SHSelfHostIndex

Element Web vs Ergo

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
EL Element Web Glossy Matrix client for the web and desktop VS ER Ergo Modern IRC server with IRCv3 and bouncer features
FeatureElement WebErgo
CategoryMatrix & XMPPChat & Communication
LicenseAGPL-3.0MIT
LanguageTypeScriptGo
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM128 MB64 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metal, sourcedocker, binary, source
GitHub stars★ 13,353★ 3,288
First released20162016
ReplacesSlack, Discord, Microsoft TeamsSlack, Discord

Why pick each one

Choose Element Web if…

  • Most mature Matrix client
  • Active development
Element Web details

Choose Ergo if…

  • No external services needed
  • Easy to run
Ergo details

Frequently asked questions

Is Element Web or Ergo better?

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

Are Element Web and Ergo free and open-source?

Yes. Element Web is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Ergo under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Element Web and Ergo with Docker?

Element Web: yes. Ergo: yes.

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