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Comparison · Collab

Elgg vs CryptPad

A side-by-side editorial comparison of Elgg and CryptPad — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.

Elgg vs CryptPad: at a glance

FeatureElggCryptPad
SectorCollabCollab
Velocity score5.06.3
Sparks · 30d01
Top themesopen-source, social-networking, self-hosted, phpself-hosting, encryption, office-suite, server-rewrite
Last editorial update4d ago2d ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is Elgg?

Elgg 6.3.10 raises the PHP floor to 8.2 as 7.1.3 patches access checks.

Elgg is a mature open-source PHP framework for self-hosted community platforms. The 7.0 major shipped in May 2026 and 7.1.0 in September added invitation-only groups. On November 5 Elgg shipped 7.1.3, fixing an access-collection permission check and a trash language key, and 6.3.10, which raises the minimum PHP version to 8.2.

Read the full Elgg trajectory →

What is CryptPad?

CryptPad rebuilt its server and swapped its office engine; now it is patching the fallout.

CryptPad just shipped its largest architectural change in years: a rewritten server published as a standalone npm package, and office apps moved from OnlyOffice to Euro-Office 9.3. Three weeks later a fix release followed with team-deletion, sharing and eviction-script repairs plus security fixes rated up to CVSS 7.3. The product is an end-to-end encrypted suite whose release rhythm is seasonal: one feature drop, then one or two fix releases.

Read the full CryptPad trajectory →

Elgg vs CryptPad: editorial side-by-side

E
Elgg
COLLAB
5.0

Elgg 6.3.10 raises the PHP floor to 8.2 as 7.1.3 patches access checks.

◆ Current state

Elgg is a mature open-source PHP framework for self-hosted community platforms. The 7.0 major shipped in May 2026 and 7.1.0 in September added invitation-only groups. On November 5 Elgg shipped 7.1.3, fixing an access-collection permission check and a trash language key, and 6.3.10, which raises the minimum PHP version to 8.2.

◆ Where it's heading

Both branches remain in maintenance, but the PHP 8.2 requirement on the 6.x line is a nudge for older installs to modernise or move to 7.x.

◆ Prediction

Paired 7.1.x and 6.3.x patches should continue every two to three weeks; the entries give no sign of a 7.2 feature release yet.

C
CryptPad
COLLAB
6.3

CryptPad rebuilt its server and swapped its office engine; now it is patching the fallout.

◆ Current state

CryptPad just shipped its largest architectural change in years: a rewritten server published as a standalone npm package, and office apps moved from OnlyOffice to Euro-Office 9.3. Three weeks later a fix release followed with team-deletion, sharing and eviction-script repairs plus security fixes rated up to CVSS 7.3. The product is an end-to-end encrypted suite whose release rhythm is seasonal: one feature drop, then one or two fix releases.

◆ Where it's heading

The office suite is the recurring pressure point: nearly every release since 2025 carries OnlyOffice corruption, history or pinning fixes, and the Euro-Office swap is the team taking ownership of that dependency. Splitting the server into its own package points toward easier self-hosting and embedding, which matches the openDesk integration builds and Integration API work seen earlier in the year.

◆ Prediction

Expect another fix release within weeks addressing new-server and Euro-Office edge cases, then a winter feature release built on the new server. Whether the server package gets third-party adoption is not visible from these entries.

Alternatives to Elgg and CryptPad

Other Collab products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Elgg or CryptPad.

See all Elgg alternatives → · See all CryptPad alternatives →

Recent activity from Elgg and CryptPad

Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.

  1. 3d agoCryptPad🍂🩹 Autumn fix release (2026.10.1)
  2. 8d agoElggElgg 7.1.3
  3. 9d agoElggElgg 6.3.10
  4. 23d agoCryptPad🍂 Autumn Release (2026.10.0) ⚡
  5. 24d agoElggElgg 7.1.2: small patch, paired with 6.3.9, no notes
  6. 24d agoElggElgg 6.3.9: paired backport patch for the 6.x line, no notes
  7. 1mo agoElggElgg 7.1.1 fixes profile access display, trash recovery and theming
  8. 2mo agoElggElgg 7.1.0: invitation-only groups, MariaDB now recommended
  9. 3mo agoCryptPadopenDesk build stops asking for donations when embedded
  10. 5mo agoCryptPad🌷🩹 Spring fix release (2026.5.1)
  11. 6mo agoCryptPad🌷 Spring release (2026.5.0)
  12. 7mo agoCryptPad❄️🩹🩹 Winter fix release 2 (2026.2.2)

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Elgg and CryptPad?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. CryptPad is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is Elgg better than CryptPad?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. CryptPad is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Collab products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to Elgg?

Top Elgg alternatives in Collab are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Elgg alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/elgg for the full list with editorial commentary on each.

What are the best alternatives to CryptPad?

Top CryptPad alternatives in Collab are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "CryptPad alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/cryptpad for the full list with editorial commentary on each.