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Hasarak vs Element
Element is the best-known Matrix client, built for federated, end-to-end encrypted and self-hosted messaging. Hasarak is hosted team chat and docs for engineering teams and their AI tools.
Side by side
| Hasarak | Element | |
|---|---|---|
| Rooms or channels with threads | ✓ | ✓ |
| End-to-end encryption | — | On by default in private rooms |
| Federation across servers | — | Matrix |
| Self-hosting | — | ✓ |
| Hosted for you | ✓ | Via Matrix hosts |
| Terminal client | In development | Community Matrix clients |
| Docs next to chat | Pages, co-edited, with Mermaid | — |
| MCP server for any MCP client | ✓ | — |
| Voice and video | — | Element Call |
Why teams switch from Element
No homeserver to run
Sign up and invite the team. No Synapse, no bridges, no upgrades.
Docs and chat in one place
Pages hold specs and runbooks with tables, images and Mermaid, edited together and linked straight from chat.
Made for engineering workflows
A built-in MCP server for your agents, @ai in threads, and one HTTP endpoint for your own tools.
Who should pick Element
Element and the Matrix protocol are built for ownership and privacy. Private conversations are end-to-end encrypted by default, anyone can run a homeserver, and servers federate, so organizations can talk to each other without a central provider. Element’s business offerings are self-hosted, including air-gapped deployments, and the community edition is open source. Bridges connect Matrix to other chat networks. If encryption, federation or sovereignty is the requirement, Element is the right call.
Who should pick Hasarak
Running a homeserver, bridges and key backups is real work, and encryption makes features like server-side integrations harder. Teams that just want fast internal chat often don’t need any of it. Hasarak is hosted, runs in the browser, keeps docs as pages next to the conversation, and lets Claude Code, Cursor and your scripts sign in over MCP.
Moving from Element
There is no Matrix importer. Recreate the rooms your team uses every day as channels, invite everyone, and connect your tools from Settings › Connectors. Matrix bots that post updates can become connectors, which are one HTTP endpoint each.
Questions
What is a good Element alternative for teams?
If you need federation or end-to-end encryption, stay on Matrix, or look at Rocket.Chat. If you mostly need fast internal chat for an engineering team, hosted tools like Hasarak or Slack are simpler to run; Hasarak adds pages with Mermaid diagrams and a built-in MCP server.
Is Hasarak end-to-end encrypted like Element?
No. Hasarak doesn't offer end-to-end encryption. If that is a requirement, Element and Matrix are the better choice.
Is there a terminal client for Matrix?
Yes, community clients such as iamb run in the terminal. Hasarak's own terminal client is in development and not released yet.
Can Hasarak federate with other servers like Matrix?
No. A Hasarak workspace is one hosted team. Matrix federation is one of Element's real strengths.
Related
- Hasarak vs TwistTwist is calm, thread-first messaging for async teams. Hasarak pairs channels and threads with an inbox, pages for docs and an MCP server for your AI tools.→
- Hasarak vs SlackSlack is the default for team chat. Hasarak is for teams who want chat, docs and their AI tools in one workspace, without add-ons.→
- Hasarak vs Microsoft TeamsTeams is built around meetings and the Microsoft 365 suite. Hasarak is built around fast written conversation, with docs and your AI tools in the same window.→
- Hasarak vs DiscordDiscord is great for communities. Hasarak is built for teams that do their work in chat and need threads, an inbox, docs and integrations that hold up.→