head to head · open source
Element vs docker-nginx-certbot
Element has 13,470 GitHub stars, 2,757 forks, 3,779 open issues and last shipped yesterday. docker-nginx-certbot has 1,205 stars, 195 forks, 8 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Element leads on adoption by 1,018% (13,470 vs 1,205 stars). Element is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; docker-nginx-certbot is written in Shell under MIT. Element has attracted 20% as many forks as stars, docker-nginx-certbot 16%. Element was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (hacktoberfest), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
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 | docker-nginx-certbot | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 13K | ★ 1.2K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | Shell |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-18 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.8K | ⑂ 195 |
| 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 docker-nginx-certbot if
- You want the docker-nginx-certbot feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Shell
- You evaluated both and docker-nginx-certbot 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 docker-nginx-certbot
docker nginx certbot is an MIT licensed Docker image that bundles Nginx with the certbot ACME client so that websites automatically obtain and renew free Let's Encrypt TLS certificates, and it is aimed at self hosters and small teams who run their own Nginx servers.
read the full docker-nginx-certbot overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Element or docker-nginx-certbot more popular?
Element has 13,470 GitHub stars and docker-nginx-certbot has 1,205. Element has the larger community by that measure.
Are Element and docker-nginx-certbot free?
Both are open source. Element is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and docker-nginx-certbot under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Element and docker-nginx-certbot?
Element is written in TypeScript and docker-nginx-certbot in Shell. 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 docker-nginx-certbot?
Choose Element if you want the larger community (13,470 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose docker-nginx-certbot if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.