Element Call vs Nextcloud Talk
Both are alternatives to Zoom. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as Nextcloud Talk vs Element Call — same comparison, one verdict.
Element Call and Nextcloud Talk are closely matched on ownership (89 vs 88) — this one comes down to pricing and to which trade-offs below you can live with.
Element Call
Decentralized, end-to-end encrypted calls on the Matrix network.
Element Call is a native Matrix video-conferencing app: end-to-end encrypted by default, federated across Matrix homeservers, and free to use or self-host. It is the best fit for teams that want secure, decentralized calls with no single company controlling the infrastructure — calls can even happen between users on different homeservers.
Nextcloud Talk
Self-hosted calls, chat, and screen-sharing inside a suite you own.
Nextcloud Talk adds audio/video calls, group chat, webinars, and screen-sharing to Nextcloud, the open-source file-and-collaboration suite. Calls are peer-to-peer and end-to-end encrypted, and everything runs on your own Nextcloud server, so it is the strongest Zoom alternative for anyone who already self-hosts Nextcloud or wants meetings living next to their files and calendar rather than in a separate cloud.
Side by side
10 points of comparison, every one read from a verified field. Green marks the side that wins a row outright. A dash means we do not hold that fact — never that it is zero.
| Element Call | Nextcloud Talk | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty ScoreOur transparent 0–100 composite for data ownership and exit cost. | 89 | 88 |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Local-first data | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Pricing | Free / open-source (use element.io or self-host with a Matrix homeserver) | Free / open-source (self-host as part of Nextcloud) |
| RAM to run it wellThe figure that actually matters, not the vendor's minimum. | 2–4 GB for Synapse, PostgreSQL, the LiveKit SFU and the MatrixRTC authorization service on one small box | 4 GB for Nextcloud plus the Talk backend container on one box |
| Realistic running costWhat the box costs each month if you run it yourself. | $12–24/mo on a 4 GB VPS for Synapse plus LiveKit, but bandwidth is the real bill: the SFU sends each participant a copy of everyone else's video, so outbound traffic climbs with every person who joins | $12–24/mo on a 4 GB VPS for Nextcloud with the Talk backend, plus bandwidth: with the high-performance backend every video stream passes through your server, so each extra participant adds traffic, and on a metered plan that shows up on the bill |
| Setup timeHonest first-install estimate, not the marketing quickstart. | A weekend if you already run Synapse; longer if this is your first Matrix homeserver | 30 minutes to switch Talk on in an existing Nextcloud AIO; a day or more to hand-build the signaling server, Janus, NATS and TURN on a manual install |
| Ongoing maintenanceThe part nobody budgets for. | The homeserver flags Element Call needs are still marked experimental, so re-check them against the self-hosting doc on every Synapse and Element Call release. LiveKit and the auth service are separate things to patch, and LiveKit's UDP media ports (50000–60000) must survive every firewall change. | On AIO the Talk container updates with the rest of the stack. On a manual install the signaling server, Janus, NATS and TURN are separate things you patch yourself. Re-test a three-person call after every major Nextcloud upgrade and every firewall change. |
Element Call edges it on the Sovereignty Score, but the right pick depends on the trade-offs below.
Weighing both against staying on Zoom? Is Zoom free? What it actually costs →
Element Call
Strengths
- +End-to-end encrypted and decentralized (Matrix + LiveKit)
- +Federated — call across different homeservers
- +Use free online or self-host for full control
- +No account lock-in to a single provider
Trade-offs
- −Self-hosting means running a Matrix homeserver and LiveKit backend
- −Younger and less turnkey than Jitsi for large calls
- −Ecosystem is smaller than mainstream conferencing tools
Nextcloud Talk
Strengths
- +End-to-end encrypted calls on your own server
- +Chat, calls, files, and calendar in one owned suite
- +No account or per-host fees
- +Public meeting links guests can join from a browser
Trade-offs
- −Best value only if you already run (or want to run) Nextcloud
- −Large group calls need a High Performance Backend (extra setup)
- −You operate the Nextcloud server yourself
Which one fits you
The trade-offs above, turned into a decision. Find the line that describes your team.
Choose Element Call
if a lower exit cost matters more to you than any single feature, and end-to-end encrypted and decentralized (Matrix + LiveKit).
Choose Nextcloud Talk
if end-to-end encrypted calls on your own server.
Neither, yet
if both carry a real cost you should weigh first — self-hosting means running a Matrix homeserver and LiveKit backend, and best value only if you already run (or want to run) Nextcloud. If either of those is a dealbreaker for your team, the shortlist is wrong rather than the choice.
What it takes to run these yourself
Real requirements and honest running costs, not the vendor quickstart.
Self-hosting Element Call
2–4 GB for Synapse, PostgreSQL, the LiveKit SFU and the MatrixRTC authorization service on one small box RAM · A weekend if you already run Synapse; longer if this is your first Matrix homeserver
$12–24/mo on a 4 GB VPS for Synapse plus LiveKit, but bandwidth is the real bill: the SFU sends each participant a copy of everyone else's video, so outbound traffic climbs with every person who joins
Self-hosting Nextcloud Talk
4 GB for Nextcloud plus the Talk backend container on one box RAM · 30 minutes to switch Talk on in an existing Nextcloud AIO; a day or more to hand-build the signaling server, Janus, NATS and TURN on a manual install
$12–24/mo on a 4 GB VPS for Nextcloud with the Talk backend, plus bandwidth: with the high-performance backend every video stream passes through your server, so each extra participant adds traffic, and on a metered plan that shows up on the bill
Element Call vs Nextcloud Talk — common questions
Is Element Call a better fit than Nextcloud Talk for video conferencing?
It depends on what you are optimising for, and the honest split is this: Element Call scores 89 to Nextcloud Talk's 88 on data ownership and exit cost, so it is the safer choice if you care about being able to leave. Nextcloud Talk earns its place on a different axis — end-to-end encrypted calls on your own server. Neither is a wrong answer for every team; the table above is the actual comparison.
What happens if we want to switch later?
Element Call keeps its data local or in open formats, so leaving is an export rather than a negotiation. Nextcloud Talk is still self-hostable, so the files stay on your server either way — but it is not local-first by design, so check what its export produces before you rely on it.
Can I self-host Element Call or Nextcloud Talk?
Both can be self-hosted. The difference is what it costs you in time rather than whether it is possible — see the setup and maintenance rows above.
Are Element Call and Nextcloud Talk both alternatives to Zoom?
Yes — both appear in our Zoom comparison, which is why they are worth putting side by side. People usually arrive here already having decided to move off Zoom and now choosing between the two replacements, which is a narrower and much easier question.
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Facts verified 2026-07-12. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.