Element Web vs mautrix-signal
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
mautrix-signal
Bridge connecting Signal messaging to Matrix
| Feature | Element Web | mautrix-signal |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,353 | ★ 666 |
| First released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams | Signal |
Why pick each one
Choose mautrix-signal if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Go
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Element Web or mautrix-signal better?
Element Web is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider mautrix-signal if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Element Web and mautrix-signal free and open-source?
Yes. Element Web is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and mautrix-signal under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Element Web and mautrix-signal with Docker?
Element Web: yes. mautrix-signal: yes.