rtpengine
rtpengine backports the same DTLS and socket fixes across four maintenance branches at once.
Comparison · Meetings
Element Call vs Kamailio
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Element Call and Kamailio — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Element Call vs Kamailio: at a glance
What is Element Call?
Element Call drops MatrixRTC legacy mode entirely, betting the entire call stack on the multi-SFU protocol.
Element Call is deep into a protocol transition: MatrixRTC legacy mode was removed in v0.25.0-rc.1, and .well-known transport discovery was removed in v0.24.0-rc.1. Both had been optional for months before the forced cutover. The current v0.26.x RC cycle is stabilizing the post-legacy stack with bug fixes to audio output selection, memberId handling in MatrixRTC mode, and leave timing adjustments when SFU delegation is active. The product ships exclusively as release candidates at this stage, signaling it's in final pre-release hardening.
What is Kamailio?
Kamailio's tracked feed shows one thing: a quiet, schema-stable 5.8 maintenance release.
Kamailio is a mature open-source SIP server, and the only release on record here is v5.8.7, a maintenance drop on the 5.8 stable branch. It carries fixes since 5.8.6 with no database schema or configuration language changes, and upgrading is strongly recommended for 5.8.x deployments.
Element Call vs Kamailio: editorial side-by-side
Element Call
6.3MEETINGS
Element Call drops MatrixRTC legacy mode entirely, betting the entire call stack on the multi-SFU protocol.
◆ Current state
Element Call is deep into a protocol transition: MatrixRTC legacy mode was removed in v0.25.0-rc.1, and .well-known transport discovery was removed in v0.24.0-rc.1. Both had been optional for months before the forced cutover. The current v0.26.x RC cycle is stabilizing the post-legacy stack with bug fixes to audio output selection, memberId handling in MatrixRTC mode, and leave timing adjustments when SFU delegation is active. The product ships exclusively as release candidates at this stage, signaling it's in final pre-release hardening.
◆ Where it's heading
Having removed both legacy transport paths, Element Call is fully committed to a multi-SFU architecture where each homeserver operator runs their own SFU and participants connect to whichever SFUs host the streams they need. The ongoing RC cycle and the LiveKit logging improvements in v0.26.0-rc.1 point to a push for call-quality diagnostics before a stable release. Mobile performance has been a consistent focus across v0.22–v0.26 — landscape layouts, PiP mode, voice-only call handling — pointing to mobile as a priority segment.
◆ Prediction
A stable v0.26.0 release is imminent given the RC cadence. The delegated leave timing breaking change in v0.26.0-rc.2 is unfinished infrastructure for SFU delegation — that work will likely define the next development cycle.
Kamailio
0.0MEETINGS
Kamailio's tracked feed shows one thing: a quiet, schema-stable 5.8 maintenance release.
◆ Current state
Kamailio is a mature open-source SIP server, and the only release on record here is v5.8.7, a maintenance drop on the 5.8 stable branch. It carries fixes since 5.8.6 with no database schema or configuration language changes, and upgrading is strongly recommended for 5.8.x deployments.
◆ Where it's heading
With a single maintenance entry, the visible pattern is conservative branch upkeep: fixes land without forcing operators to touch configs or schemas. The feed does not yet show new feature branches or capability shifts.
◆ Prediction
One entry is too little to call a next move; the only grounded expectation is further 5.8.x point releases on the same no-migration terms.
Alternatives to Element Call and Kamailio
Other Meetings 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 Element Call or Kamailio.
coturn
coturn ships three minor versions in six weeks, packaged as Docker images on three registries.
OpenSIPS
OpenSIPS 4.0 is in release-candidate testing, with two RCs a month apart.
JW Player
JW Player is rebuilding its VOD pipeline around CMAF, one workflow fix at a time
Restream
Restream's webinars get a registration page and a CSV of leads, turning broadcasts into a pipeline
BigBlueButton
BigBlueButton 4.0 rc.4 is a security-only release as the LiveKit stack hardens.
See all Element Call alternatives → · See all Kamailio alternatives →
Recent activity from Element Call and Kamailio
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 12d agoElement Callv0.26.1-rc.1
- 24d agoElement Callv0.26.0-rc.2
- 26d agoElement Callv0.26.0-rc.1
- 1mo agoElement CallMatrixRTC legacy mode removed — all calls now run on the new protocol ⚡
- 1mo agoElement Callv0.24.0-rc.1
- 2mo agoElement Callv0.23.0-rc.1
- 8mo agoKamailioKamailio 5.8.7: maintenance fixes, no schema or config changes
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Element Call and Kamailio?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Element Call is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 0.0), 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 Element Call better than Kamailio?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Element Call is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Meetings products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Element Call?
Top Element Call alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Element Call alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/element-call for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Kamailio?
Top Kamailio alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Kamailio alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/kamailio for the full list with editorial commentary on each.