# Element vs Apache SkyWalking

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

| | Element | Apache SkyWalking |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 | 76/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Instant Messaging | #2 of 9 in Application Performance Monitoring |
| GitHub stars | 13 621 | 24 976 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +117 ✓ | +2 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 ✓ | 3 |
| Latest release | v1.12.33 · 27 Oct 2026 ✓ | v11.0.0 · 28 Aug 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | Java |

## Which one should you pick?

Element and Apache SkyWalking score the same (76/100), so the choice comes down to the details below.

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

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

Element is growing faster right now (+117 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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