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Element vs polycule: catalog facts
Element	polycule
Freemium The client is free and open source under the AGPL 3.0. Element Matrix Services sells…	Free Free and open source under the EUPL-1.2.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web, Self-hosted	Android
End-to-end encryption with cross-signed device verification Federated, so you can run your own server and still reach everyone	Keyboard-optimised interface Accessibility-focused development
Encryption key management confuses people the first time they log in on a new device Heavy on memory for a chat app, and slow with many large rooms	Terminal-style look will not suit everyone Requires a Matrix account
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: AGPL-3.0	License: EUPL-1.2
Account needed	Account needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.