Tools

Element

Matrix client. Federation and encryption; more setup than Slack.

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AGPL-3.0 · https://element.io · EU legal entity

Chat

Self-hosted Synapse + Element

Hosting: Self-hosted

EU companies exist; the protocol is open.

Fair 5.0 Easy 2.7 Secure 4.0

Pillar Criterion Score Evidence
Easy Day-one UX Can non-technical staff use it without a project? 3 Fine after onboarding; not as obvious as Slack. Source
Easy Operate Admin burden, updates, backups and language coverage. 2 Homeserver operations are non-trivial. Source
Easy Integrate SSO, mail/CalDAV, APIs and common NGO connectors. 3 Bridges exist; SSO is possible. Source
Fair Lock-in / exit Can you leave with your data in open formats, at known cost? 5 Matrix export and federation: you can leave a vendor. Source
Fair Sovereignty EU legal entity, EU hosting, and exposure to extra-EU lawful access? 5 Host the homeserver in the EU. Source
Fair Openness Open source or open standards? Are independent implementations possible? 5 Open protocol with multiple clients and servers. Source
Secure IT security Authentication, encryption, patch cadence and independent audit. 4 E2E rooms are strong if you verify devices. Source
Secure User security 2FA, roles, phishing resistance and safe defaults. 4 Cross-signing and 2FA need to be taught. Source
Secure Personal data GDPR fit: DPA, residency, sub-processors and Schrems II posture. 4 Self-host removes the US chat processor. Source