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Element vs SchildiChat: catalog facts
Element	SchildiChat
Freemium The client is free and open source under the AGPL 3.0. Element Matrix Services sells…	Free Free to download and use.
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	Built on Element, so it supports the Matrix protocol Layout closer to a conventional messenger
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	Depends on upstream Element for most features Needs a Matrix account on a homeserver
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Closed source
License: AGPL-3.0	License not stated
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 September 23, 2026

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