Fractal AlternativesGroup & Encrypted Chat Apps like Fractal

Fractal is described as 'Matrix messaging app for GNOME written in Rust. Its interface is optimized for collaboration in large groups, such as free software projects' and is a Group Chat app in the social & communications category. There are more than 10 alternatives to Fractal for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Mac, Windows, Android and iPhone apps. The best Fractal alternative is Element. It's not free, so if you're looking for a free alternative, you could try Matrix or Cinny. Other great apps like Fractal are Syphon, nheko, Quaternion and Nerimity.

Fractal iconFractal
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Fractal is a Matrix messaging app for GNOME written in Rust. Its interface is optimized for collaboration in large groups,...

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More about Fractal
Fractal alternatives page was last updated Feb 13, 2025
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  1. Element icon

    Element

     725 likes
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    Provides secure collaboration with end-to-end encryption, supporting chat, voice, and video calls. Available on all major platforms, it enables digital sovereignty with a decentralized design and interoperability through bridges to systems like Slack and Teams. Includes enterprise-grade SaaS.

    301 Element alternatives

    License model

    • Free Personal • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    Video calls for desktop and mobile

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Clean design

    Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  Decentralized
    3.  Federated
    4.  Team Collaboration
    5.  Encrypted Chat
    6.  Video Calling
    7.  Matrix Protocol
    8.  Voice Chat
    9.  Direct Messaging
    10.  Federation
    11.  Cross-Platform
    12.  Dark Mode

    Element VS Fractal

     

    • Element is the most popular Web-based, Windows, Android & Mac alternative to Fractal.

    • Element is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Fractal.

    • Element is Free Personal and Open SourceFractal is Free and Open Source
    • Element is Privacy focusedFractal is not according to our users
  2. Matrix icon

    Matrix

     364 likes
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    Matrix defines a set of open APIs for decentralised communication, suitable for securely publishing, persisting and subscribing to data over a global open federation of servers with no single point of control.

    162 Matrix alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • WebRTC
    • Python
    • JavaScript
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • Cloudron
    • Java
    • Perl
    Main Page

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Security-focused
    3.  Lightweight
    4.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Decentralized
    2.  End-to-End Encryption
    3.  Federation
    4.  Team Collaboration
    5.  Random Video Chat
    6.  Encrypted Chat
    7.  Voice Chat
    8.  No Tracking
    9.  Spaces
    10.  Ad-free
    11.  Dark Mode
    12.  Support for @mentions

    Matrix VS Fractal

     
  4. Cinny icon

    Cinny

     16 likes
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    A Matrix client where you can enjoy the conversation using simple, elegant and secure interface protected by e2ee with the power of open source.

    16 Cinny alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Arch Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Cinny screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Dark Mode
    2.  Matrix Protocol
    3.  End-to-End Encryption
    4.  Support for @mentions
    5.  Decentralized
    6.  No Tracking
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  Support for MarkDown

    Cinny VS Fractal

     
  5. Syphon icon

    Syphon

     7 likes
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    Syphon is privacy focused end-to-end encrypted capable matrix client aiming to feel comfortable and easy to use.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • F-Droid
    Syphon screenshot 1
    Syphon screenshot 2
    Syphon screenshot 3
    Discontinued

    The latest version (0.2.14) is from October 2022.

    Syphon Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  Matrix Protocol

    Syphon VS Fractal

     
  6. nheko icon

    nheko

     5 likes
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    The motivation behind the project is to provide a native desktop app for Matrix that feels more like a mainstream chat app (Element, Telegram etc) and less like an IRC client.

    24 nheko alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    Start

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  No Tracking
    3.  Decentralized
    4.  Dark Mode
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  VoiP Calls
    7.  Support for @mentions
    8.  Matrix Protocol
    9.  Voice Chat
    10.  QT Based

    nheko VS Fractal

     
  7. Quaternion icon

    Quaternion

     4 likes
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    Quaternion is a cross-platform Qt5-based desktop IM client for Matrix, a reference desktop application using libQMatrixClient. Source code, issue tracker, roadmap etc. can be found at GitHub. Releases (with links to cross-platform source code archives, as well as binaries for...

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Quaternion screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Matrix Protocol

    Quaternion VS Fractal

     
  9. Nerimity icon

    Nerimity

     6 likes
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    Nerimity is a modern and sleek chat app which includes features like free animated avatars & emojis, creating communities and posts, finding new communities to join, changing your username and tag for free and more!

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    Profile Interface

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  Support for @mentions
    3.  VoiP Calls
    4.  No Tracking
    5.  Screen Sharing
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  Cloud Sync

    Nerimity VS Fractal

     
  10. Conduit Chat Server icon

    Conduit Chat Server

     7 likes
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    Conduit is a simple, fast and reliable chat server powered by Matrix. Conduit is an alternative to Synapse and tries to be lightweight and easy to install, but it is still in development.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Linux
    • Debian
    • Nix Package Manager
    • Docker
    • Docker Hub
    Conduit Chat Server screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused
    3.  Scalable

    Features

    1.  Support for @mentions
    2.  Rust
    3.  Matrix Protocol

    Conduit Chat Server VS Fractal

     
  11. Neochat icon

    Neochat

     9 likes
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    NeoChat is a client for Matrix, the decentralized communication protocol for instant messaging. It is a fork of Spectral, using KDE frameworks, most notably Kirigami, KConfig and KI18n.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • KDE
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    Neochat screenshot 1

    Neochat Features

    1.  Decentralized
    2.  Private Chat
    3.  Matrix Protocol
    4.  Multiple Account support
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  No Tracking
    7.  Dark Mode
    8.  Messages
    9.  File Sending

    Neochat VS Fractal

     
  12. Librem Chat icon

    Librem Chat

     8 likes
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    End-to-end encrypted chat, VOIP, and video calling used by millions of people.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • F-Droid
    Librem Chat screenshot 1
    Librem Chat screenshot 2
    Librem Chat screenshot 3
    Discontinued

    App hasn't been updated on Play Store since 2020.

    Librem Chat Features

    1.  VoiP Calls
    2.  End-to-End Encryption
    3.  Decentralized
    4.  Ad-free

    Librem Chat VS Fractal

     
  13. Keychat icon

    Keychat

     2 likes
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    • Senders send messages stamped with Bitcoin ecash to Nostr relays. The Nostr relays collect the Bitcoin ecash, then deliver messages to receivers.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    Keychat screenshot 1
    Keychat screenshot 2
    Keychat screenshot 3

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused
    3.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Dark Mode
    2.  VoiP Calls
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  Support for @mentions
    5.  Decentralized
    6.  No Tracking
    7.  No registration required
    8.  End-to-End Encryption

    Keychat VS Fractal

     
  14. 0xchat icon

    0xchat

     2 likes
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    0xchat is a secure chat app built on the Nostr protocol. It prioritizes security, featuring private key login, encrypted private chats and contacts, encrypted group chats.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Mac
    • BSD
    0xchat screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Support for @mentions
    2.  Support for MarkDown
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  Decentralized
    5.  No Tracking
    6.  End-to-End Encryption
    7.  Dark Mode
    8.  No registration required

    0xchat VS Fractal

     
12 of 20 Fractal alternatives