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Alternatives

Best Slack alternatives in 2026

Slack is team chat with channels, direct messages and huddles. These 9 alternatives come from the same rankings, ordered by editorial score. Connected products carry a small, disclosed lift.

9 alternatives From best team chat software How we rank Share

Ranked alternatives

  1. Zulip

    Is open source. Open source under Apache-2.0 with apps for every major desktop and phone and a free Standard plan for eligible organizations. Its integration catalog is smaller than Slack's, and self-hosting means running a server.

    Best for Open-source projects and self-hosted team chat

    WebmacOSWindowsLinuxiOSAndroidSelf-hostedFree plan, paid upgradesOpen source

    90.5of 100
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  2. Microsoft Teams

    Chat, meetings and shared files in one app, tied into Microsoft 365 and Outlook, which is why many organizations use it by default. It is hosted only and heavier than Slack or Zulip.

    Best for Organizations already standardized on Microsoft 365

    WindowsmacOSiOSAndroidWebFree plan, paid upgrades

    89.0of 100
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  3. Mattermost

    Is open source. Self-hosted team chat for private cloud and air-gapped networks, with source published under AGPL-3.0. It asks more of an IT team than Slack, and its Enterprise features sit in paid editions.

    Best for Regulated teams that must keep chat on their own servers

    WebSelf-hostedFree plan, paid upgradesOpen source

    88.5of 100
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  4. Zoho Cliq

    A free chat plan for teams of any size, with meetings and iOS and Android apps. External channels and call recording need the paid Standard plan, and its catalog is smaller than Slack's.

    Best for Small teams already using Zoho business apps

    WebiOSAndroidFree plan, paid upgrades

    85.0of 100
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  5. Rocket.Chat

    Is open source. Open-source core under MIT, self-hostable, with web, desktop and mobile apps and commercial plans for government and defense buyers. Its enterprise code is under a separate license, and setup is left to the team.

    Best for Self-hosted chat with commercial support options

    WebSelf-hostedFree plan, paid upgradesOpen source

    84.0of 100
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  6. Pumble

    Team chat with channels, threads, guests and screen sharing, and unlimited users and message history on its free plan. Paid plans add group meetings and are priced per seat, so large teams pay for every member.

    Best for Small and mid-size teams that want full history free

    WebWindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroidFree plan, paid upgrades

    83.5of 100
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  7. Element

    Is open source. Matrix-based chat with end-to-end encryption, apps for all major platforms and self-hosted server options. It is less polished as a workplace tool than Slack, and organization features are paid.

    Best for Encrypted team chat on the open Matrix network

    AndroidiOSWindowsmacOSLinuxWebFree plan, paid upgradesOpen source

    82.5of 100
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  8. Chanty

    Chanty has a free plan with unlimited searchable history and built-in tasks, but the free plan is capped at five members. Its on-premise option is limited to the Enterprise plan, so self-hosting is less open than Zulip or Mattermost.

    Best for Small teams that want unlimited history for free

    macOSWindowsiOSAndroidWebFree plan, paid upgrades

    80.0of 100
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  9. Twist

    Async team communication from Doist built around threads, with guest access on the free plan. The free plan shows only the last month of messages, so teams that need full history should pay for the Unlimited plan.

    Best for Distributed teams that reply asynchronously

    WebWindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroidFree plan, paid upgrades

    79.5of 100
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Open-source alternatives to Slack

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About Slack alternatives

What is the best alternative to Slack?
On listme.name the highest-scored alternative is Zulip, followed by Microsoft Teams. The right choice depends on price, platform and whether you need open source.
Is there a free alternative to Slack?
Yes. Free options include Zulip, Microsoft Teams, Mattermost.

Before you switch

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