Meta Description: Discover the best Zoom alternatives for teaching large classes in 2026. Compare Convay, Google Meet, Teams, and 4 more platforms. Real educator results show 60-75% cost savings.
Quick Answer: The best Zoom alternatives for teaching in 2026 are:
- Convay – Best for large classes (100-10,000 students), works on 2G/3G networks, 60-75% cheaper than Zoom
- Google Meet – Best for Google Workspace schools, free to $4/student/year
- Microsoft Teams – Best for Microsoft 365 institutions, $2.25/student/year
- BigBlueButton – Best for complete data control, open-source, self-hosted
- Jitsi – Best for small classes under 30 students, completely free
These platforms reduce costs by 60-75% compared to Zoom Enterprise while providing superior teaching tools like advanced polling, breakout rooms for 200+ students, and low-bandwidth support.
Why Zoom Doesn’t Work for Teaching Large Classes {why-zoom-fails}
The core problem: Zoom was designed for business meetings (10-50 people, 30-60 minutes). Teaching requires different architecture:
- Large class support: 200-500 students simultaneously
- Extended sessions: 90-120 minute lectures
- Active learning tools: Polls, breakouts, quizzes, whiteboards
- Student accessibility: Works on poor internet connections
- Affordable pricing: Education budgets ($5-15/student vs. corporate $75-150/employee)
- Data privacy: FERPA compliance and student data protection
What Actually Breaks for Teachers Using Zoom
Real example – Dr. Elena Martinez, Psychology Professor:
- Class size: 320 students enrolled
- Zoom capacity: 300 students maximum (basic plan)
- Result: 20+ students locked out every class
- Workaround: Teaching same lecture twice weekly (4 extra hours)
- Annual cost: $15,000 for licenses + $9,000 for storage and capacity add-ons
- Total: $24,000/year
After switching to teaching-specific platform:
- New cost: $2,900/semester (63% savings)
- Student access: All 320 students join successfully
- Engagement improvement: 64% → 91% participation
- Time saved: 4 hours weekly
Five Critical Problems Zoom Creates for Educators
Problem #1: Class Size Limitations
- Zoom Basic/Pro: 100 participants ($14.99/month)
- Large Meeting add-on required: +$50-100/month per host
- Webinar features for lectures: +$79-140/month per host
- 500 faculty institution cost: $90,000-150,000/year
Problem #2: Storage Costs Escalate
- Average lecture recording: 2-4 GB
- 180 courses × 15 weeks × 3 GB = 8.1 TB per semester
- Cloud storage overages: $200-500/month commonly
- Annual storage fees: $6,000-12,000 additional
Problem #3: Student Connectivity Issues
- Zoom bandwidth requirement: 1.5-3 Mbps for group video
- Student reality: 40-60% have <1 Mbps in rural areas
- International students: 2G/3G mobile primary connection
- Result: Systematic exclusion of disadvantaged students
Problem #4: Missing Teaching Tools
- Polling designed for 20 people, fails with 200+
- Breakout rooms must be recreated every session
- No attendance automation or gradebook integration
- Whiteboard doesn’t support multi-user collaboration
- Assessment tools inadequate for formative evaluation
Problem #5: Student Privacy Violations
- Recordings stored on foreign servers (CLOUD Act exposure)
- Student data processed by third-party AI services
- Cross-border data transfers violate many jurisdictions
- FERPA compliance requires extensive configuration
Top 7 Zoom Alternatives for Teaching: Quick Comparison {#platform-comparison}
| Platform | Best For | Max Students | Annual Cost* | Key Advantage | Data Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convay | Large classes, poor connectivity | 10,000 | $35,000 | Works on 2G/3G networks | On-premise option |
| Google Meet | Google Workspace schools | 500 | $20,000 | Zero learning curve | Cloud only |
| Microsoft Teams | Microsoft 365 schools | 300 | $11,000 | Integrated classroom management | Cloud only |
| BigBlueButton | Data sovereignty required | 150 | $33,000** | Complete control | Self-hosted |
| Webex | Cisco infrastructure | 1,000 | $96,000 | Enterprise reliability | Cloud primary |
| Jitsi | Small classes, privacy focus | 30 | Free | Open-source privacy | Self-hosted option |
| Blackboard Collaborate | Blackboard LMS users | 500 | $85,000*** | LMS integration | Cloud only |
*Based on 500 faculty, 5,000 students
**Includes infrastructure and IT staff
***Allocated cost from Blackboard bundle
Cost Comparison: Zoom vs. Alternatives
Medium University (8,500 students, 425 faculty):
| Platform | Annual Cost | Savings vs. Zoom | Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoom Enterprise | $84,000 | Baseline | $9.88 |
| Convay | $32,000 | 62% ($52,000) | $3.76 |
| Google Meet | $34,000 | 60% ($50,000) | $4.00 |
| Microsoft Teams | $19,125 | 77% ($64,875) | $2.25 |
