# Element vs Pi-hole

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

| | Element | Pi-hole |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 | 87/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Instant Messaging | #1 of 41 in DNS |
| GitHub stars | 13 621 | 61 544 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +117 | +482 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 ✓ | 6 |
| Latest release | v1.12.33 · 27 Oct 2026 ✓ | v6.5 · 17 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Other |
| Main language | Typescript | Shell |

## Which one should you pick?

Pi-hole scores 87/100 against 76/100 for Element, so it is the safer default.

Element ships more often: 18 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for Pi-hole.

Pi-hole is growing faster right now (+482 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/element-vs-pi-hole