Element Web vs Tuwunel
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
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Tuwunel
Simple, fast and reliable chat server powered by Matrix based on
| Feature | Element Web | Tuwunel |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,353 | ★ 2,407 |
| First released | 2016 | 2025 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams | Conduit, Dendrite, Synapse |
Why pick each one
Choose Tuwunel if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Active community (2.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in Rust
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Element Web or Tuwunel better?
Element Web is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Tuwunel if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Element Web and Tuwunel free and open-source?
Yes. Element Web is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Tuwunel under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Element Web and Tuwunel with Docker?
Element Web: yes. Tuwunel: check the project docs for container support.