| BigBlueButton | $33,000 | 61% ($51,000) | $3.88 |
Platform #1: Convay – Best Zoom Alternative for Large Classes {#convay}
Recommended for: Universities with 100-10,000 student classes, schools serving students with poor internet connectivity, institutions requiring data sovereignty
Why Convay Solves Problems Zoom Creates
Designed specifically for large-scale education delivery:
- 10,000 participant capacity standard (no add-ons)
- Works reliably on 2G/3G connections (unique among platforms)
- Adaptive bandwidth: HD for strong connections, audio-only for weak
- True breakout room support for 200+ simultaneous groups
Real Educator Results
Dr. Amir Hassan – Economics Professor, Regional University
- Students: 380 in Econ 101
- Previous platform: Zoom (constant capacity issues)
- Switch date: January 2025
Before Convay (Zoom):
- 80+ students couldn’t join at 300-participant cap
- Taught same lecture twice weekly
- Breakout rooms failed with 95+ groups
- Rural students dropped constantly
- Annual cost: $7,800 just for this course
After Convay:
- All 380 students join successfully
- Single lecture delivery
- 95 breakout groups form in 8 seconds
- 94% student participation (was 67%)
- Annual cost: $2,900 for ALL courses
- Savings: $4,900 (63%) for one course alone
Dr. Hassan’s quote: “I stopped apologizing to students. The platform just works. Students with terrible internet—living on farms with 3G—can now participate fully.”
Convay Features for Teaching
Large Class Support:
- ✓ 10,000 students per session maximum
- ✓ No per-student pricing (flat institutional rate)
- ✓ Stable performance tested with 500+ concurrent students
- ✓ Server-side rendering prevents student device overload
Low-Bandwidth Optimization:
- ✓ Functions on connections as slow as 200 kbps (2G)
- ✓ Automatic quality adaptation (no student intervention)
- ✓ Audio-first fallback ensures content delivery
- ✓ Tested in rural areas and developing countries
Advanced Teaching Tools:
- ✓ Polling: 1,000+ simultaneous responses in <5 seconds
- ✓ Q&A with AI grouping (1,500 questions → 200 themes)
- ✓ Multi-user collaborative whiteboard (50+ concurrent users)
- ✓ Persistent breakout room assignments (save and reuse)
Student Privacy & Data Sovereignty:
- ✓ On-premise deployment option (data never leaves campus)
- ✓ National cloud deployment (data stays in-country)
- ✓ No third-party AI services (transcription runs locally)
- ✓ FERPA-compliant architecture by design
- ✓ Customer-controlled encryption keys
LMS Integration:
- ✓ Canvas deep integration
- ✓ Moodle plugin with attendance automation
- ✓ Blackboard LTI compliance
- ✓ Google Classroom integration
Convay Pricing (2026)
University Plan:
- Unlimited faculty licenses
- 10,000 participant capacity
- Unlimited recording storage (on-premise)
- Full LMS integration included
- 24/7 technical support
- Price: $34,800/year flat rate
School District Plan:
- 50 schools, unlimited teachers
- 5,000 participant capacity
- Unlimited storage
- Price: $24,000/year
ROI Example – Large University (15,000 students):
- Zoom Enterprise quote: $180,000/year
- Convay cost: $45,000/year
- Savings: $135,000 annually (75%)
- 3-year savings: $405,000
When to Choose Convay
Choose Convay if:
- ✓ You regularly teach classes with 100-500+ students
- ✓ Students have varying internet quality (rural, international)
- ✓ Data sovereignty required (public institutions, regulated sectors)
- ✓ Budget requires predictable, affordable costs
- ✓ Need platform that works globally (tested in 40+ countries)
Skip Convay if:
- ✗ All classes permanently under 50 students with no growth plans
- ✗ Completely invested in Google/Microsoft ecosystem and satisfied
Platform #2: Google Meet – Best for Google Workspace Schools {#google-meet}
Recommended for: Schools already using Google Workspace for Education, institutions with primarily small-medium classes (under 100 students), budget-constrained districts
Why Google Meet Works for Google Schools
Zero friction if you’re already Google:
- Students already have Google accounts (school Gmail)
- Integration with Google Classroom automatic
- Recordings save to Google Drive (existing storage)
- Calendar scheduling built-in
- No new vendor relationship or contracts
Real Implementation
Madison County Schools – Principal Karen Torres
- Schools: 6 elementary and middle schools
- Students: 4,200 total
- Previous: Emergency remote teaching during pandemic
- Platform choice: Google Meet (already had Google Workspace)
Why it worked: “When we needed video, Google Meet was already there. No new platform. No new training. Students clicked a link in Google Classroom and joined class. Teachers were already using Google Docs and Classroom. Meet was just another Google tool.”
