Overview

Founded in 2015 by Simen Svale Skogsrud, Einar Trulsson and Morten Hjerde in Oslo, Norway, Whereby (formerly appear.in) is a leading browser-native video conferencing platform. Whereby's biggest differentiator is zero download and zero install: participants simply click a link in their browser to join, dramatically lowering the barrier to use. The platform serves more than 10 million users across education, healthcare, remote work and customer support.

Whereby's products are built around "minimalism + embedding": Whereby Rooms provides permanent fixed meeting links for everyday team meetings; Whereby Embedded and the SDK let developers integrate live video calls into their own web and mobile apps, a common choice for SaaS products, education platforms and healthcare applications. The company remains independently operated and headquartered in Oslo, Norway.

Key Strengths

  • Zero download, zero install: runs entirely in the browser with no software or plugins for participants — click a link to join, even on weak networks and restricted environments.
  • Minimal learning curve: a clean, intuitive interface with no registration required to join, suiting quick meetings and non-technical users.
  • Permanent room links: custom fixed links let team members enter the same room anytime, ideal for daily standups and recurring meetings.
  • Embedded video capability: Whereby Embedded and the SDK integrate video meetings into your own product — a low-cost video option for SaaS products, education platforms and healthcare apps.
  • Privacy-friendly: end-to-end encryption options and minimal meeting-data retention suit privacy-sensitive scenarios.

Product Ecosystem

Whereby Rooms (Fixed Meeting Rooms)

Create permanent rooms with custom links that members join with one click, supporting screen sharing, chat, recording and virtual backgrounds for daily collaboration and recurring meetings.

Whereby Embedded (Embedded Video)

The embedded video API and SDK integrate live video calls into web and mobile apps with a customizable UI and branding, suiting in-product video for support, telehealth and teaching — get started with API integration.

Browser-Native Meetings

A lightweight, download-free meeting experience where participants join via browser, with multi-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux, mobile browsers) and weak-network optimization.

Collaboration Features

Screen sharing, text chat, recording, virtual and blurred backgrounds, and emoji reactions cover everyday meeting needs.

Limitations

  • Limited participants: up to 4 on the free plan and around 12 on Pro, far below the hundred-person meetings of Zoom and Teams.
  • Basic feature set: no large whiteboards, AI meeting summaries, granular permissions or deep admin consoles.
  • Free-plan time limit: 45-minute meetings on the free tier, with longer sessions requiring a paid plan.
  • Limited enterprise capabilities: no large-scale webinars, advanced compliance/audit or dedicated SLA — larger enterprises should evaluate Google Meet and similar tools.

Use Cases

  • Lightweight remote meetings (★★★★★): one-to-one and small-team meetings that start instantly with no download.
  • Customer-service and consultation video (★★★★★): launch video consultations in your website or app via embedded video.
  • Tutoring and small classes （★★★★☆）: screen sharing plus recording for online tutoring and small-group teaching.
  • Embedded video for SaaS products (★★★★★): add video-call capability to products quickly with Whereby Embedded.
  • Large enterprise meetings （★★☆☆☆）: participant and duration limits fall short of hundred-person platforms — evaluate Microsoft Teams.

Pricing

Plan Price Description
Free $0 Up to 4 participants, 45-minute meetings, basic collaboration
Pro ~$6.99/month Up to 12 participants, unlimited meetings, recording, virtual backgrounds
Business ~$9.99/user/month More participants, branding, priority support
Enterprise Custom Higher capacity, embedded API, SLA

Note: prices are official public references and vary by region and billing cycle — check the latest rates on the official website.

FAQ

  • Is Whereby free? The free plan supports up to 4 concurrent participants and 45-minute meetings with no registration required, which is plenty for individuals and light needs; see SaaS billing best practices.

  • Do I need to download software? No. Whereby runs entirely in the browser — participants click a link to join with no software or plugins, making it a representative zero-download video conferencing product; see the remote team toolchain.

  • Whereby or Zoom? Zoom is feature-rich with hundred-person meetings and large events; Whereby is lighter, download-free and strong at embedding, suiting small teams and in-product video.

  • Can I embed it in my website or app? Yes. Whereby Embedded and the SDK integrate live video calls into web and mobile apps with a customizable UI and branding, ideal for support, telehealth and teaching scenarios; see API integration basics.

  • How many people can join at once? Up to 4 on the free plan, around 12 on Pro, and more on Business; for large meetings choose hundred-person platforms like Zoom or Teams; see remote team management tools.