How to join the Matrix chat network

Matrix is the best chat protocol most people have never successfully joined. It is open, encrypted, federated, and you own your data. It is also confusing to get started with, and the official documentation does not help.

The official “Try Matrix” page has you pick a client, then pick a server, except the server list shows you server implementations (Synapse, Dendrite, Conduit) instead of actual servers you can use. If you pick the wrong one, you end up in setup hell before you have sent a single message.

We run Matrix servers for a living. We have walked thousands of people through this. Here is how to actually join, in the order that does not waste your time.

Step 1: pick an app¶

Matrix is a protocol. You need a client app to talk to it, and you have options. That is the good news. The bad news is that the most popular option (Element) has an onboarding flow that one user described as a four-hour ordeal ending in “WTF.”

We recommend different apps depending on where you are. Our clients page has the full breakdown with honest tradeoffs. Here is the short version:

On a computer. Komai is our own desktop client. It is native (Rust and C++, no Electron), so it opens fast and your laptop fan stays quiet. It has room tabs, built-in calls, and it does not ask you to re-verify your devices every other week. Linux, macOS, and Windows.

In a browser. Cinny is clean, simple, and independent of Element’s codebase. If you want to try Matrix without installing anything, this is your pick.

On a phone. FluffyChat on iOS or Android. It looks and feels like Telegram, so your non-technical friends will not need a walkthrough.

The popular default. Element is what most people meet first. It is capable and familiar, and it is also where most of our customers tell us they got stuck. We install it on every server we manage so you have something on day one, but we built Komai because we wanted a client we would enjoy using ourselves.

Step 2: pick a server¶

Your server is where your data lives. Think of it like your email provider: your messages, your contacts, your files all live on it. You have three options, and they are equal in different ways.

Option A: use a public server (free, but limited)¶

The easiest way to try Matrix is to create an account on an existing public server like matrix.org. You download an app, pick a username, and start chatting. No cost, no setup.

The catch: matrix.org is overloaded and often unstable. It is the biggest server on the network, which means it is also the slowest. You also do not control it. If the operator changes the rules, your account lives under those rules.

This is fine for testing. It is where you should start if you want to kick the tires. It is where you should leave if you decide Matrix is for you.

Option B: self-host your own server (maximum control, maximum work)¶

You can run your own Matrix server on a VPS. You control everything: your data, your domain, your rules. The software is open source, and we wrote the most popular deployment playbook for it, so it is about as easy as self-hosting Matrix gets.

It is still a lot of work. The database grows without bound. Voice and video calls require a second deployment. Spam operators will find you within weeks. There is no built-in admin panel. We wrote a whole other post about why self-hosting is probably not what you want, even if you are technically inclined.

Option C: get a managed server from us (the sweet spot)¶

This is what we do. You get your own Matrix server on your own domain. Your data stays yours. But we handle the maintenance, the monitoring, the security protection, and the late-night emergencies.

Here is what is included:

• Weekly maintenance: database vacuum, media cleanup, system updates. Runs automatically, every week. Details.
• Monitoring: port checks, DNS validation, VPS metrics. Alerts to your email and Matrix account. What we check.
• Ketesa: a proper admin panel for your server. Manage users, schedule maintenance, view server status. See it here.
• Bridges: connect Matrix to WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Discord, Slack, and more. The full list. This is one of the main reasons people run Matrix in the first place.
• Komai: our desktop client, if you want it. Download.
• Support: included with every server. More.

You can bring your own server or we can rent one for you through Hetzner Cloud in the EU, US, or Asia. Everything is on our order form.

We also maintain everything as open source under AGPL-3.0. If you ever want to leave, your data is yours and you can continue yourself.

Step 3: create an account¶

If you picked a public server (option A), download one of the apps above, open it, and tap “Create account.” Pick your server name from the list or type it in. Choose a username and password. You are in.

If you went with a managed server from us (option C), we create your account during setup and send you the details. You log in with the app of your choice.

If you self-hosted (option B), you already know how to create an account because you configured the server yourself.

Step 4: find your people¶

Matrix rooms work like Discord servers or Slack channels. Search for public rooms by topic, or share your Matrix ID (@you:your-server.com) with friends so they can find you.

If your friends are on other platforms, bridges connect you. A bridge makes Matrix talk to WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Discord, or Slack as if they were all in the same room. We support more than a dozen bridges on every server we manage.

Start where it is easy¶

Matrix is worth using. It is the only chat network where you truly own your data, where no company can decide you are using the product wrong and cut you off, and where the protocol outlasts any single client or server.

But joining should take minutes. Pick an app from our list, pick a server that matches how much work you want to do, and start talking.

Order a managed server if you want the freedom without the maintenance. Or read our clients page if you are still deciding which app fits.