TrueConf Server Free is an on-premises corporate communications platform with a built-in messenger, video conferencing, and collaboration tools, developed for organizations with high standards of data protection.
We are a secure Skype-alternative for team communications, enabling UltraHD 4K video meetings, real-time messaging, and screen sharing between colleagues, partners, and customers — regardless of how they connect with you. The result is an increase in productivity and user satisfaction rates.
Trusted by governments and enterprises worldwide, TrueConf provides the highest level of security via AES-256 encryption, making it a perfect solution for government organizations, state agencies and other companies that require full security and privacy.
Table of Contents
TrueConf Server Free offers the following features:
- Support for native client applications on all popular operating systems, including mobile devices.
- 4K video conferences.
- Up to 1,000 chat participants.
- Collaboration tools (content sharing, screen annotation, slideshow).
- Private and group chats.
- Address book and presence statuses.
- Secure file storage.
- Call history and chat syncing across all devices.
- LDAP integration.
Schedule meetings or escalate your chats into video conferences on the fly, create events with up to 2000 participants.
Take full advantage of AI features:
- Noise suppression.
- Background blurring and virtual backgrounds.
- Conference branding.
- Meeting transcription (integration with TrueConf AI Server is needed).
Feel free to receive calls and participate in conferences on any device — chat history will be synced automatically.
Join online meetings on TrueConf Server Free using a browser and an invitation link.
In addition to the core features, private and group chats support text formatting which helps you to highlight important points.
Use keyboard shortcuts and drag-and-drop for quick chat interaction. Besides, the built-in viewer will make it much easier to work with media content.
Mention group chat participants to draw their attention to your message.
TrueConf application offers a wide range of collaboration tools.
Ability to share different types of content:
- Desktop.
- Individual screen (if multiple monitors are available).
- Individual application windows (including CAD models or presentations).
- Slideshows.
You can stream audio separately or while sharing any type of content.
Share content in 4K UltraHD during online meetings! Show high-definition CAD models, spreadsheets, and presentations created in third-party apps.
Manage devices and adjust participants’ layouts in two clicks depending on the meeting scenario.
The following diagram shows how TrueConf Server interacts with other TrueConf solutions and third-party services (some integrations are not available in the Free version, more details are given below):
| TrueConf Server Free | TrueConf Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Group video conferences, moderated role-based conferences, and online lessons in 4K UltraHD quality. | Up to 10 participants in one conference | Up to 2000 participants in one or several conferences depending on the terms of your license. |
| Audio and video calls between two users in 4K UltraHD quality. | Up to 1000 users | V |
| Private and group chats, file sharing, and secure data storage. | Up to 1000 users | V |
| Slideshow, content sharing, polling, reactions, and much more. | V | V |
| Client applications for all platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, and Android TV. | V | V |
| Ability to sign in and work on multiple devices. | V | V |
| Presence statuses which show whether users are currently available and what type of device they have. | V | V |
| Ability to schedule conferences in the calendar. | V | V |
| Recording video conferences locally in client applications and centrally on the server side. | V | V |
| Management of integrations, accounts, groups and their permissions, ability to schedule, record, and manage conferences in the built-in web interface. | V | V |
| No limit on the number of accounts. | V | V |
| Works through NAT, Firewall, and Proxy. No need to use a public IP address or open an additional port. | V | V |
| Stable performance on weak channels and devices. Сall quality will be automatically adjusted depending on changing connection conditions and endpoint devices. | V | V |
| Full compatibility with classic hardware endpoints thanks to the built-in SIP/H.323 gateway. | One connection. | V |
| Invitations to conferences for mobile devices and landline phone users, integration with VoIP telephony and PBXs. | V | V |
| Web conferences that can be joined from a browser. Fully-featured browser-based communication without plugin installation thanks to WebRTC support. | 1 guest connection. | V |
| Installation within the corporate LAN/VPN network. | V | V |
| Connection to Zoom ®, Cisco Webex, GoToMeeting, and Skype for Business conferences. | V | V |
| Integration with LDAP directories (e.g., Active Directory), user information synchronization, single sign-on (SSO) for all users of the video conferencing server. | V | V |
| TrueConf Server API, video communication integration with third-party solutions, services, and automation tools. | V | V |
| TrueConf SDK. Integration of video communication into third-party applications. | X | V |
| Manual distribution of PRO licenses. | X | V |
| Autonomy. There is no need for the video conferencing server to be constantly connected to the Internet. | X | V |
| Conference streaming. Stream your conferences to third-party services and solutions (YouTube, Wowze, etc.) to reach any audience. | X | V |
| Federation support, communication with the users of TrueConf Server instances installed by other customers. | X | V |
| Support for UDP Multicast, video conferences and data exchange via satellite networks which helps to reduce the load on the video conferencing server. | X | V |
| Guaranteed technical support. | X | V |
TrueConf offers you an opportunity to take full advantage of corporate video conferencing on various Linux-based operating systems. Only 64-bit versions of the OS are supported.
