Galene
What it is
Galene is a free videoconference system with a browser client and a self-hosted server, designed for lectures, conferences, and tutorials and also suitable for meetings. The server supports audio and video streams, multiple codecs, simulcast, and scalable video coding for VP8 and VP9. The client offers text chat, screen and window sharing, background blur, activity detection, moderation, and peer-to-peer file transfer; it can also broadcast audio and video from files on disk. Authentication options include username and password or token authorization, with external token servers available for other setups. An HTTP administrative API manages groups and users, and Galene supports WHIP. Listed integrations include an RTMP frontend for OBS Studio, an experimental SIP bridge, LDAP, and a sample third-party authorization server. Traffic is encrypted and authenticated between participants and the server, but the server decrypts media, so calls are not end-to-end encrypted. The project estimates about 300 lecture participants per CPU core, or around 20 participants in a many-to-many meeting on one core. Its default client does not contact third-party servers or CDNs.
For and against
For
- Self-hosted server is available under an MIT licence.
- Client supports screen sharing and text chat.
- HTTP API manages groups and users.
- Default client bundles its third-party assets.
- Project estimates lecture and meeting capacity.
Against
- Media is decrypted by the server.
- Calls do not have end-to-end encryption.
- SIP bridge is experimental.
- Browser support has documented feature caveats.
The verdict
Galene provides conferencing features and server administration through a self-hosted system. Its encryption does not extend end to end, and the project’s capacity estimates differ between lecture and many-to-many use.
Who it suits
Galene suits organizations or individuals seeking a free, self-hosted system for lectures, conferences, tutorials, or meetings. It may also fit users who need browser-based conferencing and moderation features.
Plans and prices
Free and open source
MIT licence · self-hosted videoconference server
Read 4 Oct 2026 · galene.org
On the record
- APIs and protocols
- Galene provides an HTTP administrative API for managing groups and users and supports the WHIP protocol.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Authentication
- Built-in authentication options include username and password and token authorization; external token servers can support other setups.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Broadcasting
- The client can broadcast video and audio from on-disk files.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Browser support
- The FAQ says the project aims to support recent browsers implementing WebRTC and lists Chrome, Firefox and Safari with documented feature caveats.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Capacity
- The site estimates about 300 participants per CPU core for lectures and around 20 participants in a single many-to-many meeting on one core.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Encryption
- Traffic is encrypted and authenticated between sender and server and between server and receiver, but media is decrypted by the server, so Galene does not provide end-to-end encryption.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Galene lists an RTMP frontend usable with OBS Studio, an experimental SIP bridge, an LDAP integration and a sample third-party authorization server.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- The FAQ says the default client does not contact third-party servers or CDNs because its third-party assets are bundled with Galene.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Galene is a low-resource videoconference system with a web client and server, designed for lectures, conferences and tutorials and also suitable for meetings.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Security review
- Galene says it underwent a security review by Radically Open Security funded by NLnet.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- The Galene mailing list is for both user questions and development discussions.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Video and audio
- The server supports arbitrary numbers of audio and video streams, multiple codecs, simulcast and scalable video coding for VP8 and VP9.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Web client
- The browser client supports conferencing, text chat, sharing screens and windows, background blur, activity detection, moderation and peer-to-peer file transfer.galene.org · read 4 Oct 2026
