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 & playback with 0.75×/1×/1.5×/2× speed control (MSC3245, 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), emoji & sticker picker (custom packs, stickers send as m.sticker events), pinned messages panel (pin icon in room header, pin/unpin from message menu), who-reacted viewer (hover any reaction for a name tooltip; right-click for a full avatar list), draggable+resizable picture-in-picture call window, poll creation & voting (single or multiple choice, 2–10 options), message forwarding, image/video captions, location sharing (map view + send), deleted message placeholders, per-message read receipt avatars (click for full list with timestamps), private read receipts toggle (Settings → Privacy), screenshare fullscreen button, screenshare audio mute (mute a screenshare’s audio without leaving the call), PTT (Push-to-Talk with configurable hold key), push-to-deafen (M key, configurable in Settings → Calls), 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), sidebar room filter (search rooms by name in Home and DMs tabs), favorite rooms (star any room, syncs across devices via m.favourite tag), media gallery drawer (browse all images/videos/files shared in a room), invite link + QR code (in both invite modal and room settings), knock-to-join support (Request to Join button + admin Approve/Deny panel), code syntax highlighting in Lotus Terminal mode (keywords, strings, numbers, comments, functions), night light / blue light filter (warm orange overlay with adjustable intensity in Settings → Appearance), message length counter in the composer, and the Lotus Terminal design theme (with TDS-styled orange typing indicator dots).
Also added in June 2026: message scheduling (MSC4140, datetime picker, cancel tray), saved messages / bookmarks (right-click any message, sidebar panel, syncs across devices), room history export (txt/json/html, date range, E2EE-aware), room activity & mod log (joins, kicks, bans, power level changes), server ACL editor (allow/deny lists, wildcard validation, power-level gated), room stats panel (top members, top reactions, media breakdown, 24h activity heatmap), opt-in image compression (Canvas API at 0.82 quality, shows before/after sizes), 13 domain-specific URL preview cards (YouTube, Vimeo, Twitch, Reddit, X/Twitter, Spotify, Steam, IMDb, Wikipedia, GitHub, Discord, npm, Stack Overflow), inline GIF preview (Giphy & Tenor share links auto-embed as animated GIFs via the homeserver proxy), policy list viewer (admin panel for m.policy.rule.* ban list rooms — complements Draupnir), collapsible long messages (auto-collapse > 20 lines with “Read more” toggle, threshold configurable), message send animation (0.15 s fade+scale on own messages, respects prefers-reduced-motion), right-click room context menu improvements (Mute with duration submenu 15 min–indefinite, Copy Room Link, Mark as Read, Leave Room, Room Settings), quick emoji reactions directly on message hover (5 most-recent emoji in the hover bar, single click to react), in-app notification toasts (TDS-styled slide-in card from bottom-right when the window is focused, 4 s auto-dismiss, click to navigate), presence avatar border ring (2px green/yellow/red ring on user avatars in the timeline, members list, @mention autocomplete, and notifications), room emoji prefix support (leading emoji renders at 1.15× in the sidebar; emoji picker button on all room name inputs), and glassmorphism sidebar toggle (Settings → Appearance, off by default; frosted blur effect lets chat backgrounds show through the sidebar).
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 — June 2026 (latest)
← 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; M = push-to-deafen |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| 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 | ✓create, vote & display; single or multiple choice |
~display only | ✓create, vote & end | ✓added v2.3.0 | ✓added v0.4.2 | ✓ | ✗ |
| Voice messagesrecord & play | ✓record & play, E2EE; 0.75×/1×/1.5×/2× speed |
~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 | ✗ | ✗ |
| Night Light / Blue Light Filterwarm overlay, adjustable intensity | ✓5–80% intensity slider, Settings → Appearance |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| 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 | ✓ |
| Who reactedsee who reacted with each emoji | ✓hover tooltip with names; right-click for full avatar modal |
✗ | ~tap reaction chip | ~ | ✓ | ✓tooltip + click for list | ✓ |
| Edit history viewersee all prior versions of an edited message | ✓click "(edited)" label → modal with all versions + timestamps |
✗label shown, not clickable | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 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 |
| Media Gallerybrowse room images/videos/files | ✓right-side drawer; Images/Videos/Files tabs |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Sidebar room filterfilter by name in real time | ✓Home & DMs tabs | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Favorite roomsstarred section in sidebar | ✓m.favourite tag, syncs across devices |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓favourites section | ✗ |
| Invite link + QR code | ✓matrix.to URL + QR code in invite modal & room settings |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Custom notification soundsper-category sound selector | ✓per-category sound selector; ▶ preview | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Notification quiet hourssilence notifs in a time window | ✓silence all notifs in a time window; overnight support | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Room sort ordersort sidebar rooms by activity, name, or unread | ✓Recent / A→Z / Unread First | ✗ | ~sort by activity only | ~alphabetical only | ✓multiple sort options | ~limited | ✗ |
| Push notifications | ~web push only | ~web push only | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓desktop | ✓ |
| Export room historydownload messages as file | ✓txt/json/html, date range, E2EE-aware |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓has export | ✗ |
| Message schedulingsend later with datetime picker | ✓MSC4140, datetime picker, cancel tray above composer |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ~partial / labs | ✗ |
| Message bookmarks / saved messages | ✓right-click bookmark, sidebar panel, syncs across devices |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Collapsible long messagesauto-collapse >20 lines | ✓"Read more" toggle, threshold configurable |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Inline GIF previewGiphy / Tenor links auto-embed | ✓via homeserver proxy, no direct CDN contact |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Presence avatar border ringcolored ring shows online status | ✓green/yellow/red ring; timeline, members, mentions |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Room emoji prefix🎮 renders larger in sidebar | ✓1.15× size; emoji picker in all name inputs |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Quick emoji reactions on hover1-click react, no menu needed | ✓5 recent emoji in hover bar; dismisses emoji picker |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ~hover bar, no recents | ✗ | ✗ |
| In-app notification toastsTDS-styled, when window focused | ✓slides in bottom-right; 4 s auto-dismiss, click to jump |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Server Details
Questions or need a registration token?
Reach out to @jared:matrix.lotusguild.org