Craft
Element
| Feature | Craft | Element |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $5/mo | Free / from $5/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | apple-users, writers, teams, knowledge-workers | open-source-teams, governments, privacy-focused-orgs, developers |
| Founded | 2019 | 2017 |
| Block Editor | ✓ | ✗ |
| Nested Pages | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai Assistant | ✓ | ✗ |
| Collaboration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sharing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Templates | ✓ | ✗ |
| Encrypted Messaging | ✗ | ✓ |
| Voice Video Calls | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spaces | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bridges | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hosting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Federation | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Craft Pros
- Stunning native Apple design
- Fast and responsive
- Good sharing and collaboration
- AI assistant included
✗ Craft Cons
- Best on Apple devices
- Limited web version
- Less powerful databases than Notion
✓ Element Pros
- Decentralized architecture
- End-to-end encryption
- Self-hosting option
- Bridges to other platforms
✗ Element Cons
- Complex setup for non-technical users
- Smaller ecosystem
- Performance can lag on large rooms
The Verdict
Craft is built for apple users and writers, with a focus on block-editor and nested-pages. Element targets open source teams and governments and leads with encrypted-messaging and voice-video-calls.
Both tools come in at similar price points ($5/mo for Craft, $5/mo for Element), so pricing won't make the decision for you.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Craft edges out on user ratings (4.6 vs 4.2). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Bottom line: Craft has a slight overall edge — but if decentralized architecture matters most to you, Element may still be the right call.