head to head · open source
Element vs AutomatedLab
Element has 13,470 GitHub stars, 2,757 forks, 3,779 open issues and last shipped yesterday. AutomatedLab has 2,226 stars, 383 forks, 31 open issues and last shipped 3 months ago. Element leads on adoption by 505% (13,470 vs 2,226 stars). Element is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; AutomatedLab is written in PowerShell under MIT. Element has attracted 20% as many forks as stars, AutomatedLab 17%. Element was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| Element | AutomatedLab | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 13K | ★ 2.2K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | PowerShell |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-07-06 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.8K | ⑂ 383 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Element if
- You weight community size — 13K stars and counting
- You want the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick AutomatedLab if
- You want the AutomatedLab feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches PowerShell
- You evaluated both and AutomatedLab fits your workflow better
About Element
Element is a Matrix collaboration client for the web and desktop, and its tagline describes it as secure, decentralized messaging for teams and individuals. It is built with the Matrix JS SDK and lives in the Matrix ecosystem as an open alternative to Slack and Google Meet.
read the full Element overview →
About AutomatedLab
AutomatedLab is an MIT licensed PowerShell provisioning framework that deploys complex lab environments — Windows domain controllers, Exchange, PKI, IIS and Linux guests — on Hyper V or Azure from simple scripts, built for IT admins, testers and trainers who need full multi VM labs on demand.
read the full AutomatedLab overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Element or AutomatedLab more popular?
Element has 13,470 GitHub stars and AutomatedLab has 2,226. Element has the larger community by that measure.
Are Element and AutomatedLab free?
Both are open source. Element is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and AutomatedLab under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Element and AutomatedLab?
Element is written in TypeScript and AutomatedLab in PowerShell. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Element or AutomatedLab?
Choose Element if you want the larger community (13,470 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose AutomatedLab if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.