AppBreakup
Submit an app

Slack alternatives: 15 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Slack: free plan hides older message history, and costs rise quickly per seat. We ranked 15 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Slack, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Discord currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Zulip logoZulipOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +42 of 355.9
2Mattermost logoMattermostOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +41 of 354.8
3Rocket.Chat logoRocket.ChatOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +41 of 350.5
4Wire logoWireFree plan + paidYesWeb, Windows, macOS +35 of 538.6
5Element logoElementOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +44 of 438.6
  1. Zulip logo

    1. ZulipTop pick

    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 Slack

    Topic-threaded chat that's easier to follow asynchronously, 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 Slack 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)
  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

    54.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Slack

    Open-source, self-hosted chat with a familiar Slack-like interface.

    Pros

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

    Cons

    • Self-hosting requires maintenance
    • Smaller integration catalog than Slack
    Visit Mattermost Compare with SlackDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    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 Slack 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. Rocket.Chat logo

    3. Rocket.Chat

    Best for: Teams that need self-hosted chat plus customer messaging

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

    50.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Slack

    Self-hosted chat with omnichannel customer messaging built in.

    Pros

    • Open source and self-hostable
    • Omnichannel customer inbox
    • Matrix federation

    Cons

    • Setup and upgrades take effort
    • Interface less polished than Slack
    Visit Rocket.Chat Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    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 Rocket.Chat a good Slack 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, 2026rocket.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    Free edition
    Yes
    Not checked yetrocket.chat(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 Slack

    End-to-end encrypted team messaging with a free tier for small teams 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 ×0.37
    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 Slack 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)
  5. Element logo

    5. 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

    38.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Slack

    Open-source, encrypted Matrix chat you can self-host.

    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 ×0.37
    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 Element a good Slack 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)

The best Slack alternative for…

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

Discord logo

Best Slack alternative for most people

Discord

Free with unlimited message history and excellent voice channels.

Zulip logo

Best Slack alternative for a free option

Zulip

Topic-threaded chat that's easier to follow asynchronously, open source.

Microsoft Teams logo

Best Slack alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Microsoft Teams

Often included in Microsoft 365 plans, with stronger meetings.

Mattermost logo

Best Slack alternative for open source

Mattermost

Open-source, self-hosted chat with a familiar Slack-like interface.

Rocket.Chat logo

Best Slack alternative for self-hosting

Rocket.Chat

Self-hosted chat with omnichannel customer messaging built in.

Chanty logo

Best Slack alternative for Mac

Chanty

Simpler, cheaper chat for small teams, with a built-in task board.

Pumble logo

Best Slack alternative for Windows

Pumble

Familiar Slack-style chat at a fraction of the price, with unlimited history on the free plan.

Zoho Cliq logo

Best Slack alternative for Linux

Zoho Cliq

Cheaper chat with strong bots and automation, plus a free edition.

Google Chat logo

Best Slack alternative for iPhone and Android

Google Chat

Included with Google Workspace, so no extra subscription if you already use it.

Twist logo

Best Slack alternative for working in the browser

Twist

Thread-first async messaging for calmer remote teams.

Slack alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Slack?

Discord ranks first right now. Free with unlimited message history and excellent voice channels. Microsoft Teams and Zulip follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Slack?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Slack?

Yes: Zulip, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat and Campfire, plus 2 more in the list above. Zulip, Mattermost and Rocket.Chat can also be self-hosted.

Which Slack alternatives work on Linux?

Discord, Zulip, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat and Chanty run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Slack?

The complaints we hear most: free plan hides older message history; costs rise quickly per seat.

How is this list ranked?

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