OpenTalk
Berlin video conferencing under the EUPL, the first to carry the BSI IT security label
Quick Overview
| Company | OpenTalk GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Video Conferencing |
| Headquarters | Berlin, Germany |
| EU Presence | EU (Germany) |
| Data Location | Germany, in an ISO 27001-certified data centre (operator not named); on-premises option |
| Open Source | Yes |
| Compliance | BSI IT security label (IT-Sicherheitskennzeichen); ISO 27001 data centre |
| Pricing | Starter free (5 participants, 30-minute calls) / Standard €7.50 per user/month or €75/year / Premium €12.50 per user/month or €125/year, excl. VAT / on-premises on request |
| Free Option | Free Starter plan |
| Replaces | Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex |
Detailed Review
OpenTalk GmbH is at Schwedter Straße 9a in Berlin, registered at the Amtsgericht Berlin-Charlottenburg under HRB 225352 B with Peer Heinlein as managing director.
It comes out of Heinlein Support, the same Berlin group behind mailbox.org, and the lineage shows in how the product is published: the code is licensed under the EUPL and hosted on OpenCoDE, the German public sector's own code platform, at gitlab.opencode.de/opentalk. Anyone who has to justify a video tool to a data protection officer can hand over the source rather than a brochure.
OpenTalk also carries the BSI IT security label, the German federal security agency's consumer-facing mark, and says it was the first video conferencing product to do so. The cloud runs in Germany in an ISO 27001-certified data centre, and there is an on-premises option for organisations that would rather run it themselves. Prices are published: Starter is free with five participants and 30-minute calls, Standard €7.50 per user per month or €75 a year, Premium €12.50 or €125 a year.
Two gaps are worth naming. OpenTalk says its data centre is in Germany and certified to ISO 27001 but does not name the operator anywhere, including on the data protection page — so you know the country and the certificate, not the company, which is exactly the detail alfaview publishes. And the pricing page contradicts itself on tax: each tier is marked "Price excl. VAT" while the footnote says prices include VAT depending on the country. Ask before you budget.
What OpenTalk does well
- Open source under the EUPL, published on OpenCoDE
- Carries the BSI IT security label, the first video conferencing tool to do so
- German cloud in an ISO 27001-certified data centre, or on-premises on request
- Built by Heinlein Support, the Berlin group behind mailbox.org
- Prices published: €7.50 and €12.50 per user per month, or €75 and €125 a year
Where OpenTalk falls short
- The data centre operator is never named, only the country and the certificate
- The pricing page says prices exclude VAT in one place and include it in another
- The free Starter plan stops at five participants and 30-minute calls
- Priced per user, so large teams cost more than under a per-room model
- No founding year published
Standout feature. Source code on OpenCoDE under the EUPL — OpenTalk is published on the platform German public bodies use for their own software, not just described on a marketing page.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Open source under the EUPL, published on OpenCoDE
- Carries the BSI IT security label, the first video conferencing tool to do so
- German cloud in an ISO 27001-certified data centre, or on-premises on request
- Built by Heinlein Support, the Berlin group behind mailbox.org
- Prices published: €7.50 and €12.50 per user per month, or €75 and €125 a year
Cons
- The data centre operator is never named, only the country and the certificate
- The pricing page says prices exclude VAT in one place and include it in another
- The free Starter plan stops at five participants and 30-minute calls
- Priced per user, so large teams cost more than under a per-room model
- No founding year published
Alternatives to OpenTalk
Frequently Asked Questions
What is OpenTalk?
OpenTalk GmbH is at Schwedter Straße 9a in Berlin, registered at the Amtsgericht Berlin-Charlottenburg under HRB 225352 B with Peer Heinlein as managing director.
It comes out of Heinlein Support, the same Berlin group behind mailbox.org, and the lineage shows in how the product is published: the code is licensed under the EUPL and hosted on OpenCoDE, the German public sector's own code platform, at gitlab.opencode.de/opentalk. Anyone who has to justify a video tool to a data protection officer can hand over the source rather than a brochure.
Where is OpenTalk based?
OpenTalk operates from Berlin, Germany, which places it under EU (Germany). Compliance: BSI IT security label (IT-Sicherheitskennzeichen); ISO 27001 data centre.
What does OpenTalk cost?
Starter free (5 participants, 30-minute calls) / Standard €7.50 per user/month or €75/year / Premium €12.50 per user/month or €125/year, excl. VAT / on-premises on request. Free Starter plan.
Who is OpenTalk best for?
Public bodies and teams that want readable source code and a German or on-premises deployment. Source code on OpenCoDE under the EUPL — OpenTalk is published on the platform German public bodies use for their own software, not just described on a marketing page.
What are the drawbacks of OpenTalk?
The data centre operator is never named, only the country and the certificate. The pricing page says prices exclude VAT in one place and include it in another. The free Starter plan stops at five participants and 30-minute calls. Priced per user, so large teams cost more than under a per-room model. No founding year published.