Jitsi Meet vs Element: Which Privacy Tool Is Better?

Overview

In an age where digital privacy is paramount, many are seeking alternatives to proprietary communication platforms. Jitsi Meet and Element stand out as two prominent open-source, privacy-focused solutions for staying connected. While both offer video conferencing capabilities, they approach the problem from fundamentally different angles. Jitsi Meet is primarily a dedicated video conferencing platform, built for robust and easy-to-access meetings. Element, on the other hand, is a full-featured, end-to-end encrypted messaging client that leverages the decentralized Matrix network, with video conferencing being one of its integrated communication methods. This comparison will delve into their strengths and weaknesses, helping you decide which tool best fits your privacy and communication needs.

Jitsi Meet: Quick Look

Jitsi Meet is an entirely free and open-source video conferencing solution that allows users to create and join meetings directly from their web browser, desktop, or mobile devices. Its core appeal lies in its simplicity and accessibility: you can start a meeting with just a few clicks, often without needing an account, and invite participants via a simple URL.

Built on WebRTC technology, Jitsi Meet emphasizes real-time communication. It supports features like screen sharing, integrated chat, speaker statistics, virtual backgrounds, and meeting moderation. Organizations can easily self-host Jitsi Meet on their own servers, gaining full control over their data and infrastructure, which is a major draw for those with strict privacy requirements. For those not wanting to self-host, a free instance is available at jitsi.org, and various third-party providers offer managed Jitsi instances.

Element: Quick Look

Element is the flagship client for the Matrix open network, providing a secure, decentralized, and real-time communication platform. While Jitsi Meet focuses on the “meeting,” Element’s strength is in “communication.” It offers end-to-end encrypted messaging, voice calls, and video calls, all powered by the Matrix protocol.

Element acts as a universal communication app, allowing users to connect to various chat networks (like Slack, IRC, Telegram) via bridges, all within a single interface. Its decentralized nature means that communication isn’t controlled by a single company; users can choose their own server (homeserver) or even run their own, ensuring maximum autonomy and censorship resistance. Element’s video conferencing functionality integrates seamlessly with its robust chat features, making it suitable for persistent team communication where video calls are just one part of a broader collaboration suite.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Privacy & Security

Both Jitsi Meet and Element are heralded for their commitment to privacy, but their approaches differ.

Jitsi Meet provides strong privacy. For transport encryption, it uses SRTP, securing media traffic between participants and the Jitsi server. For one-to-one calls, Jitsi offers true end-to-end encryption (E2EE) using DTLS/SRTP. For group calls, E2EE has been a more complex challenge for WebRTC-based solutions. Jitsi is actively developing and implementing group E2EE using WebRTC Insertable Streams, but it’s often experimental for larger groups and may require specific client versions or self-hosted instances for full control. When self-hosted, you retain complete control over your meeting data, significantly enhancing privacy. The jitsi.org public instance states it does not store meeting content but collects basic telemetry.

Element stands out with its default end-to-end encryption for all communication, including text chats, audio calls, and video calls. This is powered by the Matrix protocol’s Olm and Megolm algorithms. The decentralized nature of Matrix also enhances security and privacy, as your data is not solely dependent on a single provider. You can choose your homeserver, and even run your own, ensuring no single entity has control over your communications. Element’s E2EE covers not just the transport, but the content itself from sender to receiver, providing a very high level of confidentiality from the outset.

Winner: Element for its comprehensive, default end-to-end encryption across all communication types (chat, audio, video) as a core feature of the Matrix protocol.

Features & Functionality

When comparing video conferencing specifically, their feature sets diverge.

Jitsi Meet is purpose-built for meetings. It boasts features such as:

• No account needed: Quick start for ad-hoc meetings.
• Screen sharing: Share your entire screen or specific application windows.
• Integrated chat: Text chat during meetings.
• Recording: Option to record meetings (often requires integration with Dropbox or a self-hosted Jigasi recorder).
• Virtual backgrounds & blur: Enhance privacy and professionalism.
• Hand raising, speaker statistics, moderator controls: Essential meeting management tools.
• Lobby mode: Control who enters your meeting.
• Breakout rooms: For smaller group discussions (requires a self-hosted setup for full control).

