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Element vs Wire

Learn how Element and Wire differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these team chat & messaging tools is best for you.

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Favicon of Element

Element

Open-source platform for encrypted communication, file sharing, and collaboration based on the Matrix protocol.
  • Stars


    13,012
  • Forks


    2,568
  • Last commit


    20 hours ago
  • Repository age


    11 years
  • License


    AGPL-3.0
  • Self-hosted


    Yes
View Repository

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Screenshot of Element
Favicon of Wire

Wire

A comprehensive collaboration platform offering end-to-end encrypted messaging, file sharing, and video calls with enterprise-grade security and compliance features.
  • Stars


    2,534
  • Forks


    179
  • Last commit


    4 months ago
  • Repository age


    10 years
  • License


    GPL-3.0
View Repository

Warning: This project hasn't been updated in 4 months and might not be actively maintained anymore.

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Screenshot of Wire

Detailed Comparison

Element appears to have several advantages over Wire, particularly in popularity, activity and features. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, activity, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.

Element wins
Community & Popularity

Element significantly outpaces Wire in community adoption with 13,012 stars compared to 2,534 stars on GitHub. This 5.1x difference suggests Element has a much larger and more active community. In terms of developer contributions, Element has 2,568 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.

Element wins
Development Activity

Element shows more recent development activity with its last commit 20 hours ago, while Wire was last updated 4 months ago. This suggests Element is being more actively maintained.

Comparable
Project Maturity

Both projects started around the same time, with Element beginning 11 years ago and Wire 10 years ago.

Comparable
Licensing

The projects use different licenses: Element is licensed under AGPL-3.0 while Wire uses GPL-3.0. Consider the licensing requirements when choosing for your project.

Comparable
Use Cases & Features

Both tools serve similar use cases in Team Chat & Messaging, Encrypted Communication. However, they also have distinct specializations: Wire extends into Video Conferencing & Virtual Office.

Element wins
Hosting & Deployment

Element provides self-hosting options for complete data control and customization, while Wire may be primarily cloud-based or require different deployment approaches.