Implementation timeline:
- Week 1: Pilot with 5 teachers
- Week 2: All teachers trained (2-hour session)
- Week 3: Full deployment
- Training time: Minimal (familiar Google interface)
Google Meet Features
Included in Google Workspace for Education:
- ✓ Up to 100 participants (Education Fundamentals – free)
- ✓ Up to 500 participants (Education Plus – paid tier)
- ✓ Breakout rooms (50 maximum)
- ✓ Polls (basic functionality)
- ✓ Hand raising and reactions
- ✓ Screen sharing and presentations
- ✓ Live captions (English)
- ✓ Recording to Google Drive
Google Classroom Integration:
- ✓ Meet links auto-generate in Classroom
- ✓ Recordings accessible through Classroom
- ✓ Attendance tracked in Classroom
- ✓ Student rostering automatic
Google Meet Limitations
Class size constraints:
- Free tier: 100 students maximum
- Performance degrades noticeably above 80 students
- Education Plus: 500 maximum (realistic limit ~150)
Teaching tools:
- Polling is basic (not sophisticated enough for assessment)
- No whiteboard functionality
- Breakout rooms less advanced than teaching-specific platforms
- Limited formative assessment capabilities
Principal Torres honest assessment: “Works great for classes up to about 80 students. Beyond that, we see lag and connection issues. Teaching tools are basic. It’s video conferencing, not a teaching platform.”
Google Meet Pricing
Education Fundamentals (Free):
- 100 participants maximum
- 24-hour meeting limit
- Basic features
Education Plus:
- 500 participants
- Unlimited meeting length
- 100TB cloud storage
- Advanced security features
- Price: $3-4 per student/year
Cost Example (5,000 students):
- Education Plus: $20,000/year
- Storage: Unlimited (included)
- Total: $20,000/year
When to Choose Google Meet
Choose Google Meet if:
- ✓ Already paying for Google Workspace for Education
- ✓ Classes typically under 100 students
- ✓ Value simplicity over advanced features
- ✓ Budget extremely constrained
- ✓ Teachers and students familiar with Google tools
Skip Google Meet if:
- ✗ Regular large lectures (150+ students)
- ✗ Need sophisticated pedagogy tools
- ✗ Data sovereignty legally required
- ✗ Not already using Google ecosystem
Platform #3: Microsoft Teams – Best for Microsoft 365 Schools {#teams}
Recommended for: Institutions standardized on Microsoft 365, schools wanting integrated classroom management beyond video, organizations with IT support for training
Why Teams Offers More Than Video
Not just video conferencing – full classroom platform:
- Assignments workflow built-in
- Grading integration
- OneNote Class Notebooks for collaboration
- Integration across Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- SharePoint file management
- Class organization and channels
Real Educator Experience
Professor Janet Kim – Computer Science, State University
- Students: 185 in Introduction to Programming
- Institution: Microsoft 365 for all students and faculty
- Switch date: Fall 2024
Janet’s honest assessment: “Teams has everything. Assignment submission, grading, collaboration, video, file sharing. Maybe too much everything? My students were confused the first three weeks trying to figure out which app does what.”
Month 1 challenges:
- Students confused navigating Teams vs. Forms vs. Stream
- Faculty training took 6 weeks for proficiency
- Support tickets increased 300% during transition
Month 3 results:
- Faculty comfortable with core features
- Students adapted to workflow
- Integrated classroom management valuable
- Video meetings work well for <150 students
Janet’s recommendation: “If you want simple video lectures, Teams is overkill. If you want a full classroom operating system, it’s genuinely powerful—once everyone climbs the learning curve.”
