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Comparison · Comms

Gromox vs Element

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

Gromox vs Element: at a glance

FeatureGromoxElement
SectorCommsComms
Velocity score2.55.0
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesgroupware, exchange-compatibility, ews, imapencryption, recovery-keys, module-api, element-call
Last editorial update12d ago18h ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is Gromox?

Gromox 3.13 adds scripts to move Exchange-for-All systems onto it.

Gromox ships a numbered release roughly monthly. 3.13 adds scripts to convert E4A systems to Gromox, full two-way sync of IMAP keywords with MAPI categories, multi-message vCard export and audit logging in emsmdb and zcore, and fixes an EWS gap where any user could answer, alter or move meeting requests in other mailboxes. 3.12 moved MAPI-to-internet conversion onto VMIME with RFC 2231 filenames; 3.11 added IMAP FETCH BINARY and Sent Items copies for send-as and send-on-behalf on shared mailboxes.

Read the full Gromox trajectory →

What is Element?

Element 1.12.35 follows the call picture-in-picture release with one desktop storage fix.

Element Web spent October on crypto UX: mandatory device verification, removal of guest tokens and NEB links, and a shorter recovery-key flow in 1.12.33. 1.12.34 shipped OS-level picture-in-picture for Element Call, a module switch that disables public rooms, recovery-key generation when logging out of the last device and fixes for two security advisories. 1.12.35, a day later, backports a single fallback to synchronous safeStorage.

Read the full Element trajectory →

Gromox vs Element: editorial side-by-side

G
Gromox
COMMS
2.5

Gromox 3.13 adds scripts to move Exchange-for-All systems onto it.

◆ Current state

Gromox ships a numbered release roughly monthly. 3.13 adds scripts to convert E4A systems to Gromox, full two-way sync of IMAP keywords with MAPI categories, multi-message vCard export and audit logging in emsmdb and zcore, and fixes an EWS gap where any user could answer, alter or move meeting requests in other mailboxes. 3.12 moved MAPI-to-internet conversion onto VMIME with RFC 2231 filenames; 3.11 added IMAP FETCH BINARY and Sent Items copies for send-as and send-on-behalf on shared mailboxes.

◆ Where it's heading

The project keeps completing Exchange behaviour for clients that expect it, now including shared-mailbox Sent Items and meeting handling that matches Exchange. 3.13's conversion scripts and audit logging point at migration and compliance as the adoption path, alongside the IMAP work that has run since 3.8. Permission checks on EWS calendar operations show the protocol surface now gets security review, not only coverage.

◆ Prediction

Expect more EWS permission and behaviour corrections and continued IMAP4rev2 coverage; the E4A scripts suggest further migration tooling from other groupware.

E
Element
COMMS
5.0

Element 1.12.35 follows the call picture-in-picture release with one desktop storage fix.

◆ Current state

Element Web spent October on crypto UX: mandatory device verification, removal of guest tokens and NEB links, and a shorter recovery-key flow in 1.12.33. 1.12.34 shipped OS-level picture-in-picture for Element Call, a module switch that disables public rooms, recovery-key generation when logging out of the last device and fixes for two security advisories. 1.12.35, a day later, backports a single fallback to synchronous safeStorage.

◆ Where it's heading

Two tracks run in parallel: reducing key-loss failures in encryption, and giving deployers more control through the Module API. The public-room switch and timezone config point at managed and institutional deployments, while the new timeline in labs is slowly gaining parity features.

◆ Prediction

1.12.34 should ship stable within about a week, following the RC-to-release pattern of recent versions; read receipts suggest the new timeline is getting closer to replacing the old one.

Alternatives to Gromox and Element

Other Comms 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 Gromox or Element.

See all Gromox alternatives → · See all Element alternatives →

Recent activity from Gromox and Element

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

  1. 1d agoElementElement 1.12.35 backports a safeStorage fallback fix
  2. 3d agoElementElement 1.12.34: call picture-in-picture, two security fixes
  3. 7d agoElement1.12.34 RC.1 adds labs read receipts and configurable timezone
  4. 10d agoElement1.12.34 RC: call picture-in-picture, module switch for public rooms
  5. 15d agoGromoxGromox 3.13
  6. 17d agoElementElement 1.12.33 ships simpler recovery keys, ends libolm migration
  7. 25d agoElement1.12.33 RC simplifies recovery keys, drops libolm migration
  8. 1mo agoGromoxGromox 3.12
  9. 1mo agoGromoxGromox 3.11
  10. 2mo agoGromox3.10 makes IMAP flags durable and teaches EWS Outlook for Mac's drafts
  11. 3mo agoGromox3.9 makes room bookings and EWS meetings properly actionable
  12. 4mo agoGromox3.8 splits the Information Store per store and extends IMAP

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Gromox and Element?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Element is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), with 0 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 Gromox better than Element?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Element is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Comms products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to Gromox?

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

What are the best alternatives to Element?

Top Element alternatives in Comms are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Element alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/element-web for the full list with editorial commentary on each.