Element
Open SourceSelf-hostableSecure, decentralized chat on Matrix.
4.312K starsAlternative to Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams
Overview
Element is a secure messenger built on the open Matrix protocol. It offers end-to-end encrypted chat, voice, and video with decentralization and federation, so no single company controls your communication.
Why pick Element over Slack
- Own your data instead of trusting Slack's servers
- No per-seat pricing — grow without ballooning costs
- Element is open source: audit it, fork it, extend it
- Self-host for full privacy and compliance control
Key features
- End-to-end encrypted messaging
- Decentralized, federated rooms
- Voice and video calls
- Bridges to Slack, Discord, IRC
- Self-host your own homeserver
Pros & cons
Screenshots
Installation
Run a Synapse homeserver
docker run -d --name synapse -p 8008:8008 matrixdotorg/synapse:latestFrequently asked questions
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