What is the main difference between Element and Macro Chat?

Element and Macro Chat are both team chat & messaging tools but differ in their approach, features, and target audience. Compare their GitHub stats, technology stack, and community adoption to make the best choice.

Which is better: Element or Macro Chat?

The choice between Element and Macro Chat depends on your specific needs, technical requirements, and team preferences. Both are quality open source solutions with active communities.

Can I migrate from Element to Macro Chat?

Migration between Element and Macro Chat is possible but requires careful planning. Consider data export/import capabilities, feature parity, and potential workflow changes.

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Element vs Macro Chat

Learn how Element and Macro Chat differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these team chat & messaging tools is best for you.

Element

Open-source platform for encrypted communication, file sharing, and collaboration based on the Matrix protocol.

Visit Element Read more

13,634stars+94(+0.7%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
9 hours ago
Repository age
11 years
Version
v1.12.33
License
AGPL-3.0
Self-hosted
Yes
Repository
element-web

Macro Chat

Team chat app with inline threads, mention-based sharing, a unified inbox for chat and email, and an AI agent that works across your full workspace.

Visit Macro Chat Read more

6,083stars+1,543(+34%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
8 hours ago
Repository age
1 year
Version
v2026.11.2.0
License
AGPL-3.0
Repository
macro-inc/macro

Detailed Comparison

Element appears to have several advantages over Macro Chat, particularly in popularity, maturity and features. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, growth, activity, technology, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.

Element wins

Community & Popularity

Element leads in popularity with 13,634 stars vs 6,083 stars for Macro Chat. The 124% higher star count indicates stronger community adoption. In terms of developer contributions, Element has 2,814 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.

Macro Chat wins

Growth Momentum

Macro Chat is growing faster, adding 1,543 stars in the last 30 days (+34%) against adding 94 stars for Element (+0.7%). Macro Chat is the smaller project of the two, so it is closing the gap rather than extending a lead.

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with Element last updated 9 hours ago and Macro Chat 8 hours ago.

Comparable

Technology Stack

Both tools share common technology foundations, being built with JavaScript, CSS, Bash, Typescript, JSX, Python. However, they differ in their additional technology choices: Element uses Perl while Macro Chat leverages Rust, C, Objective-C, Swift, Kotlin, Tauri.

Element wins

Project Maturity

Element has been in development longer, starting 11 years ago, compared to Macro Chat which began 1 year ago. This 10.5-year head start suggests Element may have more mature features and established processes.

Comparable

Licensing

Both projects use the AGPL-3.0 license, providing identical terms for usage and distribution.

Comparable

Use Cases & Features

Both tools serve similar use cases in Team Chat & Messaging. However, they also have distinct specializations: Element also focuses on Encrypted Communication.

Element wins

Hosting & Deployment

Element provides self-hosting options for complete data control and customization, while Macro Chat may be primarily cloud-based or require different deployment approaches.