head to head · open source
Zulip vs Element
Zulip has 25,922 GitHub stars, 10,250 forks, 2,008 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Element has 13,461 stars, 2,759 forks, 3,779 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Zulip leads on adoption by 93% (25,922 vs 13,461 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 20%. 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.
← all 13541 open source comparisons
Side by side
| Zulip | Element | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 13K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Python | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 10K | ⑂ 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 is an open source organized team chat application built on topic based threading, aimed at distributed teams that need live and asynchronous conversation in one place, and it is positioned as an open alternative to Slack.
read the full Zulip overview →
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 →
More in Business Software
Related comparisons
More Collaboration & Communication projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Collaboration & Communication field.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zulip or Element more popular?
Zulip has 25,922 GitHub stars and Element has 13,461. 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 (25,922 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.