ElementvsZed Attack Proxy (ZAP)
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Element | Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 | 80/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Instant Messaging | #4 of 78 in Security |
| GitHub stars | 13 621 | 16 062 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +117 | +239 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 | 31 |
| Latest release | v1.12.33 · 27 Oct 2026 | w2026-10-23 · 23 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | Java |
Which one should you pick?
Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) scores 80/100 against 76/100 for Element, so it is the safer default.
Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 18 for Element.
If you want the quickest setup, Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is easier to run; Element needs more configuration.
Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is growing faster right now (+239 stars in 30 days).
Element details →Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) details →
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