head to head · open source
Element vs Wire
Element has 13,634 GitHub stars, 2,814 forks, 3,779 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Wire has 2,557 stars, 180 forks, 173 open issues and last shipped 10 months ago. Element leads on adoption by 433% (13,634 vs 2,557 stars). Element is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; Wire is written in various languages under GPL-3.0. Element has attracted 21% as many forks as stars, Wire 7%. 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 | Wire | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 14K | ★ 2.6K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | — |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-01-05 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.8K | ⑂ 180 |
| 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 Wire if
- You want the Wire feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- You evaluated both and Wire 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 Wire
Wire™ Open source The privacy page and the privacy and security whitepapers explain the details of the encryption algorithms and protocols used. For licensing information, see the attached LICENSE file and the list of third party licenses at wire.com. If you compile the open source software that we make available from time to time to develop your own mobile, desktop or web application, and cause that application to connect to our servers for any purposes, we refer to that resulting application as an “Open Source App”. All Open Source Apps are subject to, and may only be used and/or commercialized in accordance…
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Frequently asked questions
Is Element or Wire more popular?
Element has 13,634 GitHub stars and Wire has 2,557. Element has the larger community by that measure.
Are Element and Wire free?
Both are open source. Element is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Wire under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Element and Wire?
Element is written in TypeScript and Wire in various languages. 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 Wire?
Choose Element if you want the larger community (13,634 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Wire if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.