Nextcloud Talk as a Teams alternative: What it can do and where the limits lie

Nextcloud Talk is a Teams alternative that offers chat, video and audio conferencing, screen sharing, and guest access via link on its own servers. For many small and medium-sized businesses, this is enough in everyday life. Important: According to Nextcloud, a standard installation creates video conferences with about 6 to 10 participants; larger groups and dial-in by phone require the High Performance backend (as of October 2026).

If you want to replace Microsoft Teams, you usually don't ask for function lists, but for whether the daily meetings are going just as well. This article classifies honestly.

What Nextcloud Talk can do

• Chat: One-on-one and group chats that persist after a conversation.
• Video and audio: private, group and public conversations.
• Screen sharing: single window or full screen.
• Guests: Externals participate in public spaces via a link, without an account.
• Recording of conversations.
• Outlook connection for sending invitations.
• End-to-end encryption for conversations in the browser and in the new desktop program.
• AI features: optional live transcription and translation, as well as summaries via the Nextcloud Assistant.

The most important limit: number of participants

Without an additional component, each participant sends his video to everyone else. According to Nextcloud, this works for about 6 to 10 people, without video for up to 20. For larger conferences, webinars or dial-in by phone (SIP), the is needed. High Performance Backend, an additional service that distributes the video streams,

Nextcloud Talk vs. Teams

Who is Talc suitable for

• Teams that mainly chat internally and coordinate in small groups
• Businesses that already use Nextcloud for files
• Organizations with sensitive conversations, for example in the social or health sector
• Businesses that want to invite customers without an account via link

Talk is less suitable if large online events take place regularly and no one wants to operate a high-performance backend, or if many specialist applications are permanently connected to Teams.

Introduction in practice

We set up Nextcloud Talk as part of Nextcloud, with a high-performance backend if desired, and test it with your typical meetings before the switch. How the entire switch works is described in the article Switching from Microsoft 365 to Nextcloud.

Counselling and accompanied implementation is eligible for funding: Through INQA coaching, the federal government covers 80% of the consulting costs of up to €1,200 per day for up to 12 days, i.e. up to €11,520 subsidy. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the other new federal states, BAFA consulting funding is also eligible at 80% until 31.12.2026 (50% in the old federal states). Funding is provided for consulting, not software. The funding check shows which program fits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nextcloud Talk free?

Talk is part of Nextcloud and can be used without a license fee. Costs are incurred for servers and operation, and in the case of the high-performance backend also for the additional component.

How many people can participate in a Nextcloud Talk conversation?

According to Nextcloud, about 6 to 10 with video or up to 20 without video without additional components. With the high performance backend, significantly larger conferences are possible.

Can external parties participate without an account?

Yes. Public spaces can be shared via link; guests participate in the browser without needing a Nextcloud account.

Can Nextcloud Talk summarize meetings?

Yes, optionally via the Nextcloud Assistant. It can be connected to self-operated or German-hosted language models.

Want to try Talk with your meetings? Get in touch via the contact page.