Element Call 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?
| Feature | Element Call | Fractal |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 984 | ★ 900 |
| First released | 2022 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Zoom, Google Meet | Slack, Discord |
Why pick each one
Choose Element Call if…
- Strong encryption
- Federated via Matrix
- No app install needed
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 Call or Fractal better?
Neither is universally better. Element Call has the larger community, while Fractal is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Element Call and Fractal free and open-source?
Yes. Element Call 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 Call and Fractal with Docker?
Element Call: yes. Fractal: check the project docs for container support.