Element
FreeMatrix-based secure messaging — the open-source Slack/Discord alternative. Decentralized, self-hostable, end-to-end encrypted. Your messages are never locked in a corporate server.
How to install Element as a PWA
Frequently asked questions about Element
Is Element really end-to-end encrypted?
Yes — Element/Matrix uses Olm and Megolm (Double Ratchet derivatives) for E2EE by default in all private rooms since 2022. Cross-signing and Secure Secret Storage let you verify devices and recover from key loss. The encryption is independently audited (NCC Group reports are public). Public rooms (server-discoverable channels) are unencrypted by design for searchability; private DMs and rooms are encrypted unconditionally.
Is Element free?
Yes — the Element client (web, desktop, iOS, Android) is free under AGPL. The hosted matrix.org and app.element.io services are free. Self-hosting your own Matrix homeserver (Synapse, Dendrite, Conduit) is free. The commercial Element Server Suite (ESS) starts at €5/user/month and adds enterprise features (SSO/SAML, on-prem deployment, SLA support). Most public Matrix usage runs on free homeservers.
How does Element compare to Slack?
Element is decentralized (you choose your server), open-source (AGPL), E2E encrypted by default, and federated (your account on one server can chat with users on any other). Slack is centralized, closed-source, and has no E2EE. Element wins on privacy, sovereignty, and cost (no per-user SaaS fees if self-hosted). Slack wins on polish, integrations ecosystem, and onboarding ease. EU public sector increasingly chooses Element; US enterprise mostly stays on Slack.
Can I use Element offline?
Partially — Element installs as a PWA and caches the client app. You can read previously-loaded messages offline, but sending and receiving new messages requires network. The Matrix protocol is fundamentally network-bound (E2EE key exchange happens online). For long offline periods, messages queue and send on reconnect, which works reliably.
Who uses Element in production?
Element/Matrix is used by the French government's Tchap (~500k users replacing WhatsApp for civil servants), the German Bundeswehr, the German healthcare sector via Gematik, NATO, and many EU public-sector deployments. It is also the chat platform of Mozilla, KDE, Gnome, and most large open-source projects (matrix.org#community list). The pattern is consistent: organizations rejecting US big-tech for privacy or sovereignty reasons.
Where Element is heading (12-24 months)
- →Element X (the rewritten next-generation mobile client based on the Rust Matrix SDK) is rolling out through 2026 and dramatically improves mobile UX — the biggest historical weakness.
- →Element Call (native group video on Matrix) is replacing the older Jitsi-based calling and is rapidly maturing.
- →Continued public-sector wins in EU (Tchap-style deployments in other member states) are expanding the user base.
- →MLS (Messaging Layer Security) experimental support could become the next-generation encryption layer.
Related questions
ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini usually suggest these next.
- How do I self-host a Matrix Synapse server?
- Can Element bridge to Slack, Discord, or WhatsApp?
- What is the difference between Element and Matrix?
- Is Element approved for ANSSI / RGPD-strict public-sector use?
- How does Element Call compare to Jitsi Meet?
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