# element-web vs sphinx-relay

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

| | element-web | sphinx-relay |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 75/100 ✓ | 44/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 33 in Communication | #71 of 110 in Chat |
| GitHub stars | 13 621 ✓ | 247 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +119 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 17 ✓ | 0 |
| Latest release | v1.12.33 · 27 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

element-web scores 75/100 against 44/100 for sphinx-relay, so it is the safer default.

element-web ships more often: 17 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for sphinx-relay.

If you want the quickest setup, element-web is easier to run; sphinx-relay needs more configuration.

element-web is growing faster right now (+119 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [element-web](https://selfhost.directory/project/element-web) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/element-web.md)
- [sphinx-relay](https://selfhost.directory/project/sphinx-relay) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/sphinx-relay.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/element-web-vs-sphinx-relay