Element vs Viber

Element8.9Visit Viber8.8Visit

Higher score Element #3 in WhatsApp Alternatives 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit Element

vs

Viber #4 in WhatsApp Alternatives 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit Viber

• Element fits best

  Teams and communities wanting open, self-hostable messaging

• Viber fits best

  People who want free messaging, calls and group chats

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Side by side

Feature	Element 8.9/10 Visit ↗	Viber 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	8.8
Ranking	#3 in WhatsApp Alternatives	#4 in WhatsApp Alternatives
Best for	Teams and communities wanting open, self-hostable messaging	People who want free messaging, calls and group chats
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
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, iOS, Android
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Docs, Tickets, Live chat · 24/7
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Element 1/5 · Viber 1/5
Default E2E encryption	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Desktop apps	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Multi-device support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Voice and video calls	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Open source	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Max group size	Not checked yet	250 members
Our review
Pros	End-to-end encryption with device verification and unlimited history Rooms, spaces, guest access, calls, and collaboration features Self-hosted, managed, private-cloud, and air-gapped deployment options	Free messaging and calls between Viber users End-to-end encryption for one-to-one and group chats Apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android
Cons	Matrix rooms and spaces differ from conventional channel-based chat Enterprise and Sovereign plans require contacting sales Broad deployment choices can be more than lightweight chat users need	An account requires a phone number Group chats are limited to 250 members Backups are not encrypted
Our verdict	Element is an end-to-end encrypted messaging and collaboration application built on the Matrix open standard. It suits communities and organizations that want organized group conversations, direct messages, calls, and control over where… Read the review →	Viber brings messaging and calling together across mobile and desktop, with one-to-one chats, group conversations, voice and video calls, and communities and channels. It suits people who want a familiar messenger for personal… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Element — where it wins

  • End-to-end encryption with device verification and unlimited history
  • Rooms, spaces, guest access, calls, and collaboration features
  • Self-hosted, managed, private-cloud, and air-gapped deployment options

  Where it doesn't

  • Matrix rooms and spaces differ from conventional channel-based chat
  • Enterprise and Sovereign plans require contacting sales
  • Broad deployment choices can be more than lightweight chat users need

• Viber — where it wins

  • Free messaging and calls between Viber users
  • End-to-end encryption for one-to-one and group chats
  • Apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android

  Where it doesn't

  • An account requires a phone number
  • Group chats are limited to 250 members
  • Backups are not encrypted

• Element8.9/10 · Free plan

  An open, encrypted messaging choice for groups that want control over deployment and data.

  Visit ElementFull verdict →
• Viber8.8/10 · Free plan

  A free messenger with calls, group chats and synced desktop and mobile apps.

  Visit ViberFull verdict →