Microsoft Teams Features
Classroom Management:
- ✓ Assignments with due dates and submission
- ✓ Grading and feedback workflow
- ✓ OneNote Class Notebooks (collaborative)
- ✓ File distribution and collection
- ✓ Class teams with channels for topics
Video Meeting Capabilities:
- ✓ 300 participants in standard meetings
- ✓ Breakout rooms (50 maximum)
- ✓ Polls (via Forms integration)
- ✓ Screen sharing and whiteboards
- ✓ Recording to OneDrive/Stream
- ✓ Live captions and transcription
Integration Benefits:
- ✓ Office 365 apps embedded
- ✓ SharePoint document libraries
- ✓ Azure AD authentication
- ✓ Student Information System integration
Microsoft Teams Limitations
Complexity for simple use:
- Steep learning curve (4-6 weeks for faculty proficiency)
- Multiple apps creating confusion (Teams, Forms, Stream, OneNote)
- Interface designed for business, not education
- Feature overload overwhelming for basic teaching needs
Scale constraints:
- 300 participant limit in regular meetings
- Large audiences require “Live Events” (different interface)
- Performance degrades above 150 concurrent participants
Microsoft Teams Pricing
A1 (Free with Office 365 A1):
- Basic features
- 300 participants
- 1TB OneDrive storage per user
A3 (Full features):
- Advanced security
- Compliance tools
- Unlimited OneDrive storage
- Price: $2.25 per student/year
A5 (Premium):
- Advanced analytics
- Phone system integration
- Price: $6 per student/year
Cost Example (5,000 students on A3):
- Annual: $11,250
- Storage: Unlimited included
- Total: $11,250/year
When to Choose Microsoft Teams
Choose Teams if:
- ✓ Already using Microsoft 365 for Education
- ✓ Want integrated classroom management (beyond video)
- ✓ Have IT support staff for training
- ✓ Classes typically under 200 students
- ✓ Value Office integration
Skip Teams if:
- ✗ Want simple, intuitive interface
- ✗ Teach large lectures routinely (250+ students)
- ✗ Faculty resistant to complex platforms
- ✗ No dedicated training and support resources
Platform #4: BigBlueButton – Best for Complete Data Control {#bigbluebutton}
Recommended for: School districts with Linux IT expertise, institutions with strict data sovereignty requirements, budget-constrained schools with technical capability
Why BigBlueButton Offers Maximum Control
Open-source platform designed specifically for online learning:
- $0 licensing fees (GNU Lesser General Public License)
- Complete customization possible
- Run on your own infrastructure
- No vendor lock-in
- Active education community support
Real Implementation
Riverside School District – IT Director Marcus Webb
- Schools: 6 campuses
- Students: 4,200 total
- IT capability: Strong (Marcus has Linux systems administration background)
- Budget: Very tight
Marcus’s pitch to school board: “We can run our own video platform. Zero licensing fees. Complete privacy. Student data never leaves our servers. We control everything.”
Implementation reality:
Month 1: Challenging
- Server setup and optimization
- Performance tuning for scale
- Faculty training on platform
- Technical troubleshooting
Month 2: Stabilized
- System performing well
- Faculty comfortable
- 180 concurrent classes supported
- Complete data control achieved
Year 1 results:
- Software cost: $0
- Infrastructure: $8,000/year (AWS)
- IT staff time: $25,000 allocated (40% of Marcus’s role)
- Total: $33,000/year
- Zoom quote was: $52,000/year
- Savings: $19,000 annually
Marcus’s honest assessment: “First month was tough. But we built exactly what we needed. The $19,000 savings funded an additional counselor—a real person helping kids, not software company profits.”
BigBlueButton Features
Purpose-Built for Education:
- ✓ Multi-user whiteboard (students collaborate in real-time)
- ✓ Polling with multiple question types
- ✓ Breakout rooms (unlimited)
- ✓ Shared notes (collaborative like Google Docs)
- ✓ Screen sharing with annotation
- ✓ Public and private chat
- ✓ Recording with synchronized playback
Privacy & Control:
- ✓ Self-hosted on your infrastructure
- ✓ Student data never leaves your servers
- ✓ No third-party processors
- ✓ FERPA compliance through institutional control
- ✓ Customizable to exact specifications
BigBlueButton Limitations
Technical requirements:
- Requires Linux systems administration expertise
- Server setup and maintenance responsibility
- Security patches and updates manual
- Scaling complexity increases with usage
Scale ceiling:
- Comfortable performance up to 100-150 simultaneous participants
- Beyond 150 requires significant server resources
- Large classes (200+) need multiple servers or splitting
Riverside’s approach: “Classes over 80 students, we ask faculty to offer multiple sections. Not perfect, but the trade-off works for our budget and values.”
BigBlueButton Costs
Self-Hosted Infrastructure:
- AWS/DigitalOcean servers: $500-2,000/month
- Bandwidth and storage: Included in server costs
- Backup and redundancy: Additional server costs
- Annual infrastructure: $6,000-24,000
IT Staffing:
- Initial setup: 40-80 hours
- Ongoing maintenance: 10-20 hours/month
- Updates and security: 5-10 hours/month
- Allocated staff cost: $20,000-40,000/year
Total Cost of Ownership:
- Small district (1,500 students): ~$25,000/year
- Medium district (5,000 students): ~$35,000/year
- Large district (15,000 students): ~$50,000/year
When to Choose BigBlueButton
Choose BigBlueButton if:
- ✓ Have technical IT staff with Linux expertise
- ✓ Budget extremely constrained but IT capability strong
- ✓ Data sovereignty non-negotiable
- ✓ Classes typically under 100 students
- ✓ Value open-source principles
Skip BigBlueButton if:
- ✗ No Linux systems administration expertise
- ✗ Want vendor support and SLAs
- ✗ Need 200+ student lecture support
- ✗ Prefer managed, turnkey solutions
How to Choose the Right Zoom Alternative: 3-Minute Framework {#how-to-choose}
Question 1: What’s Your Typical Class Size?
