Element – Creators of Matrix Review: Secure Comms Platform for Sovereign Data

Struggling with scattered, insecure team messages?

If you’re searching for a platform that actually keeps conversations private and puts you in charge of your data, you’re not alone.

Every day, you’re risking sensitive conversations leaking or getting locked-in to platforms that just don’t prioritize your privacy.

Element takes a security-first approach with end-to-end encryption, real data ownership, and the ability to bridge all your chats—including Slack, WhatsApp, and Teams—in one place. Unlike conventional messaging apps, Element gives you self-hosting options, admin control and open-source flexibility, all without sacrificing usability.

In this review, I’ll guide you through how Element lets your team regain control of your communications—from setup all the way to daily collaboration.

You’ll see how Element stacks up on security, key features, pricing, ease of use, and real alternatives in this Element review, so you can confidently choose the best fit for your organization.

You’ll walk away knowing exactly which features you need to make the right call.

Let’s get started.

Element Overview

Element is a secure messaging platform built on the open Matrix protocol. Based in London, they’ve focused on giving users true control over their communication data since their 2016 founding.

I find their solution is built for any organization that prioritizes flexibility and complete control over their data. This appeals directly to security-conscious teams in government, tech, and other highly-regulated industries that can’t compromise on privacy.

Their recent $30M funding round and ISO 27001 certification show serious market confidence. As we’ll explore through this Element review, it signals a deep commitment to enterprise-grade security.

Unlike proprietary tools like Slack or Teams, Element offers true data ownership and sovereignty. You get the feeling it was built by people who want you to control your own communications infrastructure, not just rent access to it.

They work with organizations where privacy is non-negotiable. You’ll find them in government agencies and technology firms that require full, audited control over their sensitive communication data.

I see their strategic focus on interoperability as a brilliant and practical move. It acknowledges your teams must connect with partners on other platforms, offering secure bridges so you aren’t operating in an isolated silo.

Now let’s examine their core capabilities.

Element Features

Worried about your sensitive communications getting exposed?

Element features focus on secure, decentralized communication that puts you in control of your data. These are the five core Element features that provide robust privacy and collaboration.

1. Secure Messaging and Collaboration

Can you trust your current messaging app with sensitive data?

Many common platforms lack true end-to-end encryption, leaving your private conversations vulnerable. This puts your business at risk.

Element provides true end-to-end encrypted messaging, voice, and video, which means only participants can read or hear communications. From my testing, creating public or private rooms is straightforward, ensuring data history is secure. This feature truly prioritizes your privacy.

This means you can collaborate securely without constantly worrying about data breaches or eavesdropping.

2. Data Sovereignty and Self-Hosting

Do you have full control over your organization’s communication data?

Relying solely on third-party servers means your data lives wherever they choose, which often conflicts with compliance needs. This is where Element gets it right.

Element emphasizes data ownership, letting you self-host your instance for full control over your information. What I love about this is you choose your cloud hosting region if using Element Cloud. This feature ensures compliance and complete data sovereignty.

So you can meet strict data privacy regulations while retaining absolute ownership of your communications.

3. Interoperability and Bridging

Are your teams isolated on different communication platforms?

Communicating across various apps like Slack or Teams often fragments your workflow, leading to missed messages. Here’s what kills me about that.

Element features powerful bridging capabilities, allowing you to connect with users on Slack, Teams, and WhatsApp directly. This means your Element users can talk to MS Teams users without ever leaving Element. While bridged conversations to non-E2EE platforms are clearly flagged as not end-to-end encrypted.

This means your team can centralize communication, improving collaboration and reducing platform hopping.

4. Customization and Extensibility

Is your communication tool flexible enough for your unique workflows?

A rigid platform can hinder productivity if it doesn’t adapt to your team’s specific needs and existing tools. This can slow you down.

Element provides robust customization options, including themes, fonts, and powerful widgets for embedded apps. From my testing, integrating Etherpad or Jitsi into rooms is incredibly easy. This feature allows bots to interact with GitHub or Jira to automate workflows directly.

This means you can tailor your workspace to perfectly match your team’s unique operational requirements and boost efficiency.

5. Administrative Controls and Compliance Tools

Struggling to manage users and ensure compliance across your communication channels?

Without robust administrative tools, maintaining security policies and meeting regulatory demands becomes a constant headache. This creates unnecessary risk.

Element offers an admin console, SSO integration, and an Audit Bot for comprehensive compliance records. The Audit Bot can capture encrypted conversations for auditing, which is crucial for regulated industries. This feature also provides granular control over user roles and permissions within rooms.

