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Head-to-head · Team Chat Apps

Element vs Chanty

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Element #12 in Team Chat Apps 8.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Element
Chanty #14 in Team Chat Apps 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 2 features Visit Chanty

Element leads on 0 checks, Chanty on 1, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreElement · 8.1/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresChanty · 2 of 2

Element scores higher on our rubric for team chat apps: 8.1 against 7.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #12 and #14.

Chanty offers channels; Element doesn't.

Element is the better fit for privacy-focused and sovereign teams. Chanty is the better fit for budget-conscious collaborative teams.

  • Element fits best

    Privacy-focused and sovereign teams

  • Chanty fits best

    Budget-conscious collaborative teams

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Side by side

Feature Element 8.1/10 Visit ↗ Chanty 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.1 7.9
Ranking #12 in Team Chat Apps #14 in Team Chat Apps
Best for Privacy-focused and sovereign teams Budget-conscious collaborative teams
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price — $3/user/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support Email, Community, Docs Email, Phone, Community, Docs · 24/7
Compliance ISO 27001 SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, SSO/SAML, 2FA
Integrations 13 integrations 20 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Element 1/2 · Chanty 2/2
Channels — ✓ (best)
Guest access ✓ ✓
Specs
Message history Unlimited Unlimited
Integrations Etherpad, Grafana, Google Calendar, Jitsi, Spotify, YouTube, Ethercalc, TradingView, GitHub, RSS Bot, GitLab, Jira, Webhooks Zapier, Giphy, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, YouTube, Vimeo, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Trello, Asana, Google Calendar, Mailchimp, Jira, Box, ClickUp, Clockify, Loom, Basecamp, Wrike, Process Street, Make, Monday.com, HubSpot, n8n
Supported platforms web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, self-hosted web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Maximum members Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • End-to-end encryption is enabled by default
  • Self-hosted and air-gapped deployment options
  • Rooms, calls, search, federation and integrations included
  • Unlimited searchable message history is available on the Free plan.
  • Calls, screen sharing, tasks, and Kanban boards support daily collaboration.
  • Integrations cover storage, development, productivity, and project tools.
Cons
  • Enterprise budgeting depends on per-seat/month pricing
  • Community is intended for non-professional use and evaluations
  • Its broad deployment model may require more administration
  • The Free plan is limited to 5 team members and 1 guest user.
  • Monthly Business billing costs $4 per user per month.
  • Enterprise pricing is custom rather than publicly stated.
Our verdict

Element is an end-to-end encrypted messaging and collaboration application for individuals, teams, organisations and public-sector users. Built on the decentralised Matrix open standard, it combines direct messaging, rooms, Spaces, file…

Read the review →

Chanty is a team communication and collaboration workspace for businesses that want chat alongside practical work tools. It supports public and private conversations, direct messages, file sharing, link previews, guest access, audio and…

Read the review →
  1. ElementTeam Chat Apps 8.1Free plan
  2. ChantyTeam Chat Apps 7.9Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Element — where it wins

    • End-to-end encryption is enabled by default
    • Self-hosted and air-gapped deployment options
    • Rooms, calls, search, federation and integrations included

    Where it doesn't

    • Enterprise budgeting depends on per-seat/month pricing
    • Community is intended for non-professional use and evaluations
    • Its broad deployment model may require more administration

  • Chanty — where it wins

    • Unlimited searchable message history is available on the Free plan.
    • Calls, screen sharing, tasks, and Kanban boards support daily collaboration.
    • Integrations cover storage, development, productivity, and project tools.

    Where it doesn't

    • The Free plan is limited to 5 team members and 1 guest user.
    • Monthly Business billing costs $4 per user per month.
    • Enterprise pricing is custom rather than publicly stated.

All team chat apps comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update