Commet 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.
Not the right match-up?
Commet
Cross-platform Matrix client built with Flutter
VS
Element Web
Glossy Matrix client for the web and desktop
| Feature | Commet | Element Web |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Dart | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 100 | ★ 13,353 |
| First released | 2022 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Discord, Slack | Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams |
Why pick each one
Choose Commet if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Dart
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Commet 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 Commet and Element Web free and open-source?
Yes. Commet 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 Commet and Element Web with Docker?
Commet: check the project docs for container support. Element Web: yes.