Element Web vs FluffyChat
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 Web
Glossy Matrix client for the web and desktop
VS
FluffyChat
Cute, cross-platform Matrix messenger
| Feature | Element Web | FluffyChat |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Dart |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,353 | ★ 3,039 |
| First released | 2016 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams | WhatsApp, Telegram |
Why pick each one
Choose FluffyChat if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Dart
Frequently asked questions
Is Element Web or FluffyChat better?
Neither is universally better. Element Web has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Element Web and FluffyChat free and open-source?
Yes. Element Web is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and FluffyChat under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Element Web and FluffyChat with Docker?
Element Web: yes. FluffyChat: check the project docs for container support.