Element
Stormboard
| Feature | Element | Stormboard |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $5/mo | Free / from $10/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Best For | open-source-teams, governments, privacy-focused-orgs, developers | facilitators, meeting-leaders, teams, consultants |
| Founded | 2017 | 2011 |
| Encrypted Messaging | ✓ | ✗ |
| Voice Video Calls | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spaces | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bridges | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hosting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Federation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sticky Notes | ✗ | ✓ |
| Templates | ✗ | ✓ |
| Voting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Reports | ✗ | ✓ |
| Video Conferencing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Integrations | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Stormboard Pros
- Good for brainstorming
- Meeting templates
- AI report generation
- Easy to use
✗ Stormboard Cons
- Limited free tier
- Less polished than Miro
- Fewer integrations
The Verdict
Element is built for open source teams and governments, with a focus on encrypted-messaging and voice-video-calls. Stormboard targets facilitators and meeting leaders and leads with sticky-notes and templates.
On pricing, Element is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $5/mo compared to $10/mo for Stormboard. That $5/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.