Element Web vs Dendrite Lite
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
Dendrite Lite
Second-generation Matrix homeserver written in Go
| Feature | Element Web | Dendrite Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,353 | ★ 955 |
| First released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams | Slack, Discord |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Element Web or Dendrite Lite better?
Element Web is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Dendrite Lite if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Element Web and Dendrite Lite free and open-source?
Yes. Element Web is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Dendrite Lite under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Element Web and Dendrite Lite with Docker?
Element Web: yes. Dendrite Lite: yes.