# Pondchat vs Whereby — Free Browser Video Chat Comparison

> Free unlimited browser rooms without mandatory host accounts or 45-minute free-plan group cutoffs. P2P mesh for small huddles.

## At a glance

| Aspect | Pondchat | Whereby |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Host sign-up | None | Required |
| Free group duration | Unlimited | 45 minutes (free) |
| Media path | P2P mesh (+ optional TURN) | SFU relay |
| Mobile web | Instant Safari / Chrome | Web or app |
| Chat | Wiped when the pond empties | Product-dependent |

## When Pondchat fits

2–6 person huddles where guests join without accounts and peer-to-peer media privacy matters more than large-meeting SFU scale.

## Pricing and limits (verified September 2026)

| | Pondchat | Whereby |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Price | Free, no plans | Free tier plus paid plans |
| Group call time limit | None | 45 minutes on the free plan (1:1 unlimited) |
| Participants per call | 6 (P2P mesh) | Larger rooms on paid plans via SFU |
| Account for host | Not required | Required |
| Embedding / API | Public MCP + agent mint API, no SDK | Embedded video SDK for products |

## When Whereby is the better choice

Choose Whereby if you need branded persistent rooms with host controls, larger meetings than a six-person mesh allows, or an embeddable video SDK for your own product. Pondchat is for quick, private huddles where nobody should have to sign up.

## Shared strengths

Both run in the browser without downloads and let guests join by link. The difference is what happens behind the link: Whereby relays media through its servers and stores account data; Pondchat keeps media peer-to-peer and keeps no accounts at all.

## Related

- [Zoom comparison](https://pondchat.com/compare/zoom-alternative)
- [Google Meet comparison](https://pondchat.com/compare/google-meet-alternative)
- [P2P encrypted calls](https://pondchat.com/features/p2p-encrypted-calls)
- [llms.txt](https://pondchat.com/llms.txt)