Element Call 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?
Element Call
Encrypted group video calls on Matrix
VS
Maubot
Plugin-based bot framework for Matrix chat rooms
| Feature | Element Call | Maubot |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 984 | ★ 891 |
| First released | 2022 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Zoom, Google Meet | Slack bots |
Why pick each one
Choose Element Call if…
- Strong encryption
- Federated via Matrix
- No app install needed
Frequently asked questions
Is Element Call or Maubot better?
Neither is universally better. Element Call has the larger community, while Maubot is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Element Call and Maubot free and open-source?
Yes. Element Call 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 Call and Maubot with Docker?
Element Call: yes. Maubot: yes.