Comparison

Element X vs Ruby Friends

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Real-time messaging
  • Video calls
  • Public and private rooms
  • Rich messaging features
  • Cross-device synchronization
  • Data ownership and server choice
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Ruby Friends

Features
Read full description

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

Element X4 screens
Ruby Friends4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Element X versus Ruby Friends: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterElement XRuby Friends
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.4 (152 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews40.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings152 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.518.5
Further details — not scored
Size313 MB1 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperVector Creations LimitedJoseph Masilotti

In-app purchases

None

Element X

No in-app purchases

None

Ruby Friends

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Element X free?
Element X is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ruby Friends free?
Ruby Friends is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Element X or Ruby Friends have ads?
Neither Element X nor Ruby Friends shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Element X or Ruby Friends?
Element X ships an update fortnightly, and Ruby Friends every 2 days. Most recently, Element X was updated on September 29, 2026 and Ruby Friends on September 19, 2026.

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