# Element vs Strapi

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

| | Element | Strapi |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 | 85/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Instant Messaging | #1 of 13 in Headless CMS |
| GitHub stars | 13 621 | 73 399 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +119 | +177 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 | 31 ✓ |
| Latest release | v1.12.33 · 27 Oct 2026 | v5.60.0 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Other |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Strapi scores 85/100 against 76/100 for Element, so it is the safer default.

Strapi ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 18 for Element.

## Details

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

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