# chatwoot vs Element

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | chatwoot | Element |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 84/100 ✓ | 76/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 14 in Customer Support | #2 of 13 in Instant Messaging |
| GitHub stars | 38 507 ✓ | 13 621 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +1 385 ✓ | +119 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 | 18 |
| Latest release | v4.19.1 · 24 Oct 2026 | v1.12.33 · 27 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Ruby | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

chatwoot scores 84/100 against 76/100 for Element, so it is the safer default.

If you want the quickest setup, Element is easier to run; chatwoot needs more configuration.

chatwoot is growing faster right now (+1 385 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [chatwoot](https://selfhost.directory/project/chatwoot) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/chatwoot.md)
- [Element](https://selfhost.directory/project/element) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/element.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/chatwoot-vs-element