Element
RingCentral
| Feature | Element | RingCentral |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $5/mo | From $30/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | open-source-teams, governments, privacy-focused-orgs, developers | enterprises, mid-market-companies, distributed-teams, contact-centers |
| Founded | 2017 | 1999 |
| Encrypted Messaging | ✓ | ✗ |
| Voice Video Calls | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spaces | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bridges | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hosting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Federation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Business Phone | ✗ | ✓ |
| Video Meetings | ✗ | ✓ |
| Team Messaging | ✗ | ✓ |
| Contact Center | ✗ | ✓ |
| Analytics | ✗ | ✓ |
| Integrations Marketplace | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ RingCentral Pros
- Complete UCaaS solution
- Extensive integrations marketplace
- Reliable enterprise-grade platform
- Global coverage
✗ RingCentral Cons
- Expensive for small teams
- Feature overload for simple needs
- Contract lock-in common
The Verdict
Element is built for open source teams and governments, with a focus on encrypted-messaging and voice-video-calls. RingCentral targets enterprises and mid market companies and leads with business-phone and video-meetings.
On pricing, Element is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $5/mo compared to $30/mo for RingCentral. That $25/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Element has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. RingCentral requires a paid subscription from day one.
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.