What is Element Android used for?

Element Android is the previous-generation Matrix client for Android, which still receives security updates while Element X is recommended for new use. It is a good fit for chatting on Matrix from older Android devices and building apps with the Matrix Android SDK.

Is Element Android open source?

Yes. Element Android is open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at element-hq/element-android and is written mainly in Kotlin.

Is Element Android free?

Yes. Element Android is open source, so the software itself is free to use.

Can I self-host Element Android?

Yes. Element Android can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What is Element Android an alternative to?

Element Android is an open-source alternative to Slack, Discord, WhatsApp and Signal. Other open-source alternatives to Slack include Tuwunel.

Is Element Android actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to Element Android was on 25 September 2026, and the latest release is v1.6.66, published on 25 September 2026. The project has 3.7k stars on GitHub.

Element Android: open-source alternative to Slack, Discord

About Element Android

Element Android, also called Element Classic, is a previous-generation Matrix collaboration client for Android provided by Element. It runs on Android devices with Lollipop (API 21) or newer. The README says this client is still supported and receives security updates, but no new features or usability improvements are being made, and it recommends the next-generation Element X app instead. The code is written in Kotlin and licensed under AGPL-3.0.

The project is built on a new Android SDK written entirely in Kotlin, which shares the repository with the app during early development. At each release the SDK module is copied to the matrix-android-sdk2 repository so that third-party apps can use it as a regular Gradle dependency. The README also explains the delay between a GitHub release and its appearance on Google Play and F-Droid, which includes beta periods and store reviews.

Key features

Matrix client for Android
Supports Android 5.0 (API 21) and newer
Security updates continue
Kotlin Matrix SDK module
Releases through Google Play and F-Droid

Good fit for

→Chatting on Matrix from older Android devices
→Building apps with the Matrix Android SDK

Built with: Kotlin
Tags: matrix; android; element; chat; messaging; kotlin; matrix-client

Element Android: questions and answers

What is Element Android used for?: Element Android is the previous-generation Matrix client for Android, which still receives security updates while Element X is recommended for new use. It is a good fit for chatting on Matrix from older Android devices and building apps with the Matrix Android SDK.
Is Element Android open source?: Yes. Element Android is open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at element-hq/element-android and is written mainly in Kotlin.
Is Element Android free?: Yes. Element Android is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
Can I self-host Element Android?: Yes. Element Android can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What is Element Android an alternative to?: Element Android is an open-source alternative to Slack, Discord, WhatsApp and Signal. Other open-source alternatives to Slack include Tuwunel.
Is Element Android actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to Element Android was on 25 September 2026, and the latest release is v1.6.66, published on 25 September 2026. The project has 3.7k stars on GitHub.