Element X vs Fractal
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?
Element X
Next-generation fast Matrix client for mobile
VS
Fractal
GNOME-native Matrix messaging client
| Feature | Element X | Fractal |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Swift | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 912 | ★ 900 |
| First released | 2022 | 2017 |
| Replaces | WhatsApp, Signal | Slack, Discord |
Why pick each one
Choose Element X if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Swift
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose Fractal if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Rust
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Element X or Fractal better?
Neither is universally better. Element X has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Element X and Fractal free and open-source?
Yes. Element X is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Fractal under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Element X and Fractal with Docker?
Element X: check the project docs for container support. Fractal: check the project docs for container support.