Element X vs Ruby Friends
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Element X
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.
- Real-time messaging
- Video calls
- Public and private rooms
- Rich messaging features
- Cross-device synchronization
- Data ownership and server choice
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Freedom to communicate on your own terms For individuals and communities - private communication between family, friends, hobby groups, clubs, etc. Element X gives you fast, secure and private instant messaging and video calls built on Matrix, the open standard for real-time communication. This is a free and open-source app maintained at https://github.com/element-hq/element-x-ios Stay in touch with friends, family and communities with: • Real time messaging & video calls • Public rooms for open group communication • Private rooms for closed group communication • Rich messaging features: emoji reactions, replies, polls, pinned messages and more. • Video calling while browsing messages. • Interoperability with other Matrix-based apps such as FluffyChat, Cinny and many more. Privacy-first Unlike some other messengers from Big Tech companies, we don’t mine your data or monitor your communications. Own your conversations Choose where to host your data - from any public server (the largest free server is matrix.org, but there are plenty of others to choose from) to creating your own personal server and hosting it on your own domain. This ability to choose a server is a large part of what differentiates us from other real time communication apps. However you host, you have ownership; it’s your data. You’re not the product. You’re in control. Communicate in real time, all the time Use Element everywhere. Stay in touch wherever you are with fully synchronised message history across all your devices, including on the web at https://app.element.io Element X is our next-generation app If you’re using the previous-generation Element Classic app, it’s time to try Element X! It’s faster, easier to use, and more powerful than the classic app. It’s better in every way and we’re adding new features all the time.
Ruby Friends
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Meet someone new. Start a real conversation. Reconnect later. Because the best part of a conference is who you meet. • Break the ice without the awkwardness. • Turn the hallway track into real conversations. • Reconnect and make life-long Ruby friends. HOW IT WORKS 1. Create your profile - Add a photo, what you’re passionate about, and optional contact links. 2. Scan and chat - Share your profile and start a meaningful conversation. 3. Stay in touch - After the conference, browse your connections and reconnect.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Ruby Friends at every 2 days against Element X's fortnightly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Element X ships an update fortnightly, Ruby Friends every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Element X | Ruby Friends |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.4 (152 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 40.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 152 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | 18.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 313 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Vector Creations Limited | Joseph Masilotti |
In-app purchases
Element X
No in-app purchases
Ruby Friends
No in-app purchases









