Open Source Matrix Alternatives for Mac

There are many alternatives to Matrix for Mac if you are looking for a replacement. The best open source Mac alternative is Signal. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Matrix and many of them are open source and available for Mac so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source Mac alternatives to Matrix are Element, Pidgin, Stoat Chat and I2P.

filter to find the best alternatives

Matrix alternatives are mainly Instant Messengers, but if you're looking for Group Chat Apps or Encrypted Chat Apps you can filter on that. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Matrix.
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Alternatives list

  1. Signal icon
     1378 likes

    An open-source messaging app emphasizing privacy with encrypted communication. Share texts, calls, photos, and videos without ads or trackers, available across major platforms. Developed by Signal Technology Foundation and praised globally for security measures.

    221 Signal alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • Ubuntu
    • Debian
     
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    1
    Signal vs Matrix Comments
    alternativepun3n
    Negative
    5

    Signal is not an open standard for decentralized communication. It's a messaging app, a secure messaging protocol, a non-profit foundation and it's open source too. But it's completely centralistic by design.

    • Signal is Free and Open SourceMatrix is also Free and Open Source
  2. Element icon
     791 likes

    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.

    313 Element alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    • Snapcraft
     
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    3
    Element vs Matrix Comments
    Guest
    Negative
    14

    Element is not an alternative to Matrix, it's a client for Matrix.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    2

    Element uses Matrix protocol, so it is a client to login to my Matrix account. Element is not an alternative to Matrix

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    2

    Element is matrix homeserver and client not an alternative.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Element is Free Personal and Open SourceMatrix is Free and Open Source
  3. Pidgin icon
     1530 likes

    Pidgin is a chat program which lets you log into accounts on multiple chat networks simultaneously. This means that you can be chatting with friends on XMPP and sitting in an IRC channel at the same time.

    120 Pidgin alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
     
  4. Stoat Chat icon
     125 likes

    Instant messaging platform supporting text and voice channels, live video calls, secure screen sharing, private group chats, customizable permissions, moderation tools, bot integration, privacy-focused design, open-source development, and cross-platform use.

    58 Stoat Chat alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Rust
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
     
  5. I2P icon
     234 likes

    The I2P network provides strong privacy protections for communication over the Internet. Many activities that would risk your privacy on the public Internet can be conducted anonymously inside I2P.

    47 I2P alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD
    • F-Droid
     
  6. Zulip icon
     268 likes

    Threaded group conversations combine live and asynchronous messaging, separating topics for organized collaboration, supporting open-source, cloud, and self-hosted deployments, secure communication with encryption, and multi-platform access for diverse teams.

    229 Zulip alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
     
  7. Rocket.Chat icon
     160 likes

    Open-source chat server supporting real-time group, direct, and private messaging, video calls, file sharing, helpdesk chat, API integrations, desktop notifications, emojis, LDAP authentication, cross-platform apps, and customizable extensions for teams.

    145 Rocket.Chat alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Cloudron
     
  8. Quiet Chat icon
     19 likes

    Peer-to-peer group chatting over Tor and IPFS, with local-first encrypted messaging and no central servers, offers privacy-focused decentralized collaboration for teams, supporting desktop and mobile. FOSS, open to contributors, and avoids surveillance-based tracking.

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
     
  9. Cinny icon
     22 likes

    Matrix client supporting decentralized, secure chats with end-to-end encryption, open-source development, organized navigation for channels and DMs, minimal clutter, adaptive elegant interface, calm visuals, and continuous feature updates for private, modern messaging.

    20 Cinny alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Arch Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
     
  10. XMPP icon
     22 likes

    XMPP, or Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol, is an open standard for instant messaging and real-time communication, allowing for message exchanges between any two entities on the Internet. It's known for its decentralized and extensible nature.

    37 XMPP alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Windows Phone
    • Self-Hosted
     
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    1
    XMPP vs Matrix Comments
    alternativepun3n
    Positive
    0

    XMPP is one of the only real alternatives to Matrix on this list. It is an open standard for decentralized communication. There are many differences between the Protokoll, but they aim to do similar things.

    • XMPP is Free and Open SourceMatrix is also Free and Open Source
  11. GNUnet icon
     83 likes

    GNUnet is a framework for secure peer-to-peer networking that does not use any centralized or otherwise trusted services. A first service implemented on top of the networking layer allows anonymous censorship-resistant file-sharing.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
     
12 of 42 Matrix alternatives