ElementvsSunshine
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Element | Sunshine | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 | 84/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Instant Messaging | #2 of 22 in Remote Desktop |
| GitHub stars | 13 621 | 42 744 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +119 | +1 268 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 | 86 |
| Latest release | v1.12.33 · 27 Oct 2026 | v2026.1028.122642 · 28 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | C |
Which one should you pick?
Sunshine scores 84/100 against 76/100 for Element, so it is the safer default.
Sunshine ships more often: 86 stable releases in the past year, against 18 for Element.
If you want the quickest setup, Sunshine is easier to run; Element needs more configuration.
Sunshine is growing faster right now (+1 268 stars in 30 days).
Element details →Sunshine details →
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