More

Top Pro

SIP support

Answer and make VoIP telephone calls from anywhere in the world where you are connected to the internet. See More

Top Pro

Supports multiple accounts

You can have multiple Jami and SIP accounts active concurrently. See More

Top Pro

Video conferences

Make audio and video calls with multiple people on Jami. Easily add new participants. Because Jami does not rely on servers, the conference is hosted by the device of the person who initiates it. It mixes the audio and video feeds from all the participants and sends it back to them so everyone can see and hear each other. For this reason, the maximum number of participants depends on the hosting device's computing power and available bandwidth. The developers have tested video conferencing with up to sixteen members; however, it could potentially go higher. See More

Top Pro

4K/UHD video calling

If your device has a 4K camera, you can use it to its full potential with Jami thanks to the support for Ultra HD resolution. It is only really useful if the other person has a 4K screen, but if it's the case, they will see you as clearly as if you were there. See More

Top Pro

Audio and video messages

Record and send audio and video messages. This is convenient for when you want to send a quick message without typing. See More

Top Pro

Works without Internet access

If required, works within a Local Area Network (LAN) without the need for an Internet connection. See More

Top Pro

Intercom calls and file transfers between devices

The same account can be setup on multiple devices. You can then make calls between the same account on different devices. You can also transfer files between devices without using third-party services (like email accounts). See More

Top Pro

File sharing

Send files of all sizes between Jami users. FLAC, GIF, JPEG, JPG, MKV, MP3, MP4, OGG, PNG, WAV, WEBM and WEBP file extensions are automatically downloaded. See More

Top Pro

Crystal clear audio

Calls have crystal clear audio. See More

Top Pro

Language support

Translated into many languages and open for more translations. https://www.transifex.com/savoirfairelinux/jami/ See More

Top Pro

Screen sharing and media streaming

You can change the source of the video feed you send your friends during a call, allowing you to share either your entire screen or only sections. You can also stream any audio and video media files, allowing your friends to see or hear them without having to transfer them first. This is accessed by right-clicking on the screen during a call. See More

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Zoiper

Peter J. Mello's Experience

Being my SIP app of choice on Android for over seven years, I installed the Linux desktop version a while back when a need arose to make calls from my laptop and home computers and wasn't in any way disappointed. Packaged natively for Kubuntu as .deb files, installation was a cinch and setup was just as painless. It's handled three-way calls for me several times with exceptional sound quality, gives me access to every codec my VoIP providers offers and several more they don't, and maintains multiple connections to several different servers without flinching even when I'm saturating my home internet connection. It ended up being the motivation I needed to buy a premium soundbar with multiple microphones for my desktop monitor at home, even. I've only used the video call feature once, with my Lenovo ThinkPad, but that worked without even having to open the Preferences panel. I really can't think of a reason to use anything else other than it not being open-sourced, but it's hard to quibble over that when they make something so well across so many platforms. Two big thumbs up from me. See More

Specs

Platforms:Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, Windows Phone

Required Android Version:Jellybean 4.1 and up

Videoconferencing:Yes

Linphone

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Top Con

Up-to-date version in 2020 can only be compiled from source

There is either an outdated version in Ubuntu repos, official flatpak install has been broken for over 6 months, so you're left with compiling from source - https://gitlab.linphone.org/BC/public/linphone-desktop See More

DynamicPtocheia's Experience

The appimage version crashes when you try to enable h264 video codec. Why oh why would you not just have a deb package instead of forcing people to compile from source. We'll do this when Gentoo is the most popular distro. Until then just make a package seriously. See More

Top Con

Limited to flatpack installs

Yet another container service to keep up with. See More

DedicatedMelinoe's Experience

UI is confusing and outdated See More

Top Con

Audio while calling doesn't work on any of my Windows machines

Twinkle

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Top Con

Doesn't operate with Pulseaudio

Top Pro

Straightforward installation and configuration

ConsiderateVaisravana's Experience

Straightforward installation and configuration. See More

SensibleConand's Experience

The one remaining Linux SIP clinet that works with CISCO Jabber. See More

RetroShare

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Yate

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Cisco Webex

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Zoom

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Top Con

Security flaw exposes webcam hijack risk

Confirmed: Zoom Security Flaw Exposes Webcam Hijack Risk, Change Settings Now and there could be more as the code is closed and can't be independently audited. See More

Top Pro

App marketplace

Apps and add-ons are categorized by type, such as Assistants, Scheduling and Security & Compliance. Zoom partners with several major tech companies to provide apps and bots from HubSpot, Microsoft Teams, Slack, among many others. See More

Specs

Platforms:Android, iOS, PC, Mac, Linux, Blackberry

Top Con

Can't stop the automatic recording

Top Pro

Schedule meetings

Meetings can be scheduled and held from virtually anywhere on any device as Zoom is tightly integrated with Slack and Outlook. See More

Top Con

Developed with Chinese engineers

"Yuan used the majority of the initial investment funding to hire engineering talent in his native China. This was largely a cost-saving measure; Chinese engineers were cheaper than their American counterparts. More engineers meant a tighter product." Since the code is closed, there may be back doors which would enable eavesdropping. See More

Skype

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Top Con

Microsoft (Skype's owner) actively assists eavesdroppers

On the other hand, if you lose your copy of one of your conversations, you may be able to get a copy of it from your government with a little bit of luck and a public records request. See More

Top Pro

File sharing

Skype allows you to send any files (MP3s, images, text, etc.) by simply dragging and dropping then in the chat window making it simple to share things with colleagues. See More

Specs

Platforms:iOS, Android, WP, OSX, Windows, Linux, Web. Blackberry. Chrome OS. BSD, iPadOs

Required Android Version:6.0

Videoconferencing:yes

Top Con

No support for 3rd-party accounts

You'll need a Skype account for using it. There is no possibility to add another voip-account. See More

Top Pro

Cross-platform

There's software for Windows, Mac & Linux and apps are available on iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone. See More

Top Con

Poor Linux support

The version available for linux users is quite outdated, and does not support some of the newer functionality, such as the free group video calling and screen sharing. See More

Top Con

Plagued by bugs on all platforms

Crashes and other bugs are prevalent on Android, Windows and other platforms. See More

Ekiga

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