# Element vs OpenWA

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

| | Element | OpenWA |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 | 77/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Instant Messaging | #2 of 19 in API Management |
| GitHub stars | 13 621 | 16 351 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +119 | +345 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 ✓ | 3 |
| Latest release | v1.12.33 · 27 Oct 2026 | v0.26.0 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

OpenWA scores 77/100 against 76/100 for Element, so it is the safer default.

Element ships more often: 18 stable releases in the past year, against 3 for OpenWA.

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

OpenWA is growing faster right now (+345 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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