Convos 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 | Convos | Element Web |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 79 · Good | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | Artistic-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Perl | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,191 | ★ 13,502 |
| First released | 2012 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Slack, IRCCloud | Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams |
What are Convos and Element Web?
Convos
Convos is a self-hosted, always-online IRC client with a web interface that keeps you connected and logs conversations while you are away. It supports multiple networks and notifications.
- Always-online IRC
- Web interface
- Multi-network support
- Conversation logging
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
Convos vs Element Web: key differences
Convos is written in Perl, while Element Web is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — Artistic-2.0 for Convos versus AGPL-3.0 for Element Web. Element Web is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Convos. Convos is the more established project (first released 2012), while Element Web arrived in 2016. Element Web has the considerably larger community, at 13,502 GitHub stars versus 1,191.
Why pick each one
Choose Convos if…
- Stays connected for you
- Simple to deploy
Watch out for
- IRC only
- No voice or video
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 Convos 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 Convos and Element Web free and open-source?
Yes. Convos is licensed under Artistic-2.0 and Element Web under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Convos and Element Web with Docker?
Convos: yes. Element Web: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Convos or Element Web?
Element Web has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Convos. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.