head to head · open source
Element vs Stoat
Element has 13,634 GitHub stars, 2,814 forks, 3,779 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Stoat has 3,439 stars, 408 forks, 139 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Element leads on adoption by 296% (13,634 vs 3,439 stars). Element is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; Stoat is written in Rust under a custom or non-standard licence. Element has attracted 21% as many forks as stars, Stoat 12%. 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 | Stoat | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 14K | ★ 3.4K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Custom / other |
| Written in | TypeScript | Rust |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-01 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.8K | ⑂ 408 |
| 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 Stoat if
- You want the Stoat feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches Rust
- You evaluated both and Stoat 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 Stoat
Stoat Backend The services and libraries that power the Stoat service.
read the full Stoat overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Element or Stoat more popular?
Element has 13,634 GitHub stars and Stoat has 3,439. Element has the larger community by that measure.
Are Element and Stoat free?
Both are open source. Element is licensed under AGPL-3.0, and Stoat has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between Element and Stoat?
Element is written in TypeScript and Stoat in Rust. 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 Stoat?
Choose Element if you want the larger community (13,634 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Stoat if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.