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Microsoft Teams alternatives: 14 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Microsoft Teams: interface can feel cluttered, and best experience requires Microsoft 365. We ranked 14 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Microsoft Teams, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Slack currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Mattermost logoMattermostOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +41 of 357.8
2Zulip logoZulipOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +42 of 355.9
3Nextcloud Talk logoNextcloud TalkOpen sourceYesWeb, macOS, Windows +44 of 438.6
4Wire logoWireFree plan + paidYesWeb, Windows, macOS +35 of 538.6
  1. Mattermost logo

    1. MattermostTop pick

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

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

    57.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Teams

    Self-hosted messaging for organizations that need data control.

    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 ×0.387
    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 Microsoft Teams 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)
  2. Zulip logo

    2. Zulip

    Best for: Distributed teams that work asynchronously across time zones

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

    55.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Teams

    Organized topic threads for async work, open source.

    Pros

    • Topic threads keep chat organized
    • Open source and self-hostable
    • Great for async work

    Cons

    • Topic model takes getting used to
    • Fewer third-party integrations
    Visit Zulip Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1577
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Zulip a good Microsoft Teams alternative?

    Verified facts

    2 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026zulip.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes
    Not checked yetzulip.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Nextcloud Talk logo

    3. Nextcloud Talk

    Best for: Organisations that want calls and chat on servers they control, alongside Nextcloud files

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

    38.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Teams

    Self-hosted calls and chat for organisations leaving Microsoft's cloud.

    Pros

    • Fully self-hosted and open source
    • End-to-end encrypted calls
    • Integrated with Nextcloud files, calendar and office

    Cons

    • Large calls need the extra High Performance Backend
    • Requires server administration
    • Less polished than hosted tools
    Visit Nextcloud Talk Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.37
    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 Nextcloud Talk a good Microsoft Teams alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Self-hosting
    Fully self-hosted, on-premises
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextcloud.com(opens source in a new tab)
    End-to-end encryption
    Supported for calls
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextcloud.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Apps
    Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextcloud.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Client apps price
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextcloud.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Wire logo

    4. Wire

    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

    38.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Teams

    End-to-end encrypted messaging and calls with 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 ×0.37
    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 Microsoft Teams 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)

The best Microsoft Teams alternative for…

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

Slack logo

Best Microsoft Teams alternative for most people

Slack

Cleaner chat experience with a larger integration ecosystem.

Mattermost logo

Best Microsoft Teams alternative for a free option

Mattermost

Self-hosted messaging for organizations that need data control.

Discord logo

Best Microsoft Teams alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Discord

Free voice and text chat for communities and small teams.

Zulip logo

Best Microsoft Teams alternative for open source

Zulip

Organized topic threads for async work, open source.

Jitsi Meet logo

Best Microsoft Teams alternative for self-hosting

Jitsi Meet

Free, open-source meetings you can self-host, with no accounts needed.

Pumble logo

Best Microsoft Teams alternative for Mac

Pumble

Lightweight, low-cost chat for teams that don't need the whole suite.

Zoho Cliq logo

Best Microsoft Teams alternative for Windows

Zoho Cliq

Suite chat for Zoho users at a lower per-user price.

Zoom Team Chat logo

Best Microsoft Teams alternative for Linux

Zoom Team Chat

Chat bundled with Zoom meetings in one app.

Google Chat logo

Best Microsoft Teams alternative for iPhone and Android

Google Chat

The equivalent bundled chat for Google Workspace organisations.

Zoom Workplace logo

Best Microsoft Teams alternative for working in the browser

Zoom Workplace

A dedicated meeting tool that external guests often find easier to join.

Microsoft Teams alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Microsoft Teams?

Slack ranks first right now. Cleaner chat experience with a larger integration ecosystem. Discord and Mattermost follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Teams?

Yes. Slack (free plan + paid), Discord (free plan + paid), Mattermost (open source) and Zulip (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Microsoft Teams?

Yes: Mattermost, Zulip, Jitsi Meet and Nextcloud Talk, plus 1 more in the list above. Mattermost, Zulip and Jitsi Meet can also be self-hosted.

Which Microsoft Teams alternatives work on Linux?

Slack, Discord, Mattermost, Zulip and Pumble run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Microsoft Teams?

The complaints we hear most: interface can feel cluttered; best experience requires Microsoft 365.

How is this list ranked?

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