# Librem Chat vs Element X

The clearest difference is rating: Librem Chat at 3.8 against Element X's 3.4. Librem Chat also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 18.5). Element X's advantage is ratings volume (156 vs 11) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Librem Chat holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Element X has 156 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of Librem Chat's written reviews are positive against 39% of Element X's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Librem Chat ships an update monthly, Element X fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Librem Chat | Element X |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.8 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librem-chat/id1456162175/reviews)** | [3.4 (156 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-x-secure-chat-and-call/id1631335820/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **156** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **39.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 116 MB | 313 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [PURISM, SPC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1448949014) | [Vector Creations Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1154157774) |

## What reviewers say

### Librem Chat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librem-chat/id1456162175)

This app provides secure text, voice, and video communication with end-to-end encryption. Share images, videos, and files in chat rooms while keeping conversations private. It is free and open-source software.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Text chat rooms, Voice and video calls, Image, video, and file sharing, Free and open-source

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none


### Element X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-x-secure-chat-and-call/id1631335820)

Communicate securely and privately with instant messaging and video calls. This app offers robust features for individuals and communities, allowing you to own your data and choose where it's hosted. Enjoy real-time communication with synchronized history across all your devices.

**Highlights:** Real-time messaging, Video calls, Public and private rooms, Rich messaging features, Cross-device synchronization, Data ownership and server choice

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Librem Chat free?

Librem Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Element X free?

Element X is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Librem Chat or Element X?

Librem Chat is rated higher. Librem Chat averages 3.8 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Element X averages 3.4 from 156 ratings.

### Do Librem Chat or Element X have ads?

Neither Librem Chat nor Element X shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Librem Chat or Element X?

Librem Chat ships an update monthly, and Element X fortnightly. Most recently, Librem Chat was updated on October 1, 2026 and Element X on October 16, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*