SHSelfHostIndex

Element X vs Maubot

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?
EL Element X Next-generation fast Matrix client for mobile VS MA Maubot Plugin-based bot framework for Matrix chat rooms
FeatureElement XMaubot
CategoryMatrix & XMPPMatrix & XMPP
LicenseAGPL-3.0AGPL-3.0
LanguageSwiftPython
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM64 MB256 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, sourcedocker, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 912★ 891
First released20222018
ReplacesWhatsApp, SignalSlack bots

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
Element X details

Choose Maubot if…

  • Extensible with plugins
  • Easy plugin management
Maubot details

Frequently asked questions

Is Element X or Maubot better?

Element X is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Maubot if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Element X and Maubot free and open-source?

Yes. Element X is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Maubot under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Element X and Maubot with Docker?

Element X: check the project docs for container support. Maubot: yes.

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