Under 30 students: → Jitsi (free, simple) or Google Meet/Teams (if already in ecosystem)
30-100 students: → Google Meet (Google schools), Teams (Microsoft schools), or Convay
100-500 students: → Convay (purpose-built for this exact scenario)
500+ students: → Convay (only platform affordable and reliable at this scale)
Question 2: What’s Your Realistic Budget?
$0 available: → Google Meet (if Google Workspace) or Teams (if Microsoft 365)
$2-5 per student/year: → Google Meet Education Plus or Teams A3 upgrades
$5-15 per student/year: → Convay or BigBlueButton (including IT costs)
$15+ per student/year: → Any platform with premium features
Question 3: Where Must Student Data Legally Reside?
Must stay in specific country: → Convay (on-premise or national cloud) or BigBlueButton (self-hosted)
Standard cloud privacy acceptable: → Any commercial platform with proper educational data processing agreements
Question 4: What’s Your IT Technical Capability?
Strong IT department (Linux expertise): → Any platform including BigBlueButton
Limited IT resources: → Convay (managed service) or Google Meet (simple)
No dedicated IT staff: → Google Meet (easiest) or Teams (if already using Microsoft)
Question 5: What Teaching Tools Are Essential?
Basic (video, chat, screen share): → Any platform works
Interactive (polls, breakouts, quizzes, assessment): → Convay, BigBlueButton, or Blackboard Collaborate
Advanced (analytics, sophisticated LMS integration, adaptive learning): → Convay or Teams (with full Office 365)
Real Cost Comparisons by Institution Size {#cost-comparison}
Small College (500 Students, 50 Faculty)
| Platform | Annual Cost | Per Student | 3-Year TCO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Teams (A3) | $1,375 | $2.75 | $4,125 |
| Google Meet (Edu Plus) | $2,200 | $4.40 | $6,600 |
| Convay | $8,500 | $17.00 | $25,500 |
| BigBlueButton | $21,000 | $42.00 | $63,000 |
| Zoom (Education) | $28,000 | $56.00 | $84,000 |
Winner: Microsoft Teams (if already Microsoft 365), otherwise Google Meet
Medium University (5,000 Students, 500 Faculty)
| Platform | Annual Cost | Per Student | 3-Year TCO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Teams (A3) | $11,250 | $2.25 | $33,750 |
| Google Meet (Edu Plus) | $20,000 | $4.00 | $60,000 |
| Convay | $34,800 | $6.96 | $104,400 |
| BigBlueButton | $33,000 | $6.60 | $99,000 |
| Zoom (Enterprise) | $147,000 | $29.40 | $441,000 |
Winner: Teams or Google (if in ecosystem), Convay for large class support
Large University (15,000 Students, 800 Faculty)
| Platform | Annual Cost | Per Student | 3-Year TCO | vs. Zoom Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Teams (A3) | $39,500 | $2.63 | $118,500 | $463,500 (80%) |
| Google Meet (Edu Plus) | $63,200 | $4.21 | $189,600 | $392,400 (67%) |
| Convay | $45,000 | $3.00 | $135,000 | $447,000 (77%) |
| BigBlueButton | $135,000 | $9.00 | $405,000 | $177,000 (30%) |
| Zoom (Enterprise) | $195,000 | $13.00 | $585,000 | Baseline |
Winner: Teams (cost), Convay (large class capability + cost balance)
Real Implementation Success Stories {#success-stories}
Success Story #1: Metropolitan University Saves 72% and Increases Engagement
Institution Profile:
- Type: Public regional university
- Students: 8,500
- Faculty: 425
- Previous platform: Zoom Education
- Switch date: January 2025
Problems with Zoom:
- Large lectures (200-400 students) constantly hit capacity limits
- Cloud storage overages averaging $4,200/month
- Student complaints about connectivity issues
- FERPA compliance concerns with foreign data storage
- Annual cost: $84,000
Convay Implementation:
- Deployment: National cloud within country
- Timeline: 6-week migration during winter break
- Training: 2-day faculty workshops, video tutorials for students
Results After One Semester:
Cost savings:
- Convay annual cost: $32,000
- Savings: $52,000 (62%)
- 3-year projected savings: $156,000
Student outcomes:
- Participation in large lectures: 67% → 89% (+33%)
- Student satisfaction: 3.2/5 → 4.6/5 (+44%)
- Connection success rate: 78% → 96% (+23%)
- Students able to access from rural areas: 52% → 94% (+81%)
Faculty outcomes:
- Faculty using platform week 1: 65%
- Faculty using platform week 4: 94%
- Faculty satisfaction: 4.1/5
- Hours saved weekly (not teaching twice): 180 hours across faculty
Unexpected benefit: “We knew we’d save money. What surprised us was the engagement jump. Students with poor internet could finally participate fully. That’s transformational.” – CIO Dr. Patricia Lee
