Hiroba

Hiroba is a lightweight, open-source virtual office application designed for remote teams to maintain a persistent presence. It allows users to see who is around, away, on a call, or in do-not-disturb mode, and move through a top-down 2D space with proximity-based voice chat. The software is built without video meetings, screen sharing, or recording features, and is licensed under Apache-2.0. It is positioned as a low-resource application intended to run continuously throughout the workday.

The core of Hiroba is published under the Apache License 2.0, allowing teams to self-host the server, TURN, and updates if they prefer. For those who want a managed solution, the Hosted Standard plan is available for $2/seat/month after a 30-day free trial. This pricing applies to registered org members and can be changed monthly via Stripe. Enterprise teams can arrange custom billing or invoice terms through direct contact with the team.

Hiroba is designed for teams that want a floor without running their own servers, offering a 30-day free trial that starts automatically when an org is created. The trial requires no credit card and allows users to sign in with Google, Microsoft, GitHub, or email. After the trial, the Hosted Standard plan costs $2/seat/month, while self-hosting the core remains free forever under the open-source license.

The application targets near-0% idle CPU usage and aims for a small memory footprint of around 100MB resident memory. It is designed to stay small even when left running all day, with voice latency targeting under 300ms. The client is built using Tauri + Canvas 2D, making it smaller and lighter than Electron-based alternatives.

Users can create multiple team spaces, such as meeting rooms, desks, lounges, or cafés, to organize their virtual floor. Each space can have its own layout and allows users to pick a name from the roster for an instant 1:1 call. Screen sharing is included in these 1:1 interactions, allowing users to share their screen right there without leaving the call.

Hiroba uses a direct P2P architecture for voice, video, and screen sharing, meaning the server never relays audio. The keys for encryption live on the two devices, so no point on the path can decrypt them. The server only carries positions, presence, and chat, ensuring that voice and video travel device to device, encrypted end to end.

To connect through a corporate firewall, Hiroba uses a TURN relay to forward the encrypted packets. The relay cannot read the packets because the encryption keys are held only on the devices. This setup ensures that the server remains behind a strict corporate firewall while maintaining secure communication.

Hiroba does not record meetings, focusing instead on real-time interaction through proximity-based voice chat. Users can blur their background or swap in a picture during video calls, and the app supports screen sharing for 1:1 calls or team spaces. The software is built to run all day behind real work, with a startup time measured in seconds.

The name 'Hiroba' is Japanese for a public square, reflecting the app's goal of creating a shared virtual floor for remote teams. The 'Hiroba' name, logo, and other brand assets are not covered by the Apache-2.0 license, which only covers the source code. The app was developed by Ludo Technologies, as indicated by the copyright notice on their website.

Hiroba is available for download on macOS and Windows, with a desktop app that can be tried in the browser. The company offers a self-host guide on GitHub for those who prefer to operate the server themselves. The protocol spec is also available for developers interested in integrating or extending the software.

You can reach Hiroba by e-mail at [email protected].

The official website of Hiroba is hirobaoffice.com.

Hiroba has no reviews on Trustburn yet. Anyone who has used it can write the first review on its Trustburn page.