Cinny vs Element Web
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Element Web
Glossy Matrix client for the web and desktop
| Feature | Cinny | Element Web |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,903 | ★ 13,502 |
| First released | 2021 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams |
What are Cinny and Element Web?
Cinny
Cinny is a Matrix client focused on a clean, simple and modern user interface. It can be self-hosted as a static web app to connect to any Matrix homeserver.
- Clean and minimal UI
- End-to-end encryption
- Static web app deployment
- Desktop builds available
Element Web
Element Web is the flagship Matrix client, providing a polished interface for chat, voice, and video over the Matrix protocol. It can be self-hosted alongside a homeserver for a fully owned communication stack.
- Full-featured Matrix client
- End-to-end encryption
- Voice and video calls
- Customizable branding
Cinny vs Element Web: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Cinny is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Element Web. Element Web is the more established project (first released 2016), while Cinny arrived in 2021. Element Web has the considerably larger community, at 13,502 GitHub stars versus 3,903.
Why pick each one
Choose Cinny if…
- Lightweight to host
- Attractive interface
Watch out for
- Fewer features than Element
- Matrix-only
Choose Element Web if…
- Most mature Matrix client
- Active development
Watch out for
- Heavier than minimal clients
- Best paired with own homeserver
Frequently asked questions
Is Cinny or Element Web better?
Neither is universally better. Element Web has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Cinny and Element Web free and open-source?
Yes. Cinny is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Element Web under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cinny and Element Web with Docker?
Cinny: yes. Element Web: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Cinny or Element Web?
Cinny has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Element Web. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.