Element vs Tox

Element9.4Visit Tox8.7Visit

Higher score Element #1 in Decentralized Messaging Apps 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Element

vs

Tox #7 in Decentralized Messaging Apps 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Tox

• Element fits best

  Organizations wanting a full Matrix collaboration hub

• Tox fits best

  People seeking free encrypted personal communication

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Side by side

Feature	Element 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Tox 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	8.7
Ranking	#1 in Decentralized Messaging Apps	#7 in Decentralized Messaging Apps
Best for	Organizations wanting a full Matrix collaboration hub	People seeking free encrypted personal communication
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	—	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile	Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Docs
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features Element 0/4 · Tox 0/4
End-to-end encryption	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Self-hosting	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Group chat	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Account required	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Network architecture	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Supported platforms	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	End-to-end encrypted messaging with cross-signed device verification Self-hosted, private-cloud, managed, and air-gapped deployment options Web, desktop, and mobile apps with bridges, bots, and integrations	Encrypted text, voice and video calls, plus group chats File sharing without artificial limits or caps Peer-to-peer networking with Tor support
Cons	Uses rooms and spaces rather than conventional channels Enterprise and Sovereign paid tiers are contact-sales offerings Air-gapped deployment is listed only with the Sovereign plan	Clients are alpha software under heavy development The project warns of possible usability and security issues A professional security audit has not been completed
Our verdict	Element is a messaging and collaboration application built on the Matrix open standard. It combines end-to-end encrypted direct messages with rooms and spaces for group discussions, plus calls, file attachments, polls, reactions, voice… Read the review →	Tox is a free, open-source protocol for personal communication, with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, group chats, screen sharing, and file transfers. It is aimed at people who want those features without a subscription and are… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Element — where it wins

  • End-to-end encrypted messaging with cross-signed device verification
  • Self-hosted, private-cloud, managed, and air-gapped deployment options
  • Web, desktop, and mobile apps with bridges, bots, and integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • Uses rooms and spaces rather than conventional channels
  • Enterprise and Sovereign paid tiers are contact-sales offerings
  • Air-gapped deployment is listed only with the Sovereign plan

• Tox — where it wins

  • Encrypted text, voice and video calls, plus group chats
  • File sharing without artificial limits or caps
  • Peer-to-peer networking with Tor support

  Where it doesn't

  • Clients are alpha software under heavy development
  • The project warns of possible usability and security issues
  • A professional security audit has not been completed

• Element9.4/10 · Free plan

  A Matrix-based collaboration app with encrypted messaging and flexible deployment options.

  Visit ElementFull verdict →
• Tox8.7/10 · Free plan

  Free encrypted chats, calls, groups, and file sharing, delivered through independent clients.

  Visit ToxFull verdict →