Element
Superlist
| Feature | Element | Superlist |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $5/mo | Free / from $9/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | open-source-teams, governments, privacy-focused-orgs, developers | wunderlist-fans, small-teams, individuals, design-conscious-users |
| Founded | 2017 | 2020 |
| Encrypted Messaging | ✓ | ✗ |
| Voice Video Calls | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spaces | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bridges | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hosting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Federation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Personal Lists | ✗ | ✓ |
| Team Workspaces | ✗ | ✓ |
| Markdown Notes | ✗ | ✓ |
| Due Dates | ✗ | ✓ |
| Notifications | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cross Platform | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Superlist Pros
- Lightning fast performance
- Seamless personal and team lists
- Beautiful design by Wunderlist creators
- Native apps on all platforms
✗ Superlist Cons
- Relatively new with fewer integrations
- Limited automation features
- No Gantt or timeline views
The Verdict
Element is built for open source teams and governments, with a focus on encrypted-messaging and voice-video-calls. Superlist targets wunderlist fans and small teams and leads with personal-lists and team-workspaces.
Pricing is close: Element starts at $5/mo versus $9/mo for Superlist — not a deciding factor on its own.
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.