head to head · open source
Element vs Peergos
Element has 13,634 GitHub stars, 2,814 forks, 3,779 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Peergos has 2,546 stars, 204 forks, 103 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Element leads on adoption by 436% (13,634 vs 2,546 stars). Element is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; Peergos is written in Java under AGPL-3.0. Element has attracted 21% as many forks as stars, Peergos 8%. 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 | Peergos | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 14K | ★ 2.5K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Java |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.8K | ⑂ 204 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Element if
- You weight community size — 14K 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 Peergos if
- You want the Peergos feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- You evaluated both and Peergos fits your workflow better
About Element
Element Element (formerly known as Vector and Riot) is a Matrix web & desktop client built using the Matrix JS SDK. Supported Environments Element has several tiers of support for different environments: Supported Definition: Issues actively triaged , regressions block the release Last 2 major versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Edge on desktop OSes Last 2 versions of Safari Latest release of official Element Desktop app on desktop OSes Desktop OSes means macOS, Windows, and Linux versions for desktop devices that are actively supported by the OS vendor and receive security updates Best effort Definition: Issues…
read the full Element overview →
About Peergos
Peergos ======== Peergos is building the next web the private web, where end users are in control. Imagine web apps being secure by default and unable to track you. Imagine being able to control exactly what personal data each web app can see. Imagine never having to log in to an app ever again. You own your data and decide where it is stored and who can see it. At Peergos, we believe that privacy is a fundamental human right and we want to make it easy for everyone to interact online in ways that respect this right. The foundation of Peergos is a peer to peer encrypted global filesystem with fine grained access…
read the full Peergos overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Element or Peergos more popular?
Element has 13,634 GitHub stars and Peergos has 2,546. Element has the larger community by that measure.
Are Element and Peergos free?
Both are open source. Element is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Peergos under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Element and Peergos?
Element is written in TypeScript and Peergos in Java. 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 Peergos?
Choose Element if you want the larger community (13,634 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Peergos if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.