This means you can confidently manage users, enforce security policies, and meet stringent regulatory requirements with ease.

You’ll appreciate how these Element features work together to create a unified, secure, and customizable communication hub for your entire organization. This means better control and peace of mind.

Element Pricing

Wondering how Element’s costs impact your budget?

Element pricing offers clear, user-based plans with transparent monthly rates, making it straightforward to budget for your secure communication needs.

Plan	Price & Features
Element Business	$5.00 per user per month • Secure cloud hosting • End-to-end encryption • Voice and video calls • Federation & SSO • Customer support
Element Enterprise	$10.00 per user per month • Cloud or self-hosted admin • 24/7 customer support • Custom DNS & region select • Migration bridges (Slack, Teams) • Auditing tools

1. Value Assessment

Great pricing transparency here.

From my cost analysis, Element’s per-user pricing model ensures you only pay for what your team needs, offering clear value. The Business plan is a solid entry point for secure cloud communications, avoiding hidden costs.

This means your budget gets predictable monthly expenses, with straightforward scaling as your team grows.

2. Trial/Demo Options

Smart evaluation options available.

Element offers a free trial, letting you experience their secure messaging firsthand before committing to a paid plan. What I found valuable is how the free Element app itself is open-source for self-hosting, allowing you to thoroughly explore its capabilities.

This helps you evaluate functionality and fit without any financial commitment, ensuring Element pricing aligns with your expectations.

3. Plan Comparison

Choosing the right tier matters.

The Business plan covers essential secure communication, but the Enterprise tier stands out for organizations needing extensive control and compliance. What impressed me is how Enterprise adds self-hosting and migration bridges, crucial for complex IT environments and data sovereignty.

This tiered approach helps you match Element pricing to actual usage requirements, whether in the cloud or self-hosted.

My Take: Element’s pricing strategy focuses on transparent, per-user costs, offering scalable solutions for businesses prioritizing secure, sovereign communication, from small teams to large enterprises.

The overall Element pricing reflects transparent, scalable value aligned with your security needs.

Element Reviews

What do real customers actually think?

Here’s my deep dive into Element reviews, analyzing actual user feedback to give you a balanced view of what customers truly experience.

1. Overall User Satisfaction

Users prioritize security and control.

From my review analysis, Element generally receives positive feedback, especially for its core security features. While its Gartner Peer Insights rating is limited, G2 scores highlight strong web app usability at 9.3 and mobile app satisfaction at 8.2. Notifications also rate highly, indicating effective communication.

This suggests you can expect a secure and user-friendly experience, particularly for its messaging.

2. Common Praise Points

Security and privacy are consistent winners.

Users consistently laud Element’s robust security, end-to-end encryption, and the decentralized Matrix protocol, ensuring data ownership. From customer feedback, the ability to self-host offers unparalleled control over communication infrastructure, a significant advantage for privacy-focused organizations.

This means you’ll gain superior data control and privacy compared to many mainstream alternatives.

3. Frequent Complaints

Some growing pains still exist.

Review-wise, some users note a steeper learning curve compared to platforms like Slack, which often stands out for its simplicity. What I found in user feedback is Element’s video conferencing scores lower (7.6 on G2) than competitors, suggesting room for improvement in this area.

These issues are generally minor and don’t negate its core strengths, but are worth considering.

Overall, Element reviews highlight a strong, secure platform, but with some learning curve and feature gaps compared to mainstream options.

Best Element Alternatives

Struggling to find the perfect team communication tool?

The best Element alternatives include several strong options, each better suited for different business situations and priorities regarding privacy, integrations, and ecosystem.

1. Slack

Your team prioritizes ease of use and integrations.

Slack excels if your primary need is a highly integrated, user-friendly platform with a vast ecosystem of third-party apps. From my competitive analysis, Slack offers robust file sharing and a seamless chat experience that many users find intuitive, though it lacks Element’s default end-to-end encryption.

Choose Slack if your organization prioritizes a large existing user base and extensive app integrations.

2. Microsoft Teams

Deeply embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem?

Microsoft Teams works best if your organization heavily relies on Microsoft 365 applications, prioritizing high-quality video and extensive meeting features. What I found comparing options is that Teams provides superior video conferencing and presentation tools, though it doesn’t offer Element’s data sovereignty benefits.

Consider this alternative when tight integration with Microsoft 365 and strong video capabilities are your top needs.

