head to head · open source
Element vs Quiet
Element has 13,634 GitHub stars, 2,814 forks, 3,779 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Quiet has 2,660 stars, 150 forks, 773 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Element leads on adoption by 413% (13,634 vs 2,660 stars). Element is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; Quiet is written in TypeScript under GPL-3.0. Element has attracted 21% as many forks as stars, Quiet 6%. 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 | Quiet | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 14K | ★ 2.7K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.8K | ⑂ 150 |
| 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 Quiet if
- You want the Quiet feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Quiet 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 Quiet
Quiet Encrypted p2p team chat with no servers, just Tor. Downloads How it Works Features Threat Model Mission FAQ Developer setup Quiet is an alternative to team chat apps like Slack, Discord, and Element that does not require trusting a central server or running one's own. In Quiet, all data syncs directly between a team's devices over Tor with no server required. NOTE: Quiet is not audited and should not be used when privacy and security are critical. It lacks basic features and probably won't replace your Slack or Discord yet. That said, it works surprisingly well and we use it daily as a Slack replacement…
read the full Quiet overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Element or Quiet more popular?
Element has 13,634 GitHub stars and Quiet has 2,660. Element has the larger community by that measure.
Are Element and Quiet free?
Both are open source. Element is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Quiet under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Element and Quiet?
Element is written in TypeScript and Quiet 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, Element or Quiet?
Choose Element if you want the larger community (13,634 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Quiet if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.