head to head · open source
Puter vs Element
Puter has 44,062 GitHub stars, 4,140 forks, 19 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Element has 13,634 stars, 2,814 forks, 3,779 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Puter leads on adoption by 223% (44,062 vs 13,634 stars). Puter is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; Element is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0. Puter has attracted 9% as many forks as stars, Element 21%. 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.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| Puter | Element | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 44K | ★ 14K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.1K | ⑂ 2.8K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Puter if
- You weight community size — 44K 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 Element if
- You want the Element feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Element fits your workflow better
About Puter
The Open Source Internet Computer! « LIVE DEMO » Puter.com · App Store · Developers · X Puter Puter is an advanced, open source, self hostable internet computer designed to be feature rich, fast, and highly extensible. For Users Puter's goal is to provide you with every app and feature you need to work, create, and play under one roof. From a simple Notepad and Voice Recorder to Spreadsheet and Camera, Puter wants to be the all in one solution for your digital life. For Developers Puter provides everything you need to build and publish web apps and games. From AI to Cloud Storage and Database to Serverless…
read the full Puter overview →
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 →
More in Security & Privacy
Related comparisons
More Data Security & Privacy projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Data Security & Privacy field.
Frequently asked questions
Is Puter or Element more popular?
Puter has 44,062 GitHub stars and Element has 13,634. Puter has the larger community by that measure.
Are Puter and Element free?
Both are open source. Puter is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Element under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Puter and Element?
Puter is written in TypeScript and Element in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Puter or Element?
Choose Puter if you want the larger community (44,062 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Element if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.