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Add to SafariWhen comparing Facebook Messenger Lite vs Element (formerly Riot), the Slant community recommends Element (formerly Riot) for most people. In the question“What are the best Facebook messenger alternatives for Android?” Element (formerly Riot) is ranked 1st while Facebook Messenger Lite is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose Element (formerly Riot) is:
You're not confined within Element's or even Matrix garden, and you don't have to make users of other networks switch to Matrix.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Gets features while staying small
It has received several features the full app has (stickers, voice and video calls) while the app size stays about the same.
Pro Can run on slow phones
Being light (installed it takes up 6-10 MB of memory) and fast, Messenger Lite can run on phones with Android 2.3 and up.
Pro Works on all networks
This app was made with 2G networks and areas with slow or unstable internet connections in mind. If you lose the connection, your messages will be delivered when you have signal again.
Pro Bridges to other networks
You're not confined within Element's or even Matrix garden, and you don't have to make users of other networks switch to Matrix.
Pro Markdown support
Code snippets in chats can be highlighted with Markdown.
Pro Simple interface
Element has a very simple interface, adding the ability for more inexperienced users to use it.
Pro VOIP and Videoconferencing
Pro Supports encryption
Element allows for fully encrypted text, voice, and video chatting.
Pro Widgets support
Want to watch that flick at YouTube and discuss it at the same time? Have Grafana graphs stacked above your DevOps team chat? Collaboratively edit Google Docs and chat over without switching applications? This is possible with Element.
Pro Decentralized
An open network for secure, decentralized communication.
Pro Self-hosting and federated network
Pro Libre/open source
Pro Search
Search messages in your current room, or all the rooms you're in. Not subject to a message history limit like Slack.
Pro Cross platform
Web browser
Linux
OS X
Windows
Android
iOS
Pro Large existing community
With public rooms for many people, and you can create your own and let people from the community join.
Pro Etherpad real-time document collaboration
An easy to activate integration that allows multiple authors to edit a document simultaneously.
Pro File Sharing
Pro Supports text, voice, video
Cons
Con No secret chats
Doesn't support end-to-end encrypted "secret chats" like the full app.
Con Doesn't support deactivated accounts
The full app has a feature where the user can deactivate their Facebook profile, but continue using Messenger. Lite lacks that feature.