Success Story #2: Riverside Schools Builds Own Platform
Institution Profile:
- Type: Public school district
- Schools: 6 (K-12)
- Students: 4,200
- IT capability: Strong (director with Linux expertise)
- Budget: Severely constrained
Decision Process:
- Zoom quote: $52,000/year
- Budget available: $30,000/year
- IT director Marcus Webb proposed: BigBlueButton self-hosted
Implementation:
- Infrastructure: AWS servers
- Setup time: 6 weeks (Marcus + 2 IT staff)
- Training: 3 weeks for all teachers
Year 1 Results:
Costs:
- Infrastructure: $8,000/year
- IT time allocation: $25,000 (40% of Marcus’s role)
- Total: $33,000/year
- Under budget by: $17,000
Performance:
- Supported: 180 concurrent classes at peak
- Uptime: 99.2%
- Student data: 100% on district servers
- Privacy: Complete institutional control
Challenges addressed:
- Classes over 80 students split into sections
- Required ongoing technical monitoring
- Faculty training more intensive than commercial solution
District superintendent quote: “The $19,000 savings versus Zoom let us hire an additional counselor. That’s a real person helping kids every day. Technology should serve people, not the other way around.”
Success Story #3: Medical School Achieves HIPAA Compliance
Institution Profile:
- Type: Private medical school
- Students: 650
- Faculty: 180
- Special requirement: Patient case discussions require HIPAA-equivalent compliance
Compliance Challenge:
- Medical students discuss actual patient cases in class
- Protected health information (PHI) present in discussions
- HIPAA requires PHI remain under institutional control
- Cross-border data storage violates compliance
Previous Situation:
- Using Zoom cloud
- Recordings stored on US servers (school outside US)
- Compliance audit discovered violation
- 90-day deadline to remediate or face accreditation issues
Convay On-Premise Solution:
- Deployment: Fully on-premise on medical school servers
- Integration: Connected to hospital network for clinical faculty
- Encryption: Keys controlled by medical school
- Timeline: 5-week emergency implementation
Compliance Results:
- Patient data: Never leaves institution
- Recordings: Stored on medical school servers
- Access: Controlled by medical school IT
- Encryption keys: Managed by institution, not vendor
- Audit trails: Complete, immutable, institutional control
- Compliance status: Full HIPAA equivalent achieved
Cost Comparison:
- Cloud HIPAA-compliant quote: $47,000/year
- Convay on-premise: $25,000 setup + $18,000/year
- Year 1 total: $43,000
- Year 2+ annual: $18,000
- 3-year savings vs. cloud: $69,000
Dean Dr. Maria Gomez: “Patient privacy isn’t negotiable in medical education. Having complete control over data—on our servers, encrypted with our keys, under our jurisdiction—that’s real compliance. We sleep better at night.”
30-Day Platform Migration Plan {#migration-plan}
Week 1-2: Pilot Test with Real Classes
Don’t skip this critical phase. Pilot testing reveals issues you can’t predict.
Select pilot faculty (5-10 volunteers):
- Different disciplines (STEM, humanities, social sciences)
- Various class sizes (small seminar to large lecture)
- Different teaching styles (discussion-based, lecture, lab)
- Tech-comfortable AND tech-hesitant faculty
What to evaluate:
- Can faculty accomplish their actual teaching goals?
- Do students engage as well or better than current platform?
- What unexpected friction points emerge?
- What support resources are faculty requesting?
- How’s the student experience compared to current platform?
Dr. Hassan’s pilot advice: “We piloted Convay with eight faculty for four weeks before full rollout. They caught issues we never would have anticipated—like needing clearer instructions for students joining from mobile devices. That feedback made our full deployment smooth instead of chaotic.”
Pilot metrics to track:
- Faculty comfort level (survey 1-5 scale)
- Student connection success rate
- Feature usage (polls, breakout rooms, recordings)
- Support ticket volume
- Student feedback (brief survey)
Week 3: Plan Complete Migration
Export existing data:
- All meeting recordings (start early—takes longer than expected)
- Participant reports and attendance records
- Analytics and usage data
- Integration settings and configurations
Expected time for data export:
- 100 courses: 2-3 days
- 500 courses: 1-2 weeks
- 1,000+ courses: 2-4 weeks
Document current workflows:
- How do faculty currently schedule classes?
- How do students access recordings?
- What LMS integrations exist?
