head to head · open source
Zulip vs Element
Zulip has 26,158 GitHub stars, 10,521 forks, 2,008 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Element has 13,634 stars, 2,814 forks, 3,779 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Zulip leads on adoption by 92% (26,158 vs 13,634 stars). Zulip is written in Python under Apache-2.0; Element is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0. Zulip has attracted 40% as many forks as stars, Element 21%. 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
| Zulip | Element | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 14K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Python | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 11K | ⑂ 2.8K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Zulip if
- You weight community size — 26K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Element if
- You want the Element feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Element fits your workflow better
About Zulip
Zulip overview Zulip is an open source organized team chat app with unique [topic based threading][why zulip] that combines the best of email and chat to make remote work productive and delightful. Fortune 500 companies, [leading open source projects][rust case study], and thousands of other organizations use Zulip every day. Zulip is the only [modern team chat app][features] that is designed for both live and asynchronous conversations. Zulip is built by a distributed community of developers from all around the world, with 99+ people who have each contributed 100+ commits. With over 1,500 contributors merging…
read the full Zulip overview →
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 →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Zulip or Element more popular?
Zulip has 26,158 GitHub stars and Element has 13,634. Zulip has the larger community by that measure.
Are Zulip and Element free?
Both are open source. Zulip is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Element under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Zulip and Element?
Zulip is written in Python and Element 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, Zulip or Element?
Choose Zulip if you want the larger community (26,158 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose Element if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.