head to head · open source
Puter vs Element
Puter has 43,557 GitHub stars, 4,062 forks, 19 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Element has 13,461 stars, 2,759 forks, 3,779 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Puter leads on adoption by 224% (43,557 vs 13,461 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 20%. Puter 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
| Puter | Element | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 44K | ★ 13K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| 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
Puter is an open source, self hostable internet computer that delivers a full desktop environment running directly in a web browser. It functions as a cloud based operating system, integrating file storage, applications, and developer tooling into a single cohesive platform. The project lives in the browser based desktop and cloud infrastructure ecosystem, positioning itself as a free and open alternative to proprietary cloud desktop services.
read the full Puter overview →
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 →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Puter or Element more popular?
Puter has 43,557 GitHub stars and Element has 13,461. 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 (43,557 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.