Lotus Guild
Private Communications
How to Join
- 1 Open chat.lotusguild.org — your homeserver is pre-configured
-
2
Register with a token from Jared —
@jared:matrix.lotusguild.org - 3 Join the Lotus Guild Space to access all rooms
Recommended Client
Our Lotus Guild fork of Cinny adds: voice message recording (MSC3245, works E2EE), device verification fix (cross-client SAS emoji + inline cards), per-member device session panel with per-device verify buttons, full Discord-style presence tracking (online on startup, idle/away after 10 min inactivity, unavailable when tab hidden, offline on close — with a “Hide Online Status” privacy toggle), presence status indicators (online/busy/away dots) in member lists, incoming call ring + Answer/Decline (DMs & group chats), GIF picker (Giphy), draggable+resizable picture-in-picture call window, poll display & voting, message forwarding, image/video captions, location sharing (map view + send), deleted message placeholders, per-message read receipt avatars (click for full list with timestamps), screenshare fullscreen button, screenshare audio mute (mute a screenshare’s audio without leaving the call), PTT (Push-to-Talk with configurable hold key), custom status messages with emoji picker + auto-clear timer (30 min – 7 days) shown below usernames, encrypted room search via local cache scan with per-room “Load more” history buttons, a dedicated Privacy settings section (hide typing, hide online status), and the Lotus Terminal design theme.
Prefer the unmodified upstream? cinny.in works with our homeserver — set it to matrix.lotusguild.org.
Already signed in? Jump straight into the community:
Join Lotus Guild Space →Other Clients
Web & Desktop — Official Cinny
The upstream open-source Cinny client. Same Discord-like UI and best-in-class space navigation as Lotus Chat, but without our custom additions (no GIF picker, no call ring notification, no PiP window, no message forwarding). Set homeserver to matrix.lotusguild.org.
Mobile — iOS & Android
Fastest Matrix client — instant load via Sliding Sync. Native MatrixRTC calls (voice-only + video), screenshare, DM voice calls, live location sharing, media captions. Full space create & management. Rust encryption (Vodozemac).
Simple, beginner-friendly, fully cross-platform. Dart SDK with Vodozemac encryption. Unique: supports image captions (text + image as one event). Voice/video calls are experimental — reliability varies by homeserver and platform.
Discord-like — Android, Windows, macOS & Linux
Most Discord-like client overall. Multi-account support, built-in GIF search (privacy proxy — uploads to homeserver), shared calendars & photo albums, polls, screenshare on browsers & Android. Available on Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and Web. Active development — iOS planned.
Desktop — Windows, macOS & Linux
Most feature-complete Matrix client — every spec feature including polls, widgets, threads, screenshare. Heavier on resources. Encrypted message search on desktop only (not web).
Native C++/Qt client — lightest desktop option, no Electron. Deep KDE/Plasma integration. No threads, no mobile or web. Best for Linux power users who want minimal resource usage.
