The Jami Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Jami in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Jami
The Insider’s Guide
Peer-to-peer encrypted chat, calls and video conferences
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among team communication apps, read from Jami’s own pages.
Made by Savoir-faire Linux · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Jami’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Jami’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.2
GPA, above 67 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade
Jami is free software for private messaging, audio and video calls, and group chats. It is peer-to-peer, so data does not pass through a central relay server, and an account needs no personal information. It runs on desktop and mobile systems and can be linked across several devices.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Jami, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It is closer to a messenger than a team chat suite, with no admin console or channels listed and only a first preview of a web version.
- 1
Best for private peer-to-peer calls and chat
Jami is a free, end-to-end encrypted messenger for chat and calls on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, with no paid plans.
- 2
It is free
Jami has no paid plan at all.
- 3
It runs on 5 platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 4
Instant messaging and group chats
Text chat with individuals and groups, plus audio and video message recording.
- 5
Audio and video calls
One-to-one calls with screen sharing and media streaming, including video conferences and rendezvous points that need no third-party hosting.
- 6
Peer-to-peer design
Jami says it needs no server to relay data between users and uses end-to-end encryption with perfect forward secrecy.
- 7
A 3.2 GPA, above 67 of 75
That is against the other team communication apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Jami is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Jami at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- It is free
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Savoir-faire Linux
- Category
- Team Communication
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for private peer-to-peer calls and chat
Jami is a free, end-to-end encrypted messenger for chat and calls on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, with no paid plans. It is closer to a messenger than a team chat suite, with no admin console or channels listed and only a first preview of a web version.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free with no paid plans; the project asks for donations instead. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Entirely free, and the site says there are no limits on file size, accounts or storage. |
| Features | C | Chat, group chat, audio and video calls and multiple devices per account. No admin console, directory or channels are listed, which most team chat tools have. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but it is a program you install and use with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android. Only a first preview of a web version, and no integrations listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Jami is for
- Fits if you want private calls and chat without an account on a company server
- Works for a small group on mixed Windows, Mac, Linux and phone devices
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you need channels, a directory or an admin console, as none are listed
- Skip it if you want a mature browser version, since the web version is a first preview as of September 2026
- Too light for company rollouts, as it is closer to a messenger than a workspace
- Watch out: the project runs on donations and is a GNU project of Savoir-faire Linux
Good to know
Good for
- Groups that want a free, open-source chat with no account details
- Privacy-minded users who prefer peer-to-peer over a vendor's servers
- Technical teams comfortable running without admin tools
Worth knowing
- The site lists no admin console, directory or team workspace features such as channels; it is closer to a messenger than a team chat suite.
- The vendor lists a first preview of Jami Web as of September 2026, so there is no mature browser version.
- The project is funded by donations and is a GNU project of Savoir-faire Linux.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Jami is free to use.
Free with no paid plans; the project asks for donations instead.
Free
$0
No paid plans. The site says there are no limits on file size, accounts or storage, and asks for donations.
Read from jami.net on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Peer-to-peer encrypted chat, calls and video conferences. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, end-to-end encrypted, team chat, video calls, file sharing.
Chat, group chat, audio and video calls and multiple devices per account.
- Instant messaging and group chats
- Text chat with individuals and groups, plus audio and video message recording.
- Audio and video calls
- One-to-one calls with screen sharing and media streaming, including video conferences and rendezvous points that need no third-party hosting.
- Peer-to-peer design
- Jami says it needs no server to relay data between users and uses end-to-end encryption with perfect forward secrecy.
- Multiple devices per account
- Several devices can be linked to one Jami account, and no personal information is required to create it.
- Extension platform and SIP
- A built-in extension platform adds features, and Jami can also act as a SIP client.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Jami is made by Savoir-faire Linux.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
67/75
Other team communication apps it is graded above
Jami's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 67 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 60 of 75) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Jami has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 76 team communication apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Jami’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 58 of 75
- AFree plan and trialAbove 60 of 75
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 75
- BEase of useAbove 58 of 75
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 9 of 75
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 66 team communication apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Jami is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Jami is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 67 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade.
What you could not
- Chat that a whole team counts on staying up.
- Video calls.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- End-to-end encryption done properly.
What this rests on. Jami’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Matrix, Signal, Element, Wire and Mattermost
The 5 tools Jami is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Matrix
Free
Open, decentralized network for chat and calls.
- Only Matrix lists a web app.
- Matrix is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Jami also covers video calls and file sharing.
- 3.2GPA
Signal
Free
Nonprofit messenger with end-to-end encrypted chats and calls.
- Jami is open source, according to its own site.
- Jami also covers file sharing.
- 2.8GPA
Element
Free plan
End-to-end encrypted chat and calls on the Matrix standard.
- Only Element lists a web app.
- Element is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.0GPA
Wire
Free plan · from €7.45/mo
End-to-end encrypted messaging and calls for organizations.
- Only Wire lists a web app.
- Wire is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
Mattermost
Free plan
Self-hosted team messaging with playbooks, calls and boards.
- Only Mattermost lists a web app.
- Jami is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Mattermost is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
10
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Jami free?
Yes. Jami is free to use.
How much does Jami cost?
Jami lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Jami work on?
Jami is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Is Jami open source?
Yes. Jami is open source, according to its own site.
Is Jami end-to-end encrypted?
Jami describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.
Who makes Jami?
Jami is made by Savoir-faire Linux.
What are the alternatives to Jami?
The closest alternatives to Jami in our directory are Matrix, Signal, Element, Wire and Mattermost.
How does Jami compare with other team communication apps?
Jami's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 67 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 5.
Is Jami good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Jami A for value for money. Jami has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Jami?
Jami is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Jami’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Jami's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Savoir-faire Linux. Prices change, so check jami.net before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Jami, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/jami
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Jami: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/jami
Know someone choosing between team communication apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/jami/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded team communication apps after Jami, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Team Communication Insider's GuideEvery one of the 76 team communication apps we grade, compared
- Discord Insider's GuideFree text, voice and video chat built around servers3.6 GPA
- Pumble Insider's GuideTeam chat with unlimited message history on the free plan3.6 GPA
- Zoho Cliq Insider's GuideTeam chat, calls and meetings from the Zoho suite3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Jami’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Jami is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Savoir-faire Linux. Prices and plans change: check jami.net before you buy.