Matrix vs OpenIM (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Matrix grades higher than OpenIM: 3.0 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Matrix grades higher on value for money, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Matrix if
- Fits if you want chat that no single company controls
- Works for communities that want to run their own server
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want one app that behaves the same everywhere, since features depend on the client
- Tight if you share big files on the free homeserver, as attachments stop at 10MB
- Watch out: the matrix.org server is crowded and has usage limits
- Watch out: running your own homeserver, or paying a host, is a separate cost and effort the Foundation does not endorse
- Watch out: Element X is mobile only and Nheko is desktop only
Pick OpenIM if
- Fits if you are a developer who wants chat inside your own product
- Works for companies that will host their own messaging server
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a ready chat app, as the open-source part is for building one
- Watch out: Business and Enterprise prices are not published
- Watch out: voice and video are separate modules bought as needed
- Skip it if you do not want to self-host, since Kubernetes deployment is an Enterprise feature
- Too light for production without the commercial clients, as the site says Enterprise is for that
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAMatrixVery good | 2.2GPAOpenIMFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe protocol and its clients are free to use, and the Foundation runs a free public matrix.org homeserver. Free software anyone can use counts as free and substantial. | CThe open-source edition is free but you host it. Business and Enterprise have no published price. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe free homeserver allows 10MB per attachment and 100MB of uploads per 24 hours, 500MB per 28 days. Most people get by, but heavy sharers hit it. | BOpen source is free to download, with no cap, for developers who host it. |
| Features | CFederation, a choice of clients, spaces, threads and bridges to Slack and Discord. Calls, threads and encryption depend on the client you pick, which is a gap. | CChat, voice and video, SDKs and webhooks. Voice, video and meetings are separate paid modules. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You pick a homeserver and a client before you start, so there is some learning. | DNo rating on record. It is an SDK and server that developers build on and host. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android clients exist, with bridges to Discord, Slack, Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp and Mattermost. Which platform a given client covers differs. | BWeb, iPhone and Android SDKs and a server API. Desktop is shown only as a demo app. |
| Best for | open, federated chat you can host yourself | building chat and calls into your own app |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Matrix and OpenIM. How we grade
Where they differ
- Matrix is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- OpenIM also covers video calls.
In commonFree planWebiOSAndroidOpen sourceSelf-hostableTeam chat
At a glance
| Matrix | OpenIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | Not published |
| Free plan | The protocol is free to use, and the Foundation runs a free public matrix.org homeserver with usage limits on attachments and data. | The Open Source edition (server, IM SDK and demo apps) is listed as free. |
| Free trial | None listed | Trials of the commercial editions are available by request. |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | The Matrix.org Foundation | OpenIM |
| Price read from | matrix.org | openim.io |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Matrix
- Matrix is a protocol, not one app: features such as calls, threads and encryption depend on the client you choose.
- The public matrix.org homeserver is crowded and has usage limits; the Foundation says premium plan pricing is not yet published.
- Running your own homeserver, or paying a hosting provider, is a separate cost and effort that the Foundation does not endorse or guarantee.
- The platforms listed are those of the featured clients, which differ: Element X is mobile only, while Nheko is desktop only.
OpenIM
- OpenIM is not a single chat app. Open Source is meant for development and custom clients, and the site says Enterprise is for production.
- Business and Enterprise have no published prices; they are bought through a request-a-trial and contract process.
- Voice and video and video meetings are separate modules purchased as needed on the commercial editions.
- The open-source GitHub page lists an Electron demo app for Windows, Mac and Linux, but the site presents these as demos.
Key features
Matrix
- Federation between servers
- Accounts look like @username:example.com, and people on different providers can message each other, much as email works across providers.
- Choice of client
- Matrix is only the standard; you chat through a client. The clients page lists Element, Element X, FluffyChat, Cinny and Nheko across web, desktop and mobile.
- Encryption in clients that support it
- End-to-end encryption is listed as a capability of the featured clients, including for media and calls where a client supports them.
- Spaces and threads
- Clients can browse and manage Matrix spaces to group rooms for a community, and most featured clients support threaded replies.
- Bridges to other networks
- Bridges connect Matrix rooms to platforms including Discord, Slack, Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp, Mattermost and Google Chat.
- Self-hosting or hosted providers
- Anyone can run their own homeserver, or pick from the hosting providers the Foundation lists, so an organization keeps control of its data.
OpenIM
- Chat and messaging
- One-to-one chat, groups, large groups, message history, offline messages, receipts, search and multi-device sync.
- Voice and video
- Voice calls, video calls, group calls, video meetings and screen sharing, sold as separate modules for the commercial editions.
- Client SDKs
- SDKs for iOS, Android, web (JavaScript), Flutter and React Native, and the site says it covers 10+ client platforms.
- Server API and webhooks
- Server APIs and webhook callbacks connect accounts, permissions and events to your own backend.
- Self-hosted deployment
- OpenIM Server runs in your own cloud or private network, and Enterprise adds Kubernetes and a high-availability cluster.
Plans
Matrix
Free$0
Matrix.org homeserver account: 10MB per attachment and 100MB of uploads per 24 hours, up to 500MB per 28 days.
OpenIM
Open Source$0
OpenIM Server and IM SDK for development and custom client integration; you host it yourself.
BusinessCustom
Production-ready client UI on multiple platforms under a commercial license. No price is published.
EnterpriseCustom
Everything in Business plus advanced messaging, Kubernetes deployment and high availability. No price is published.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Matrix or OpenIM?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Matrix is free, and OpenIM publishes no starting price.
Which has a free plan, Matrix or OpenIM?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Matrix and OpenIM have a free plan.
Which platforms do Matrix and OpenIM run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Matrix lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list a web app and iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.