Element vs VUX
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A Vue 2 component library of ready-made UI pieces for building web apps.
The short answer
Choose Element if you need…
- Developers maintaining an existing Vue 2.x web application
- Teams building internal admin or back-office interfaces with Vue 2
- Developers who want prebuilt components with a documented API and themes
- Projects that need to support Internet Explorer 10+ alongside modern browsers
Choose VUX if you need…
- Developers building mobile web pages with Vue 2
- Teams making WeChat-style or WeUI-style mobile interfaces
- Projects that use webpack and want a starter template
Side-by-side
| Element | VUX | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 54k | 17.4k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | Vue | Vue |
| Last code update | 2 years ago | 4 months ago |
What each one is
Element
Element is a UI toolkit for Vue.js 2.0 that provides a set of prebuilt interface components such as buttons, selects and other common web controls. Developers use it to build consistent web pages and admin-style interfaces without designing every component from scratch. The README says it will stay on Vue 2.x and points Vue 3 users to Element Plus.
VUX
Vux is a set of ready-made user interface components for building mobile web pages with Vue. It is built on WeUI, a design system that mimics the look of WeChat. Developers use it to add common mobile interface pieces without designing every component from scratch.
Best for
Element
- Developers maintaining an existing Vue 2.x web application
- Teams building internal admin or back-office interfaces with Vue 2
- Developers who want prebuilt components with a documented API and themes
- Projects that need to support Internet Explorer 10+ alongside modern browsers
VUX
- Developers building mobile web pages with Vue 2
- Teams making WeChat-style or WeUI-style mobile interfaces
- Projects that use webpack and want a starter template
Strengths
Element
- Large, established project with 54,002 stars and an MIT license
- Documentation is available in English, Chinese, Spanish and French
- Supports both full-library and per-component imports
VUX
- Ready-made mobile components that follow the WeUI look
- Chinese documentation is available at vux.li
- Released under the permissive MIT license
Not ideal for
Element
- New projects on Vue 3, because the README recommends Element Plus for Vue 3 instead
- Mini-program development, because the README recommends MorJS for that
- Designers looking for a visual tool rather than code components
VUX
- Projects on Vue 3, since the README only lists Vue@^2.3.0 as a requirement
- Desktop-first applications, because the components target mobile web
- Teams that need English-language docs, since the README says English docs are still in progress
Trade-offs
Element
- Locked to Vue 2.x; the README directs Vue 3 users elsewhere
- Latest release is v2.15.14 and the last push shown is from August 2024, so check current maintenance status before adopting
VUX
- The README targets Vue 2 and webpack 2, which are older versions
- English documentation is marked as working in the README
- The README does not show a full component list or a current version compatibility matrix
Getting started
VUX
Install the template generator
npm install vue-cli -gCreate a project from the vux2 template
vue init airyland/vux2 projectPathFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Element and VUX?
Element: A Vue 2 component library of ready-made UI pieces for building web apps. VUX: Mobile UI component library for Vue 2, built on WeUI styles. Element suits developers maintaining an existing vue 2.x web application, while VUX suits developers building mobile web pages with vue 2.
Are Element and VUX free?
Element: Free and open source. VUX: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Element or VUX?
Element is easier to get started with (rated beginner); VUX is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Element or VUX more popular?
Element has more GitHub stars (54k) than VUX (17.4k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Element and VUX?
Other options people compare them with include Element Plus, BootstrapVue, PrimeVue, Vant, Mint UI.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.