head to head · open source
Element vs Peergos
Element has 13,481 GitHub stars, 2,758 forks, 3,779 open issues and last shipped today. Peergos has 2,524 stars, 199 forks, 103 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Element leads on adoption by 434% (13,481 vs 2,524 stars). Element is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0; Peergos is written in Java under AGPL-3.0. Element has attracted 20% as many forks as stars, Peergos 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 | Peergos | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 13K | ★ 2.5K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Java |
| Last push | 2026-09-20 | 2026-09-19 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.8K | ⑂ 199 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Element if
- You weight community size — 13K 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 Peergos if
- You want the Peergos feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- You evaluated both and Peergos fits your workflow better
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 →
About Peergos
Peergos is a peer to peer secure file storage system, social network, and application protocol built in Java under AGPL 3.0. It lives in the IPFS, IPLD, and libp2p ecosystem and supports a private web where users control their data, decide where it is stored, and determine who can see it. The project addresses centralized services that can track users, expose personal data, and observe relationships or file contents without cryptographic access control.
read the full Peergos overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Element or Peergos more popular?
Element has 13,481 GitHub stars and Peergos has 2,524. Element has the larger community by that measure.
Are Element and Peergos free?
Both are open source. Element is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Peergos under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Element and Peergos?
Element is written in TypeScript and Peergos in Java. 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 Peergos?
Choose Element if you want the larger community (13,481 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Peergos if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.