Team Chat & Video Meetings
Element
Encrypted, decentralized Matrix-based chat for data sovereignty and secure collaboration.
4.2· 43 reviews· via G2Founded 2017 · London, United Kingdom
What is Element?
Element is a secure team messaging and collaboration app built on the open Matrix protocol. It offers end-to-end encrypted chat, voice, and video with the option to self-host or federate across servers, appealing to governments, technical teams, and organizations that need data sovereignty.
Best known for: Decentralized, encrypted chat built on the Matrix protocol
Key features
- Built on open Matrix protocol
- End-to-end encrypted messaging
- Self-hosting and federation
- Decentralized, interoperable communication
- Voice and video calls
- Cross-organization secure collaboration
Who Element is best for
- End-to-end encryption needs
- Government and defense teams
- Federated cross-org messaging
Ideal team: Security-first and public-sector organizations needing sovereign, encrypted, self-hostable messaging.
Element pricing
Free
$0
- Self-hosted Matrix
- End-to-end encryption
- Open source
Popular
Business
$5/per user / mo
- Cloud hosting
- Voice and video
- SSO and federation
Enterprise
$10/per user / mo
- Self-hosting options
- 24/7 support
- Teams and Slack bridges
Costs to watch before you commit
- Self-hosting demands technical operations expertise
- Migration bridges and SIP only on Enterprise
- Small ecosystem versus mainstream chat apps
Top Element alternatives
Popular Team Chat & Video Meetings tools teams evaluate alongside Element.
Troop MessengerSecure team chat with video, screen share, and self-hosted deployment options.
SlackChannel-based team messaging with huddles, clips, and deep app integrations.
DiscordPersistent voice, video, and text channels for communities and casual teams.
ChantySimple, affordable team chat with built-in tasks and video calls.
PumbleFree unlimited team chat with affordable paid video and history.