- What authentication systems are used?
Create implementation materials:
- Quick-start guide for faculty (1-2 pages)
- Video tutorials (keep under 7 minutes each)
- Student joining instructions
- Troubleshooting FAQ
- IT support contact information
Pro tip from multiple implementations: Schedule full switch during semester break, not mid-semester, unless circumstances absolutely require urgent change.
Week 4: Train Faculty and Launch
Faculty training approach that works:
Session 1 (90 minutes): Core Features
- How to schedule and start a class
- Basic controls (mute, video, screen share)
- Student management (admit, remove, permissions)
- How students access and join
Session 2 (90 minutes): Teaching Tools
- Polls and quizzes
- Breakout rooms
- Whiteboard and collaboration
- Q&A and chat moderation
Session 3 (60 minutes): Advanced Features
- Recording and sharing
- LMS integration
- Attendance tracking
- Analytics and insights
Record all training sessions so faculty can:
- Review at their own pace
- Catch up if they miss live session
- Reference specific features later
Create discipline-specific examples:
- Don’t use generic corporate scenarios
- Show math professor using whiteboard for equations
- Show English professor using breakout rooms for discussion
- Show lab instructor sharing microscope view
Schedule regular office hours:
- First 2 weeks: Daily 1-hour support sessions
- Week 3-4: 3× weekly support sessions
- Ongoing: Weekly office hours for questions
Student communication plan:
Email to students (1 week before switch):
- Brief explanation of change
- Link to 5-minute tutorial video
- Written joining instructions
- Where to get help
Tutorial video (keep under 7 minutes):
- How to join class
- Basic features students need
- Troubleshooting common issues
- Where to find help
Troubleshooting FAQ (5-10 most common issues):
- Can’t hear audio
- Camera not working
- How to join from mobile
- Forgot meeting link
- Internet connection issues
Marcus’s student adoption insight: “In every implementation I’ve seen, students adapt faster than faculty. Don’t over-stress student onboarding. A 5-minute video and clear written instructions are enough. They’re digital natives—they figure it out.”
Frequently Asked Questions {#faq}
What is the best Zoom alternative for teaching large classes?
Convay is the best Zoom alternative for large classes (100-10,000 students). It’s specifically designed for large-scale education delivery with:
- 10,000 participant capacity standard (no add-ons required)
- Reliable performance tested with 500+ concurrent students
- Works on 2G/3G networks (unique among platforms)
- 60-75% lower cost than Zoom Enterprise
- Advanced polling handling 1,000+ simultaneous responses
Real example: Dr. Amir Hassan teaches 380 students. Zoom capped at 300. Convay handles all 380 with 94% participation vs. 67% on Zoom.
What is the cheapest Zoom alternative for schools?
The cheapest options depend on what you already have:
If you have Google Workspace: Google Meet Education Fundamentals is free for up to 100 students. Education Plus costs $3-4/student/year.
If you have Microsoft 365: Microsoft Teams A1 is free. A3 costs $2.25/student/year.
If you need data control: BigBlueButton is open-source (free software) but requires $6,000-24,000/year in infrastructure and IT staff.
Cost ranking for 5,000 students:
- Microsoft Teams: $11,250/year
- Google Meet: $20,000/year
- BigBlueButton: $33,000/year (including IT)
- Convay: $34,800/year
Do Zoom alternatives work with poor internet connections?
Most don’t. Convay is the exception.
Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Webex all require 1.5-3 Mbps for acceptable performance. Students with <1 Mbps experience constant drops and poor quality.
Convay is specifically designed for poor connectivity:
- Works reliably on 200 kbps connections (2G networks)
- Auto-adapts from HD video → SD video → audio-only based on connection
- Tested extensively in rural areas and developing countries
- Real result: 94% participation vs. 52% on Zoom for students in rural areas
BigBlueButton and Jitsi can be optimized for low bandwidth but require technical configuration.
Can I use Zoom alternatives with Canvas/Moodle/Blackboard?
Yes, all major platforms integrate with learning management systems:
Convay:
- Deep Canvas integration
- Moodle plugin with attendance automation
- Blackboard LTI compliance
- Google Classroom integration
Google Meet:
- Google Classroom native integration
- Canvas via LTI plugin
- Moodle via plugin
Microsoft Teams:
- Canvas LTI integration
- Moodle plugin available
- Native Teams for Education platform
BigBlueButton:
- Excellent Moodle integration (native)
- Canvas LTI plugin
- Blackboard compatibility
Blackboard Collaborate:
- Native Blackboard integration (best-in-class)
- Limited value outside Blackboard ecosystem
How long does it take to switch from Zoom to another platform?
