head to head · open source
Element vs Tuta
Element has 13,634 GitHub stars, 2,814 forks, 3,779 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Tuta has 8,101 stars, 652 forks, 1,001 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Element leads on adoption by 68% (13,634 vs 8,101 stars). Element is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; Tuta is written in TypeScript under GPL-3.0. Element has attracted 21% as many forks as stars, Tuta 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 | Tuta | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 14K | ★ 8.1K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.8K | ⑂ 652 |
| 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 Tuta if
- You want the Tuta 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 Tuta 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 Tuta
Tuta Mail makes encryption easy Tuta Mail is the secure email service with built in end to end encryption that enables you to communicate securely with anyone on all your devices. Forum for bug reports/feature requests: Roadmap: Issue and feature tracker: Please submit your feature requests via Reddit or via support mail. Web client • iOS App Store • Desktop Client Translating Tuta See TRANSLATING.md Building See BUILDING.md. Developing Tuta See HACKING.md. Contribution policy This project does not accept contributions or bug reports produced, in part or in full, with assistance of large language models…
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Frequently asked questions
Is Element or Tuta more popular?
Element has 13,634 GitHub stars and Tuta has 8,101. Element has the larger community by that measure.
Are Element and Tuta free?
Both are open source. Element is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Tuta under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Element and Tuta?
Element is written in TypeScript and Tuta 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 Tuta?
Choose Element if you want the larger community (13,634 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Tuta if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.