Logo
Deploy Now

SaaS Alternative

Discord Slack Microsoft Teams WhatsApp Telegram

Categories

Self-Hosted Open Source Collaboration Security Communication Encryption Messaging Team Chat

Stars

13312

Forks

2690

Watchers

222

Developer links

Last Updated: 07-21-2026 05:08 PM (UTC)

Element

Matrix's flagship client, built by the protocol's creators: Element brings the decentralized open standard for real-time communication to web, desktop, iOS, and Android. Paired with a Matrix homeserver, it delivers Slack-quality team messaging where you own every message, file, encryption key, and byte of metadata. End-to-end encryption is on by default, built on Olm and Megolm - the Double Ratchet algorithm family Signal popularized, extended for large-room scalability and publicly audited by NCC Group. Messages encrypt per-device with cross-signed device verification, so even a compromised server yields nothing readable. Federation is the defining capability: like email, users on different homeservers converse seamlessly, and 30+ bridges connect Matrix rooms to Slack, Discord, WhatsApp, and Telegram, so moving to sovereign infrastructure doesn't sever contact with anyone. Rooms support threads, reactions, file sharing, and voice and video calls via Element Call. The result is digital sovereignty chosen by governments and enterprises across Europe: your data sits on your server in your jurisdiction, portable to any other Matrix host because the protocol is an open standard. Apache-2.0 licensed, with no per-user fees at any scale.

Element

Benefits

  • The Server Can't Read Your Chats
  • Default E2E encryption with per-device keys and cross-signing means plaintext never exists server-side - unlike Slack, which holds everything.
  • Leave the Platform, Keep the People
  • Federation and 30+ bridges to Slack, Discord, WhatsApp, and Telegram mean sovereign infrastructure without communication islands.
  • Per-User Fees Become Zero
  • Slack Pro's per-seat pricing disappears - unlimited users, rooms, and history on hardware you control.
  • Jurisdiction Is a Choice
  • Your data lives on your server in your chosen geography, portable to any Matrix host because the protocol is an open standard.

Features

  • Audited E2E Encryption
  • Olm/Megolm Double Ratchet, on by default, publicly audited by NCC Group, with cross-signed device verification.
  • Matrix Federation
  • Converse across homeservers like email across mail servers; enable or restrict per deployment.
  • 30+ Platform Bridges
  • Connect rooms to Slack, Discord, WhatsApp, Telegram, and more.
  • Full Team Messaging
  • Threads, reactions, file sharing, unlimited rooms, and searchable history.
  • Voice and Video Calls
  • 1:1 and group calls through Element Call, end-to-end encrypted.
  • Every Platform
  • Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android clients with synced state.