Element Web vs Spectrum
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?
Element Web
Glossy Matrix client for the web and desktop
VS
Spectrum
Open-source platform for building online communities
| Feature | Element Web | Spectrum |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Forums & Community |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,353 | ★ 10,837 |
| First released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams | Discord, Discourse |
Why pick each one
Choose Spectrum if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 10.8k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Element Web or Spectrum better?
Element Web is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Spectrum if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Element Web and Spectrum free and open-source?
Yes. Element Web is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Spectrum under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Element Web and Spectrum with Docker?
Element Web: yes. Spectrum: yes.