3. Mattermost

Need secure, customizable open-source collaboration?

Mattermost might be preferred if your organization requires a highly customizable, open-source solution with a strong emphasis on audit trails. From my analysis, Mattermost offers extensive customization for DevOps teams, though its usability ratings are generally lower than Element’s for web applications.

Choose Mattermost for large-scale deployments and integrating with specific DevOps workflows over Element’s broader appeal.

4. Rocket.Chat

Prioritizing self-hosting and robust admin controls?

Rocket.Chat is a strong alternative if you need a self-hosted, open-source platform with a high degree of customization and focus on enterprise demands. Alternative-wise, Rocket.Chat delivers strong administrative controls and compliance, though Element often rates higher for mobile application usability.

Consider Rocket.Chat when high-security standards and meeting diverse enterprise demands are paramount for your organization.

The best Element alternatives depend on your organization’s specific needs for security, integration, and control.

Element Setup

How complex is Element’s deployment process?

Element implementation offers flexibility, from self-hosting to managed cloud, meaning the complexity can vary. This Element review aims to set realistic expectations for your deployment journey.

1. Setup Complexity & Timeline

Expect a flexible, but sometimes involved, setup.

Element implementation varies from quick cloud deployments to more technical self-hosted setups requiring expertise. Ease of setup scores highly on G2, especially compared to some competitors, yet self-hosting demands technical know-how.

You’ll need to decide between managed simplicity and full control, planning resources accordingly for the chosen path.

2. Technical Requirements & Integration

Technical needs scale with your chosen deployment.

For self-hosted Element setup, you’ll manage server infrastructure; Element Server Suite Pro aids professional use. What I found about deployment is that integrations with SSO are supported, ensuring smooth identity and access management.

Plan for adequate IT resources if self-hosting, or leverage Element Cloud to minimize your infrastructure overhead.

3. Training & Change Management

User adoption is key for successful rollout.

Element’s interface is generally intuitive, though some users might face a slight learning curve coming from mainstream platforms. From my analysis, familiar messaging features aid user adoption, reducing the need for extensive retraining on basic functions.

Invest time in user guides and leverage existing user familiarity with messaging apps to ease the transition.

4. Support & Success Factors

Vendor support significantly impacts your journey.

Element offers customer support for Business plans and 24/7 support for Enterprise, with responsive email assistance noted by users. Reliable support is crucial during implementation, especially for self-hosted configurations, to quickly resolve issues.

Critical factors for implementation success include leveraging vendor support, clear internal communication, and thorough planning for your chosen deployment type.

Overall, your Element setup success hinges on realistic expectations and proper planning for either a self-hosted or cloud deployment.

Bottom Line

Is Element the right fit for your team?

This Element review offers a decisive final assessment, guiding you through who benefits most from its secure communication features and where its limitations lie.

1. Who This Works Best For

Organizations prioritizing secure, private, and sovereign communication.

Element is an ideal solution for businesses in government, healthcare, or defense, and teams with strict regulatory requirements for data privacy. What I found about target users is that organizations needing complete control over their data thrive with Element’s self-hosting and end-to-end encryption.

You’ll find success if compliance, decentralization, and secure inter-organizational collaboration are your top communication priorities.

2. Overall Strengths

Unmatched data privacy and control capabilities.

The software succeeds by offering robust end-to-end encryption, data sovereignty through self-hosting, and a decentralized Matrix protocol architecture. From my comprehensive analysis, its ability to bridge with other platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams provides unified, secure communication without compromise.

These strengths ensure your communications are not only private but also resilient and fully compliant with stringent industry standards.

3. Key Limitations

Learning curve and limited video conferencing capabilities.

While powerful, new users may experience an initial adjustment period compared to more mainstream platforms like Slack, and video conferencing features are not its strongest suit. Based on this review, the onboarding experience could be more streamlined for new administrators, as noted by some critical user feedback.

I find these limitations manageable if your priority is security over a slick, highly integrated ecosystem or a feature-rich video conferencing solution.

4. Final Recommendation

Element is highly recommended for security-conscious organizations.

You should choose Element if your business prioritizes absolute data sovereignty, end-to-end encryption, and the flexibility of an open-source, decentralized platform. From my analysis, this solution shines in regulated industries where compliance and robust security are non-negotiable communication requirements.

My confidence level is high for organizations seeking maximum control and privacy, especially within sensitive sectors.

This Element review highlights its robust value for privacy-focused businesses, while also acknowledging the initial learning curve and feature trade-offs.