How to count
Write down the sign of each planet in your chart and sort them by element, using the list in elements and modalities. There are several ways of doing this. Some astrologers give extra weight to the Sun, Moon and Ascendant, since they matter more in daily life. Others count a planet for more if it’s strong by house.
In the app, your chart reveal shows “Your elemental balance,” which is a plain count of the ten planets by element, without the Rising sign. It then says which two your chart leans toward. Different methods may give you slightly different answers, and that isn’t a problem. You’re looking for a general lean, not a precise figure.
When one element leads
Lots of fire. You tend to act before you’ve finished deciding, and you’re often the reason anything happens. You can tire out slower people, and you may struggle when a situation calls for waiting.
Lots of earth. You trust what’s proven and finish what you start. People lean on you. You may need a nudge now and then to try something with no obvious use.
Lots of air. You think, compare and connect, and you make friends in a checkout line. You may be able to explain a feeling at length while not quite having it.
Lots of water. You notice how everyone in the room is doing, and you remember. You’ll often need time alone to work out which of these feelings were yours in the first place.
When one is low or missing
A chart with no planets in an element is common, and there’s nothing wrong with it. Astrologers note two things that tend to happen. The first is that the missing quality doesn’t come automatically, so you may have to learn it deliberately, and sometimes you become quite good at it for that very reason. People with very little earth often end up with excellent systems for remembering their keys.
The second is that you may feel drawn to people who have it. Someone low in water might find emotional people fascinating and a little alarming, and someone low in fire may fall for a person who just books the flights. It’s a pleasant explanation for why opposites attract, and it comes with a warning: it’s easy to hand over the whole job of feeling, or of deciding, to your partner, and get resentful about it later.
It helps to borrow, not outsource. If you’re short on earth, keep a budget together, and learn how it works. If you’re short on air, ask your partner to help you put things into words, then try it without them.
Comparing two people
Lay your two counts next to each other. Two people heavy in the same element will likely understand each other quickly, and both may miss the same things. Water and water may never talk about the bills. Air and air may talk for years and never quite do anything. Different leanings give you more range, along with more translation work.
Treat this as a talking point and nothing more. A full comparison looks at specific contacts between your planets, which you’ll find in what synastry is.