Element is an open-source team communication app from the United Kingdom, built on the open Matrix protocol. Rather than routing every conversation through a single company's servers, Element connects to independent Matrix homeservers, so organizations can run their own server or rely on the public matrix.org homeserver that Element operates on behalf of the nonprofit Matrix.org Foundation. All conversations are end-to-end encrypted, and Element requires verified devices before they can send or receive encrypted messages. The apps are available for web, desktop, iOS, and Android, and existing Slack, Microsoft Teams, or IRC channels can be bridged into Matrix rooms. Element is used by companies, public administrations, and individuals who want a team communication services tool that does not depend on a single vendor's infrastructure.

Element's Community tier is free for teams of up to 100 people and includes the open-source Element Server Suite for self-hosting. Larger organizations, including government agencies, can choose Enterprise or Sovereign tiers that add administration, compliance, and support features on top of the same Matrix-based infrastructure. Because Matrix is an open protocol rather than a proprietary one, Element rooms can federate with servers run by other providers or hosted entirely in-house, which avoids dependence on any single vendor.

Pricing

Element's Community tier is free for up to 100 users and includes the open-source Element Server Suite. Enterprise and Sovereign tiers add administration, security and support features, priced per seat or per deployment on request.

Read more on the pricing page of the service.

Hosting

Element's web client (app.element.io) and the public matrix.org homeserver that Element operates are both proxied through Cloudflare, a US-based provider, so no regional hosting label applies even though Element itself is a UK company. Organizations that need EU-based infrastructure can self-host their own Matrix homeserver instead of relying on matrix.org.