Element Reviews & Product Details

Element's best aspect is that their platform has been built with a decentralised model, built on a matrix protocol, which gives us complete control over data and communication. They also have end-to-end encryption, the flexibility to self-host, and the capability to connect across different servers, which is unique among other tools. This platform is also giving more customisations and extensively integrated third-party apps. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

This platform's learning curve is a bit complex, specifically for non-technical users, they platform based concepts are a bit confusing at the initial stage. Their user interface should be polished more, and onboarding new users is also a bit complex. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I use Element primarily because of its decentralized architecture and robust End-to-End Encryption, which is crucial for maintaining data sovereignty in my work with Azure and network security. I love that Element runs on the Matrix protocol, giving me the flexibility to self-host our communications and connect with other ecosystems through 'bridges.' It's great for consolidating fragmented communications into one encrypted interface, drastically reducing my 'context-switching' time while still maintaining a zero-trust security posture. I appreciate its modern UX that aligns with tools like Slack but offers the transparency and security that proprietary tools can't match. Element serves as an incredible centralized communication hub by allowing me to integrate my Slack and Discord channels, as well as connecting with our CI/CD pipelines through webhooks for real-time alerts, all within a securely encrypted 'command center.' Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

While I value the security of Element, the user experience for non-technical stakeholders could be improved. The barrier to entry—specifically managing encryption keys and understanding decentralized homeservers—is high. I believe the platform would benefit from a more streamlined onboarding process and a more 'plug-and-play' approach to its bridging features, which would help drive wider adoption in less technical departments. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I appreciate most about Element is its flexibility and strong security for team communication. The end-to-end encryption reassures me that our conversations remain private, and setting up and managing channels for various projects or groups is straightforward. Overall, it really streamlines collaboration and helps keep our team connected and organised. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I find most frustrating about Element is that it sometimes feels slow or a bit clunky, particularly when managing large groups or a high volume of messages. Additionally, some features are not as intuitive as those on other chat platforms, which means there is a slight learning curve. However, after becoming familiar with it, I find that it functions effectively. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

1. It gives us consumer app ease but with enterprise-grade security and control - so both users and IT teams are somewhat happy.

2. Very strong privacy & data sovernity: we can self host the server, chosse hosting, avoid vendor-lock, and very easy to integrate.

3. Enables inter-org communication and "federations" which is useful if we work with contractors.

4. Customer support is quite great. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

1. What I have heard is mainly the message or notifications delays

2. If we self host, there can be additional techincal overhead compared to pure consumer app. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like Element's security, particularly its end-to-end encryption, as it is a big plus for privacy. The encryption and decentralization give me more control over data and security. I find the initial setup very easy when using Element's hosted option. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Complexity can be overwhelming for non-tech users and it's not as smooth as the desktop version. Self-hosting or configuring bridges can be tech-heavy. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Honestly, the main reason I use Element is because that’s where my friends are — otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have picked it myself. It works fine for personal chats, and the interface is okay once you get used to it. It’s also nice that it's open-source and has no ads, which keeps it clean.

Overall, it's fine if your community is already using it, but if you're starting from scratch, I'd probably recommend other apps first unless you really care about decentralization. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

That said, compared to something like Telegram, it definitely feels more limited. There are fewer built-in features, media handling isn't as smooth, and some things just feel a bit clunky. I know a lot of people care about privacy and self-hosting, but that’s not really a priority for me — I just want something simple and fast. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Element is very configurable and secure, and allows file transfer and search. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Sometimes it's not made obvious enough that someone messaged me or how to do something I don't routinely do. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Elements is a bit different from the other messaging platforms.

I find it very informative as I have entered rooms that discuss topics that I am interested in Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The design of the web platform looks like chatgpt;it could look a bit better Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I absolutely love the level the security features they have for each conversation. Along with the encryption and server options. I use it to communicate with my private network. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I dislike the desktops version laginess. It's very hard to access due to some code glitch, i can't quiet figure out. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Element easy to learn and not take a big space. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Since it's a quite new than for some people need to learn. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.