Element
Hiver
| Feature | Element | Hiver |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $5/mo | Free / from $19/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | open-source-teams, governments, privacy-focused-orgs, developers | small-teams, gmail-users, support-teams, startups |
| Founded | 2017 | 2011 |
| Encrypted Messaging | ✓ | ✗ |
| Voice Video Calls | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spaces | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bridges | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hosting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Federation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shared Inboxes | ✗ | ✓ |
| Email Assignment | ✗ | ✓ |
| Collision Detection | ✗ | ✓ |
| Analytics | ✗ | ✓ |
| Automations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sla Management | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Hiver Pros
- Works inside Gmail
- Easy adoption
- Shared inboxes
- Good for email teams
✗ Hiver Cons
- Gmail-only
- Limited outside email
- Fewer features than full helpdesks
The Verdict
Element is built for open source teams and governments, with a focus on encrypted-messaging and voice-video-calls. Hiver targets small teams and gmail users and leads with shared-inboxes and email-assignment.
On pricing, Element is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $5/mo compared to $19/mo for Hiver. That $14/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.