Client Feature Comparison — May 2026
← swipe to compare →
| Lotus Chatchat.lotusguild.org Our Cinny fork |
Cinnycinny.in Official |
Element XiOS & Android | FluffyChatAll platforms | CommetAndroid / Win / macOS / Linux | ElementWeb & Desktop | NhekoDesktop only | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform | |||||||
| iOS | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Android | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Desktop app | ✓ | ✓Cinny Desktop | ✗ | ✓ | ✓Win, macOS & Linux | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web browser | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Performance | Light | Light | Very fastSliding Sync | Moderate | Moderate | HeavyElectron / JS | LightNative C++ |
| Security & Encryption | |||||||
| E2EE | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vodozemac encryptionstronger crypto track record | ✗js-sdk | ✗js-sdk | ✓Rust SDK | ✓dart-sdk | ✓dart-sdk | ✗js-sdk, migrating | ✗ |
| Device verification | ✓SAS emoji, cross-client requests show inline card | ~cross-client requests may show unsupported |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Voice & Video | |||||||
| Voice & video calls | ✓rooms & DMs, group calls, screenshare via Element Call |
~Element Call embed; no ring notification |
✓MatrixRTC | ~experimental, varies by homeserver |
~1:1 + group, no E2EE voice rooms |
✓ | ✓ |
| Screenshare | ✓via Element Call; fullscreen button, independent audio mute |
✓via Element Call embed | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓XDG portals & native |
| Push-to-Talkhold key to transmit | ✓configurable hold key, PTT badge in call bar |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Group calls | ✓via Element Call embed | ✓via Element Call embed | ✓MatrixRTC | ✗ | ~no E2EE voice rooms | ✓ | ~partial |
| Incoming call notificationring + Answer/Decline | ✓DMs & group chats; ring tone, auto-dismiss |
✗ | ✓native push | ~experimental | ✓ | ✓desktop | ~partial |
| Core Features | |||||||
| Spaces | ✓best-in-class sub-space nav | ✓best-in-class sub-space nav | ✓dedicated spaces tab, full management |
✓ | ✓Discord-like categories | ✓sub-spaces clunky | ~limited |
| Threads | ~basic, no dedicated view | ~basic, no dedicated view | ~Labs flag | ✗shows as regular messages | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Polls | ✓display & vote | ~display only | ✓create, vote & end | ✓added v2.3.0 | ✓added v0.4.2 | ✓ | ✗ |
| Voice messagesrecord & play | ✓record & play, MSC3245, E2EE |
~playback only | ✓record, play, variable speed, reply with voice |
✓record & play, pause support |
~playback confirmed; recording unclear |
✓ | ✗ |
| Pinned messages | ✓ | ✓ | ✓dedicated pins view | ~view only | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom emoji & stickers | ✓best-in-class | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ✓bulk upload, Signal packs | ~sometimes shows mxc:// URLs | ✓ |
| GIF search / picker | ✓Giphy, Terminal TDS themed, click-outside to close |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓privacy proxy, uploads to homeserver |
✗ | ✗ |
| Message search (encrypted) | ✓local cache scan; load-more buttons extend history per room |
~server search only; no E2EE support |
✗ | ~cache scan only | ✓client-side; auto-fetches + decrypts history during search |
~desktop only, not web | ~local DB scan |
| Widgets | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| UX & Extras | |||||||
| Multi-account | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ~supported but clunky | ✓ | ✗ | ✗CLI profiles only |
| Image captions(text + image as one event) | ✓caption field on image & video upload |
✗ | ✓scrollable captions on media (v26.04.2) |
✓unique feature | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
| Discord-like UI | ✓best-in-class for web | ✓ | ✗ | ✗WhatsApp/Telegram style | ✓most Discord-like overall | ✗ | ✗ |
| Shared calendars & albums | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓unique to Commet | ✗ | ✗ |
| Deleted message visibility(redacted events) | ✓"Message deleted" with reason if provided |
✗redacted messages hidden | ✓"Message deleted" placeholder shown |
✓shows redaction notice | ✓shows redaction notice | ✓"Message deleted" placeholder shown |
✓shows redaction notice |
| Location sharing | ~map embed view + static share button |
✗ | ✓live & static, map rendering |
~basic static | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Message forwarding | ✓forward to any room | ✗ | ~via share menu | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Per-message read receiptswho read each message | ✓avatar pill below message, click for list + timestamps |
✗ | ✓avatar thumbnails | ✓ | ✓ | ✓avatar row below message | ✓ |
| Custom status messageshown below username | ✓emoji picker, auto-clear timer (30 min – 7 days), 64-char limit |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓via profile settings | ✗ |
| Online presence trackingidle/away auto-detection | ✓online on start, idle after 10 min, unavailable when tab hidden, offline on close; hide-status toggle |
~manual AFK only; auto idle detection PR open, unmerged |
~basic online/offline only | ~basic online/offline only | ~inactivity monitor shipped Oct 2025; no tab/close detection confirmed |
~3-min idle timer (shipped Nov 2023); no tab detection, no offline on close, no user-facing hide toggle |
~basic online/offline only |
| Push notifications | ~web push only | ~web push only | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓desktop | ✓ |
Server Details
Questions or need a registration token?
Reach out to @jared:matrix.lotusguild.org