I want to migrate my friends to self-hosted Matrix server I have for some time now. The problem is, that all Android clients seem missing for me. Element is too buggy (especially for encryption) and has bad UX. Element X is still experimental and lacks core features. FluffyChat has most features and nice ones like stickers, but calls or location sharing is here as a placeholder but not really working.
If you migrated someone to Matrix, what client did you found out to “be working” for people not caring about protocol? Because I care for protocol and can stand some bugs, that others could not.
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My friends use Element since it has become a lot less buggy in my experience in the last few months, and is feature rich. Given the apparent requirements (calls, location sharing, etc), I don’t know if there are any other android clients that offer everything you’re looking for. If it’s been a bit since you’ve used Element, I would try it again. Could even have unencrypted (group chat) rooms depending on security requirements since all accounts will be on your instance to avoid encryption issues.
Try schildichat
Lots of people complain about Schildichat for various reasons, but Element for Android gets unbearably slow for me after less than a day of use. Clearing the cache resets the timer, but it just keeps happening. That doesn’t happen on Schildichat, and those two apps are the only ones I know of that support both spaces and threads, which I need.
maybe a hot take… but beeper. makes it way easier to manager the keys and crap with an email login for those that loose their passwords all the time. and linking their other favortire socials might be a selling point. but if youre super cautious/paranoid, they have ways to run your own server. (i use their servers…)
Does the new Beeper Android client already work with Matrix messages? I tested it briefly after the release, but it basically didn’t support regular Matrix at all yet
Yes.
After their plan of starting with local iMessage and expanding later didn’t turn out well, they turned it around. Start with Matrix, add local bridges later.
The current application is based on the Beeper Mini codebase, is Matrix-First and will soon allow you to use local bridges to better preserve E2EE. As seen by some MSCs opened up by the beeper team, they are also looking into encrypted chat backups with these local bridges.
Thanks for the info, but Matrix first…? I had to install the app again and try it out, but couldn’t figure out how to start a new matrix chat.
I really like the client UX/UI-wise, but unless I’m missing something it’s definetly not a viable Matrix client yet.
You will have to start the chat from desktop, none of their mobile clients support starting a Matrix chat as of now.
It’s not a traditional matrix client mind you, and when I say “Matrix First” I mean architecturally.
The desktop and previous mobile clients are based off of Element, it’s only the new mobile clients that are custom.
so unfortunately, you can’t log into your matrix account, but rather it creates a @username:beeper.com account. Which (if you bug them) you can use to log into your favorite matrix client. but you can then join our favorite rooms and chat folks using normal matrix commands.
Yeah, you can use Element web and reset the account password using “forgot password” to use the beeper homeserver, but OP is asking about Android clients
The Beeper client is 100% not usable for Matrix-to-Matrix messaging, I don’t think it even supports e2ee, but I have heard they’re working on it.
It supports E2EE.
I’m talking about the android client for beeper but have used it for nheko…and it does support e2ee. I use it for all matrix convos and rooms. Maybe something changed in the time you last used it and I signed up, but yeah not having any e2ee issues once I verified the key
Wait for element x to come out, I had terrible experiences with trying this
I wish they organized the rooms list on android better.
I favorite person to person and rooms I admin and the random rooms I am in push the rooms I care about down all the time.
If they don’t care about the protocol, choose a protocol that doesn’t take minutes just to join rooms & has clients that use less data/power so the family isn’t annoyed to have that app on their phone.
