Element Web vs Openfire Pade Plugin
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
Openfire Pade Plugin
Meetings and messaging plugin for Openfire
| Feature | Element Web | Openfire Pade Plugin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,353 | ★ 60 |
| First released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams | Zoom, Slack |
Why pick each one
Choose Openfire Pade Plugin if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Written in JavaScript
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Element Web or Openfire Pade Plugin better?
Element Web is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Openfire Pade Plugin if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Element Web and Openfire Pade Plugin free and open-source?
Yes. Element Web is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Openfire Pade Plugin under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Element Web and Openfire Pade Plugin with Docker?
Element Web: yes. Openfire Pade Plugin: check the project docs for container support.