Timeline depends on institution size and preparation:
Small institution (500 students, 50 faculty):
- Pilot testing: 2 weeks
- Planning and prep: 1 week
- Training and launch: 1 week
- Total: 4 weeks
Medium institution (5,000 students, 500 faculty):
- Pilot testing: 4 weeks
- Planning and data migration: 2 weeks
- Training and launch: 2 weeks
- Total: 6-8 weeks
Large university (15,000+ students, 800+ faculty):
- Pilot testing: 4-6 weeks
- Planning and migration: 3-4 weeks
- Phased training and launch: 3-4 weeks
- Total: 10-14 weeks
Best practice: Schedule during semester break to minimize disruption.
Dr. Hassan’s advice: “We piloted for 4 weeks, planned for 2, launched during winter break. Faculty had 2 weeks to practice before spring semester. Smooth transition.”
Are Zoom alternatives FERPA compliant?
Yes, but compliance depends on configuration and deployment:
Platforms with strong FERPA compliance:
Convay: FERPA-compliant architecture by design, especially with on-premise deployment where student data never leaves institutional control.
Google Meet & Microsoft Teams: Can be FERPA compliant with proper Google Workspace for Education or Microsoft 365 Education agreements and configuration.
BigBlueButton: FERPA compliant when self-hosted (student data remains on institutional servers).
Key FERPA requirements for video platforms:
- Student educational records (including recordings) must be protected
- Vendors must sign data processing agreements
- Cross-border data transfers may violate FERPA
- Students must consent to recording sharing
Best practice: For maximum FERPA compliance, choose on-premise deployment (Convay) or self-hosted (BigBlueButton) where student data never leaves institutional control.
What happens to my Zoom recordings when I switch?
You must export recordings before switching:
Export process:
- Download all cloud recordings from Zoom (can take 1-4 weeks for large collections)
- Store recordings on institutional servers or chosen platform’s storage
- Update links in LMS to new storage locations
- Maintain access for students who need recordings for course completion
New platform storage options:
Convay: Unlimited on-premise storage (recordings stay on your servers)
Google Meet: Recordings save to Google Drive (uses your existing Workspace storage)
Microsoft Teams: Recordings save to OneDrive/SharePoint (uses your Microsoft 365 storage)
BigBlueButton: Recordings store on your self-hosted infrastructure
Timeline: Start exporting 2-4 weeks before switch. Don’t cancel Zoom account until all recordings are safely migrated and accessible.
Can students join from mobile devices?
Yes, all platforms support mobile devices:
Best mobile experience:
- Google Meet: Native apps for iOS/Android, excellent performance
- Microsoft Teams: Full-featured mobile apps
- Convay: Progressive web app + native apps, optimized for low data usage
- Jitsi: Browser-based (no download required)
Mobile data considerations:
High data consumption: Zoom, Webex, Google Meet, Teams (500MB-1GB per hour)
Low data consumption: Convay (auto-adapts, 50-200MB per hour on mobile networks)
Student feedback: “I can attend class on my phone using mobile data without burning through my monthly limit” – common feedback about Convay from students with limited data plans.
Final Recommendation: Choose Based on Your Reality
The “best” Zoom alternative depends on your specific situation:
Choose Convay if:
- ✓ You teach large classes (100-10,000 students)
- ✓ Students have varying internet quality
- ✓ Data sovereignty matters (public institutions, regulated sectors)
- ✓ Budget requires predictable, affordable costs
- ✓ Need platform that works globally in challenging connectivity environments
Choose Google Meet if:
- ✓ Already using Google Workspace for Education
- ✓ Classes typically under 100 students
- ✓ Simplicity valued over advanced features
- ✓ Budget extremely tight
Choose Microsoft Teams if:
- ✓ Already using Microsoft 365
- ✓ Want integrated classroom management beyond video
- ✓ Have IT support for training
- ✓ Classes typically under 200 students
Choose BigBlueButton if:
- ✓ Have Linux technical expertise
- ✓ Data control non-negotiable
- ✓ Budget constrained but IT capability strong
- ✓ Classes typically under 100 students
Bottom line: Your students deserve technology that enables learning, not technology that forces learning to conform to corporate assumptions.
Choose based on YOUR classroom needs, YOUR budget reality, YOUR technical capability, and YOUR students’ connectivity situations.
Not based on marketing, familiarity, or “what everyone else uses.”
About Convay for Education: Purpose-built video platform supporting 15-10,000 students per session. Works on 2G/3G networks. On-premise and cloud deployment options. Transparent education pricing 60-75% below enterprise alternatives. FERPA-compliant architecture. Unlimited recording storage included. Designed specifically for teaching from the ground up.
Request a demo: See Convay in action with your actual class sizes and teaching scenarios.
Download TCO calculator: Compare exact costs for your institution size.
Talk to educators who switched: Connect with faculty at institutions similar to yours.
