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AWS Wickr alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave AWS Wickr: no free plan beyond a trial, and fewer collaboration features and integrations than Slack. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces AWS Wickr, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Wire currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Wire logoWireFree plan + paidYesWeb, Windows, macOS +35 of 554.5
2Mattermost logoMattermostOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +41 of 352.4
3Element logoElementOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +44 of 452.2
4Microsoft Teams logoMicrosoft TeamsFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +20 of 344.8
  1. Wire logo

    1. WireTop pick

    Best for: Small teams and organisations that want an encrypted European messenger they can audit or self-host

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    54.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from AWS Wickr

    European encrypted collaboration with cloud and on-premises options.

    Pros

    • End-to-end encryption with the MLS standard
    • Sign up with email, no phone number required
    • Open source, with on-premises deployment

    Cons

    • Few personal contacts use it
    • Product direction centres on businesses
    • Free plan limited to small teams
    Visit Wire Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.360
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Wire a good AWS Wickr alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    Free for teams up to 5 people
    Checked Oct 25, 2026wire.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    €7.45 per person/month (annual)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026wire.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Devices
    Up to 8
    Checked Oct 25, 2026wire.com(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    GPL-3.0 (web app)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Encryption
    MLS, end-to-end by default
    Checked Oct 25, 2026wire.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Mattermost logo

    2. Mattermost

    Best for: Security-conscious organizations that must self-host chat

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    52.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from AWS Wickr

    Self-hosted chat widely used in defence and secure environments.

    Pros

    • Open source and self-hosted
    • Slack-like interface
    • Strong compliance options

    Cons

    • Self-hosting requires maintenance
    • Smaller integration catalog than Slack
    Visit Mattermost Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1553
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Mattermost a good AWS Wickr alternative?

    Verified facts

    1 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Not checked yetgithub.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026mattermost.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free edition
    Yes
    Not checked yetmattermost.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Element logo

    3. Element

    Best for: Communities and organisations that want open, federated, encrypted chat they can run themselves

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    52.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from AWS Wickr

    Open-source, self-hostable encrypted Matrix chat.

    Pros

    • Federated: talk across servers, or host your own
    • Encrypted by default for private chats
    • Open source, with bridges to other networks

    Cons

    • More complex than mainstream messengers
    • Key backup and device verification confuse newcomers
    • Self-hosting a homeserver takes real admin work
    Visit Element Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.352
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Element a good AWS Wickr alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Free community edition
    Checked Oct 25, 2026element.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise pricing
    Per seat/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026element.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Certification
    ISO/IEC 27001:2022
    Checked Oct 25, 2026element.io(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Microsoft Teams logo

    4. Microsoft Teams

    Best for: Organizations already using Microsoft 365

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    44.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from AWS Wickr

    Mainstream suite chat with government cloud editions.

    Pros

    • Included in many Microsoft 365 plans
    • Strong meetings and calling
    • Office file co-editing

    Cons

    • Interface can feel cluttered
    • Best experience requires Microsoft 365
    Visit Microsoft Teams Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1515
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Microsoft Teams a good AWS Wickr alternative?

    Verified facts

    0 of 3 verified
    Free version
    Yes
    Not checked yetmicrosoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Meetings
    Video meetings and webinars
    Not checked yetmicrosoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Microsoft 365 integration
    Yes
    Not checked yetmicrosoft.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best AWS Wickr alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Wire logo

Best AWS Wickr alternative for most people

Wire

European encrypted collaboration with cloud and on-premises options.

Mattermost logo

Best AWS Wickr alternative for a free option

Mattermost

Self-hosted chat widely used in defence and secure environments.

Microsoft Teams logo

Best AWS Wickr alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Microsoft Teams

Mainstream suite chat with government cloud editions.

Element logo

Best AWS Wickr alternative for open source

Element

Open-source, self-hostable encrypted Matrix chat.

Wire logo

Best AWS Wickr alternative for self-hosting

Wire

European encrypted collaboration with cloud and on-premises options.

Threema logo

Best AWS Wickr alternative for Mac

Threema

Swiss encrypted messenger with a Work edition that needs no phone number.

Wire logo

Best AWS Wickr alternative for Windows

Wire

European encrypted collaboration with cloud and on-premises options.

Wire logo

Best AWS Wickr alternative for Linux

Wire

European encrypted collaboration with cloud and on-premises options.

Wire logo

Best AWS Wickr alternative for iPhone and Android

Wire

European encrypted collaboration with cloud and on-premises options.

Wire logo

Best AWS Wickr alternative for working in the browser

Wire

European encrypted collaboration with cloud and on-premises options.

AWS Wickr alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to AWS Wickr?

Wire ranks first right now. European encrypted collaboration with cloud and on-premises options. Mattermost and Element follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to AWS Wickr?

Yes. Wire (free plan + paid), Mattermost (open source), Element (open source) and Microsoft Teams (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to AWS Wickr?

Yes: Wire, Mattermost, Element and Threema. Wire, Mattermost and Element can also be self-hosted.

Which AWS Wickr alternatives work on Linux?

Wire, Mattermost, Element and Threema run on Linux.

Why do people switch from AWS Wickr?

The complaints we hear most: no free plan beyond a trial; fewer collaboration features and integrations than Slack; setup assumes familiarity with AWS.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces AWS Wickr, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.