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Home/Categories/Communication & Collaboration/Matrix
icon of Matrix

Matrix

Open source alternative to Slack, Microsoft Teams and Zoom Workplace

  • 4.7K stars
  • AGPL-3.0
  • Active this week
  • Last commit 1 day ago

Last verified Oct 20, 2026

Run a federated messaging stack with Matrix and Synapse, with self-hosted chat, calling, bridges, and end-to-end encryption.

Visit websiteGitHub4.7K starsDeploy on Hostinger
image of Matrix
TL;DR

Matrix is an open protocol for secure, federated communication across homeservers. It replaces single-vendor chat networks when communities and organizations need interoperable rooms, bridges, end-to-end encryption support, and Apache-2.0 server implementations such as Synapse.

Read the full breakdownHide the full breakdownWho it is for, how it works, trade-offs and the FAQ
who it's for

Who Matrix is for#

Communities needing open chat federation

Matrix fits communities that need communication across independently hosted servers.

Skip if:

Skip it if a single closed workspace already covers all users and compliance requirements.

Organizations with sovereignty requirements

Matrix helps organizations keep account and server control while still collaborating externally.

Skip if:

Use a managed workspace if administration and moderation capacity are limited.

the problem

The problem it solves#

Closed chat systems make every organization join the same vendor-controlled workspace if they want durable communication. That model breaks down for open communities, public-sector collaboration, and multi-organization groups that need their own identity, moderation, and hosting choices.

The missing layer is protocol ownership. Teams need chat that can cross server boundaries without giving one company control over the whole network.

how Matrix solves it

How it solves it#

Federated homeservers

Matrix rooms can span homeservers, allowing different organizations to host their own accounts while still communicating in shared spaces.

End-to-end encryption support

Matrix supports end-to-end encrypted communication for rooms and direct messages, depending on client and room configuration.

Bridging model

Matrix has a bridging ecosystem for connecting other chat networks. This matters for communities that cannot move every participant at once.

strengths · trade-offs

Strengths and trade-offs#

Strengths

  • Protocol control over workspace lock-inMatrix lets organizations choose servers and clients around a shared protocol instead of committing all communication to one workspace vendor.
  • Synapse as a mature reference serverThe Synapse homeserver is Apache-2.0 licensed and widely used, giving teams a concrete server path for Matrix deployments.

Trade-offs

  • -Federation increases admin complexityHomeserver operators need to handle moderation, abuse, identity, backups, federation rules, and upgrades.
  • -Client experience variesMatrix is a protocol ecosystem. User experience depends on the chosen client, homeserver, bridges, and encryption setup.
tech stack · detected from GitHub

What it's built on#

Languages
PythonRust
Databases
PostgreSQL
frequently asked

FAQ#

Is Matrix a chat app?

Matrix is a protocol and network model. Users access it through clients such as Element and servers such as Synapse.

Can Matrix be self-hosted?

Yes. Organizations can run a Matrix homeserver such as Synapse.

What license does Synapse use?

Synapse, the Matrix homeserver listed here, is Apache-2.0 licensed.

Looking for more

Other ways to replace Slack, Microsoft Teams and Zoom Workplace#

Buzz

Featuredfor Slack

Self-hosted team chat where people and AI agents work together

36,174 GitHub starsVisit

Mattermost

#1 in the Slack guide

Closest drop-in Slack replacement for self-hosted teams

39,388 GitHub stars

Rocket.Chat

#2 in the Slack guide

Teams needing internal chat and customer omnichannel in one tool

46,298 GitHub stars

Zulip

#3 in the Slack guide

Async-first teams that need organized, low-noise conversations

26,085 GitHub stars
All 17 Slack alternatives8 open source Slack alternatives, ranked
by category

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REA (Reverse Engineer Anything), RustDesk, Uptime Kuma
Hostinger

Run Matrix on your own server

Self-host Matrix on a Hostinger VPS.

Deploy on Hostinger

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