Alternatives to Element Call
E2E encrypted calls on Matrix
Element Call ranks #12 of 12 in Video conferencing, with an Alt Score of 32. It is licensed under AGPL-3.0, free and available on the web. 4 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Teams, organizations, and individuals who need private group voice or video calls without depending on a centralized calling provider, particularly those already using or adopting the Matrix protocol for federated, self-hostable communications.
End-to-end encrypted group video and voice calls with no participant limit imposed by a central server, built on the open MatrixRTC standard and a LiveKit SFU backend for scalable multi-party meetings. It works entirely in the browser via WebRTC with no app install required, and includes basics like screen sharing, raise-hand, and reactions. It can run as a standalone web app or as an embedded widget inside Element and other Matrix clients.
You join a call either by opening call.element.io directly and signing in with a Matrix account, or by starting/joining a call from within a Matrix room in Element (web, desktop, or mobile), where Element Call runs as an embedded widget. Call signaling happens over Matrix rooms, so participants can be on different homeservers, and media is encrypted end-to-end between clients.
Where Element Call stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave Element Call
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How Element Call compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Video conferencing checklist | Element Call | Webex | Zoom | GoTo Meeting | Zoho Meeting | Google Meet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
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| Max participants (free / paid) | ||||||
| Meeting duration limit (free) | ||||||
| Recording (local / cloud) | ||||||
| Transcription & captions | ||||||
| Breakout rooms | ||||||
| Virtual backgrounds | ||||||
| Browser join without app | ||||||
| E2E encryption | ||||||
| Webinar mode | ||||||
| Calendar integrations | ||||||
| Whiteboard | ||||||
| Dial-in numbers |
Every fact and feature listed for Element Call is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Platforms Web verified 2026-07-11
WebRTC-based – No additional software required.
https://github.com/element-hq/element-call -
License AGPL-3.0 verified 2026-07-11
for free under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License
https://github.com/element-hq/element-call -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-11
Element made a free MatrixRTC backend available for the good of the community at large.
https://element.io/blog/end-to-end-encrypted-voice-and-video-for-self-hosted-community-users/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
What remains to be worked on before getting Element Call out of beta is:
https://element.io/blog/element-call-redefining-conferencing-for-privacy-scale-and-sovereignty/ -
Self hostable Yes verified 2026-07-11
Self-Hosting Element Call
https://github.com/element-hq/element-call/blob/livekit/docs/self_hosting.md -
Max participants (free / paid) Yes verified 2026-07-11
Performance testing shows that a single standard VPS machine can host up to 500 participants, and horizontal scaling is possible with standard Kubernetes setups.
https://element.io/blog/element-call-redefining-conferencing-for-privacy-scale-and-sovereignty/ -
Recording (local / cloud) No verified 2026-07-11
I would like a convenient and reliable way to record calls.
https://github.com/element-hq/element-call/issues/283 -
Browser join without app Yes verified 2026-07-11
Using a Single Page Application (SPA) that is easy to share, including guest access for participants without a Matrix account
https://element.io/blog/element-call-redefining-conferencing-for-privacy-scale-and-sovereignty/ -
E2E encryption Yes verified 2026-07-11
End-to-end encryption is built in by default, safeguarding user privacy
https://element.io/blog/element-call-redefining-conferencing-for-privacy-scale-and-sovereignty/
FAQ
Yes. Webex, Zoom and Zoho Meeting have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Jitsi Meet, MiroTalk and BigBlueButton — every license claim links its source.
Jitsi Meet, MiroTalk and BigBlueButton can be self-hosted. Cells marked ? mean we have not verified a self-host path yet.