Element, while providing video calls, integrates them into a broader communication ecosystem:

• Persistent chat: Rooms for ongoing discussions, separate from calls.
• File sharing: Securely share files within rooms.
• Voice and video calls: 1:1 and group calls.
• Decentralized network: Connects users across different Matrix servers.
• Bridges to other networks: Connect to IRC, Slack, Telegram, etc.
• Customizable: Rich customization options for themes, notifications, and bots.

While Element’s video calls are functional and E2EE, Jitsi Meet often offers a more refined and feature-rich experience specifically for the act of conducting a meeting, especially regarding moderator tools and ease of ad-hoc access.

Winner: Jitsi Meet for its dedicated suite of meeting-centric features and a smoother, more focused video conferencing experience.

User Experience

The user experience (UX) is a significant differentiator between these two platforms.

Jitsi Meet excels in ease of access. To start a meeting, you simply go to jitsi.org (or your self-hosted instance), type a meeting name, and you’re in. Sharing a link invites others, and they can join without an account, making it incredibly convenient for quick, informal, or external meetings. The interface is clean, intuitive, and focused solely on the meeting at hand. This “no-barriers-to-entry” approach is Jitsi’s strongest UX point.

Element, by contrast, has a slightly steeper learning curve, particularly for those unfamiliar with the Matrix network. Users need to create an account on a Matrix homeserver, which can feel like an extra step compared to Jitsi’s instant access. Once set up, Element’s interface is familiar to anyone who’s used a modern messaging app, with rooms, direct messages, and integrated calls. However, understanding the decentralized nature, bridges, and room directories can take a moment for new users. The video call interface itself is straightforward, but the overall onboarding for Element is more involved.

Winner: Jitsi Meet due to its unparalleled ease of access for initiating and joining video calls, requiring no accounts or prior setup for participants.

Pricing

Both platforms offer significant value at no cost, especially for those willing to self-host.

Jitsi Meet is entirely open-source.

• Free: The public instance at jitsi.org is free to use.
• Self-hosting: You can download and run the Jitsi server software on your own infrastructure for free, giving you complete control and avoiding any potential costs from third-party services.
• Paid services: While Jitsi itself doesn’t directly offer paid tiers for its software, many third-party providers offer managed Jitsi hosting or enhanced services for businesses.

Element is also open-source and based on the free Matrix protocol.

• Free: The Element client app is free to download and use. You can connect to a variety of free public Matrix homeservers (like matrix.org).
• Self-hosting: Like Jitsi, you can run your own Matrix homeserver (and Element client) for free, gaining full autonomy.
• Paid services: Element offers Element Matrix Services (EMS), which provides reliable, managed Matrix hosting for individuals and organizations. This is their direct paid offering for those who want the benefits of Matrix without the hassle of self-hosting.

Both offer robust free options and pathways to professional, paid services. The choice largely depends on whether you prefer to run things yourself or pay for a managed solution.

Winner: Tie as both provide excellent free and open-source options, alongside managed paid services for those requiring them.

Our Verdict

Choosing between Jitsi Meet and Element boils down to your primary use case and priorities. Both are excellent, privacy-conscious choices, but they serve different needs.

Jitsi Meet is best for:

• Quick, ad-hoc meetings: When you need to jump on a video call instantly with minimal fuss, without requiring participants to create accounts.
• Dedicated video conferencing: For organizations or individuals whose primary need is a robust, feature-rich platform solely for video meetings and webinars.
• Self-hosting a video solution: For those who want complete control over their video conferencing infrastructure and data, especially with a focus on ease of deployment.
• External communication: When collaborating with clients, partners, or people outside your immediate organization who might not have a specific client installed.

Element is best for:

• Comprehensive, secure communication: When you need an all-in-one solution for persistent, end-to-end encrypted chat, voice, and video calls within a team or community.
• Decentralization and autonomy: For users who value not being tied to a single corporate entity and want the freedom to choose their server or run their own.
• Matrix network users: If you’re already part of the Matrix ecosystem or intend to be, Element is the primary client for seamless integration.
• Integrated collaboration: For teams that communicate primarily through persistent chat rooms and occasionally need to escalate to an E2EE video call from within that context.

In the strict “video-conferencing” category, Jitsi Meet has an edge due to its dedicated focus, ease of use for instant meetings, and a broader array of meeting-centric features. However, for those prioritizing an overarching, end-to-end encrypted, and decentralized communication platform where video is one of many integrated tools, Element is the superior choice.