ZOOM ALTERNATIVE
A Zoom alternative you can pay for in birr
Gubae is a Zoom alternative for teams that want to pay in Ethiopian birr, use an Amharic interface and keep every meeting end-to-end encrypted. Like Zoom's free plan, Gubae's free plan allows 40-minute meetings for up to 100 people, and it also includes cloud recording.
What is different from Zoom
- Pay in Ethiopian birr with Telebirr, CBE Birr or a local bank card
- End-to-end encryption in every meeting, with cloud recording still available
- Cloud recording on the free plan
- No automatic renewal: nothing is charged again unless you renew
- A full Amharic interface
- Operated from Ethiopia, under Ethiopian law
What works the same way
Gubae has the meeting features people expect from Zoom: screen sharing, breakout rooms, polls, a whiteboard, reactions, waiting rooms, passcodes, virtual backgrounds and scheduling. Zoom offers a wider range of add-ons, such as phone systems and large webinars, which Gubae does not.
Switching from Zoom
Create a free account, start a meeting and share the link. There is nothing to install. Workspaces let you invite your whole team, and you can move to a paid plan in birr or dollars whenever you need longer meetings.
| Gubae | Zoom | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan meeting length | 40 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Free plan participants | 100 | 100 |
| Cloud recording on the free plan | Yes, 1 GB | No, local recording only |
| End-to-end encryption | Every meeting | Optional, turns off cloud recording |
| Pay in birr with Telebirr or CBE Birr | Yes | No |
| Automatic renewal | No | Yes |
| Entry paid plan | Pro from $10.91 or Br 1,691 per user a month, billed yearly | Pro from $13.33 per user a month, billed yearly |
| Paid plan meeting length | Up to 30 hours | Up to 30 hours |
| Breakout rooms, polls and whiteboard | Yes | Yes |
Details about other services come from their public pricing and help pages as of September 2026 and can change. Check each provider's website for current terms. Updated 2026-09-29.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Zoom alternative in Ethiopia?
Gubae is built for Ethiopia: you can pay in birr with Telebirr or CBE Birr, use it in Amharic, and every meeting is end-to-end encrypted. Its free plan matches Zoom's 40-minute, 100-person limits and adds cloud recording.
Is Gubae free like Zoom?
Yes. Gubae's free Workplace Basic plan allows 40-minute meetings for up to 100 participants, like Zoom Basic, and includes 1 GB of cloud recording.
Can I use Gubae without downloading an app?
Yes. Gubae runs in the web browser on computers and phones.
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