Element vs Tinode
Comparing two open source alternatives to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger . Use the comparison below to decide which one fits your needs.
Element
AGPL-3.0Open-source Matrix client for secure, decentralized messaging, voice, and video — runs on your own server.
Tinode
GPL-3.0Instant messaging platform with self-hosted backend in Go and clients for iOS, Android, web, and command line.
Side-by-side comparison
| Element | Tinode | |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| GitHub Stars | 13,180 | 13,340 |
| Forks | 2,647 | 2,058 |
| Open Issues | 3,663 | 39 |
| Last Commit | Jun 7, 2026 | Apr 25, 2026 |
| First Released | Jul 22, 2015 | Nov 14, 2014 |
| Categories | ||
| Tags |
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