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BetterOpenSource

Rocket.Chat vs Element

A side-by-side comparison of two open-source tools to help you choose the right one.

Feature
SummaryA customizable communications platform.Secure, decentralized chat on Matrix.
GitHub stars42K12K
LicenseMITAGPL 3.0
LanguageTypeScriptTypeScript
PricingFree & Open SourceFree & Open Source
Self-hostable
ReplacesSlack, Microsoft TeamsSlack, Discord, Microsoft Teams
Rating4.4 / 54.3 / 5

Rocket.Chat features

  • Team chat with channels and threads
  • Omnichannel customer support (email, WhatsApp, SMS)
  • Voice and video conferencing
  • Bots, apps, and integrations marketplace
  • Federation and self-hosting

Element features

  • End-to-end encrypted messaging
  • Decentralized, federated rooms
  • Voice and video calls
  • Bridges to Slack, Discord, IRC
  • Self-host your own homeserver

Rocket.Chatpros & cons

Pros

  • Doubles as a customer engagement hub
  • Highly customizable and extensible
  • Large ecosystem

Cons

  • Broad feature set adds complexity
  • Resource-hungry at scale

Elementpros & cons

Pros

  • Strong encryption and decentralization
  • Bridges to other networks
  • No vendor lock-in

Cons

  • Running a homeserver takes effort
  • UX less slick than commercial apps

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