While our app tests of well-known teamwork apps produced unsightly results, we did not discover any irregularities in the Vixcall app Although several trackers are integrated and Google connections to servers in EU and non-EU countries exist, Vixcall performs much better in comparison. Moreover, the app version from the F-Droid store does not contain any trackers. Therefore, we can recommend it as a more privacy-friendly alternative to the version from the Play Store.
Encrypted Connections Available?
Regardless, the same applies to video conferencing tools as to all other apps and mobile applications: Connections should always be encrypted. It is true that Vixcall, like most other tools, offers transport encryption (TLS) of the connections at all times. But in addition, the app is one of the few video conferencing tools that encrypts end-to-end between two participants. That is, across all transmission stations from the sender to the receiver. However, this type of encryption is currently only available via the browser for conferences with more than two participants. This feature is also expected to be implemented for the mobile applications in the near future.
Usability of Vixcall
Just like its big competitors, Vixcall offers the function of holding video conferences including screen sharing and chat. Basically, no account is required for use, only the web browser or the Android or iOS app. Accordingly, the application does not store any sensitive account data. Each conference room created receives its own link and optional password protection. Furthermore, Vixcall uses the open-source tool WebRTC, so it runs on all modern browsers (ideally via Google Chrome/Chromium). That notwithstanding, there may be limitations when using public Vixcall instances. This is because these do not have a subscriber limit and can therefore have varying degrees of load at different times. As a result, both quality and reliability can suffer, which is why it is recommended to use your own server.
What We Can Say About the Data Privacy of Vixcall
Basically, we can recommend Vixcall as an alternative to the big teamwork apps. Although users may have to accept losses in performance, the open-source approach ensures significantly more security in terms of data protection, which is extremely important, especially for sensitive business conferences. In addition, the end-to-end encryption represents an important cornerstone of data security and thus promotes Vixcall to one of the few privacy-compliant alternatives for the large video conferencing tools.