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TrueConf Server contains its own web server. To prevent any possible conflicts or clashes, please deploy TrueConf Server on a computer running on Linux without a pre-installed web server.
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Add the user who will install TrueConf Server and get access to the TrueConf Server control panel to your OS. You can use the account that was created when installing your OS. To install TrueConf Server successfully, please make sure that there is no OS user whose login or name is trueconf.
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Fill out all the fields in the registration form.
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Click Submit & Download to receive your registration key on the email address you’ve specified.
The email containing your registration key will be sent within 15 minutes. If you cannot find the email containing your registration key in your inbox, please check the SPAM folder. You can also request the key via live chat or contact us in any other way convenient to you.
To run the commands listed below on behalf of the administrator, use the sudo program. Please note that by default sudo may not be available on your OS. To check if it is available, run the command sudo -V. If this program is not available, install it following the guide for your OS.
Installing TrueConf Server on Windows is the same as installing a regular application for this operating system. If you encounter difficulties, read this article.
Installing TrueConf Server on Linux is no different from installing a regular application for this operating system. If you encounter difficulties, read this article.
Download the file for your OS. Proceed to the directory with downloaded TrueConf deb-package and start the installation by running the following command in the admin mode:
sudo apt install -yq ./trueconf-server-name.deb
where trueconf-server-name.deb is the name of the installation package.
During installation you will see the input field for entering the logins of those OS users who will be allowed to access the control panel as administrators. Enter the login of the user created before. It is possible to specify multiple logins (separated by commas) at the same time.
Regardless of the installation method, you will need to take these preliminary steps:
- Disable SELinux, the system that controls process access to OS resources. To do it, execute this command as the administrator:
sudo sed -i 's/^SELINUX=.*/SELINUX=disabled/g' /etc/selinux/config
- Connect the EPEL repository by running this command as the administrator:
sudo dnf install epel-release
Only at this point, one can install TrueConf Server. Next download the file from release page. Go to the directory where the downloaded rpm package is stored. Next, run this command as the administrator to install the package:
sudo dnf install -y trueconf-server-name.rpm
where trueconf-server-name.rpm is the name of the installation package.
During installation you will see the input field for entering the logins of those OS users who will be allowed to access the control panel as administrators. Enter the login of the user created before. It is possible to specify multiple logins (separated by commas) at the same time.
TrueConf Server can also be launched inside a Docker container using a command such as:
sudo docker run [OPTIONS] trueconf/trueconf-server:stableFor detailed instructions, configuration examples, and recommended parameters, read this article.
The best on-premise alternative to Skype for Business is a platform that can replace core communication scenarios without moving company data to a third-party cloud. It should support video meetings, audio and video calls, instant messaging, screen sharing, user management, security controls, and integration with existing enterprise infrastructure.
For organizations that need to keep communications inside their own network, TrueConf Server can be used as a self-hosted replacement for Skype for Business. It is deployed on company-owned infrastructure and can operate in LAN/VPN environments without an Internet connection, which makes it suitable for private corporate networks, government, healthcare, finance, and other regulated industries.
Migrating from Skype for Business usually starts with an audit of current communication scenarios: instant messaging, presence, video meetings, voice and video calls, conference rooms, user directories, external access, and compliance requirements. After that, the company should choose a replacement platform, run a pilot deployment, migrate users in stages, test integrations, and prepare internal instructions for employees.
For an on-premise migration, IT teams should also check whether the new platform can work with their existing network, authentication systems, meeting room equipment, and security policies. If the goal is to avoid a cloud-first migration path, TrueConf Server can be deployed in the company’s own infrastructure and used to gradually replace Skype for Business scenarios such as video meetings, calls, chats, and collaboration.
Yes, in many cases Skype for Business can be replaced without a full replacement of existing meeting room infrastructure, but this depends on what hardware and protocols are currently used. Before migration, companies should check whether their new platform supports legacy video conferencing systems, SIP/H.323 endpoints, cameras, microphones, displays, and room PCs.
TrueConf Server supports interoperability with SIP and H.323 systems through its gateway functionality, which can help companies connect existing meeting room equipment to the new communication platform instead of replacing all hardware at once.
To replace Skype for Business without moving communications to the cloud, companies should choose a self-hosted or on-premise communication platform. This allows IT teams to keep control over deployment, user management, network access, security settings, and communication data.
Instead of moving directly to a SaaS collaboration tool, organizations can deploy TrueConf Server on their own servers or in a private infrastructure. This approach helps preserve an on-premise communication model while replacing Skype for Business with modern video meetings, calls, messaging, and collaboration tools.
After Skype for Business Server reaches end of support, companies should avoid relying on unsupported infrastructure for critical communications. Microsoft lists October 14, 2025 as the extended end date for Skype for Business 2019, and Microsoft also encouraged customers to plan upgrades for products reaching end of support on that date.
The right replacement depends on the company’s requirements. Organizations that are ready for a cloud-first Microsoft environment may consider Microsoft Teams. Companies that need on-premise deployment, private network operation, data control, and compatibility with existing infrastructure should consider a self-hosted Skype for Business alternative such as TrueConf Server.