What is Linphone used for?

Linphone is an open-source SIP softphone for voice calls, video calls and instant messaging on Windows, macOS and Linux desktops. It is a good fit for making SIP calls from a desktop PC and using a free softphone with a self-run PBX.

Is Linphone open source?

Yes. Linphone is open source under the GPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at BelledonneCommunications/linphone-desktop and is written mainly in C++.

Yes. Linphone is open source, so the software itself is free to use.

Can I self-host Linphone?

Yes. Linphone can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What is Linphone an alternative to?

Linphone is an open-source alternative to RingCentral, 8x8, GoTo Connect and Nextiva. Other open-source alternatives to RingCentral include Asterisk and FusionPBX.

Is Linphone actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to Linphone was on 30 September 2026. The project has 507 stars on GitHub.

Linphone: open-source alternative to RingCentral, 8x8

About Linphone

Linphone Desktop is an open-source softphone for voice and video calling and instant messaging over IP. It is based entirely on the SIP protocol and handles calling, presence and messaging features. The project is developed by Belledonne Communications, and this GitHub repository mirrors the official git repository.

Topics on the repository include conferencing, chat and messaging. The app is built with Qt 6, requires a C++17 compiler, and depends on the Linphone SDK, so building from source means installing the SDK dependencies and setting up the Qt environment. Supported features and RFCs are listed in the project documentation and wiki.

Linphone is dual licensed. It is free under GPL-3.0 for open-source use, and Belledonne Communications also sells a proprietary license for a fee to companies that want to use it in closed-source applications.

Key features

Voice and video calls over SIP
Instant messaging and presence
Conference calls
Built with Qt 6 for desktop
Based on the Linphone SDK

Good fit for

→Making SIP calls from a desktop PC
→Using a free softphone with a self-run PBX

Built with: C++
Tags: voip; sip; softphone; video-calls; conferencing; qt; desktop-app; chat

Linphone: questions and answers

What is Linphone used for?: Linphone is an open-source SIP softphone for voice calls, video calls and instant messaging on Windows, macOS and Linux desktops. It is a good fit for making SIP calls from a desktop PC and using a free softphone with a self-run PBX.
Is Linphone open source?: Yes. Linphone is open source under the GPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at BelledonneCommunications/linphone-desktop and is written mainly in C++.
Is Linphone free?: Yes. Linphone is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
Can I self-host Linphone?: Yes. Linphone can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What is Linphone an alternative to?: Linphone is an open-source alternative to RingCentral, 8x8, GoTo Connect and Nextiva. Other open-source alternatives to RingCentral include Asterisk and FusionPBX.
Is Linphone actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to Linphone was on 30 September 2026. The project has 507 stars on GitHub.