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

#	App	Pricing	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	Discord	Free plan + paid	No	Web, Windows, macOS +3	3 of 3	64.8
2	Microsoft Teams	Free plan + paid	No	Web, Windows, macOS +2	0 of 3	56.0
3	Zulip	Open source	Yes	Web, Windows, macOS +4	2 of 3	55.9
4	Mattermost	Open source	Yes	Web, Windows, macOS +4	1 of 3	54.8
5	Rocket.Chat	Open source	Yes	Web, Windows, macOS +4	1 of 3	50.5
6	Google Chat	Free plan + paid	No	Web, iOS, Android	5 of 5	40.0
7	Chanty	Free plan + paid	No	Web, Windows, macOS +3	4 of 4	40.0
8	Pumble	Free plan + paid	No	Web, Windows, macOS +3	5 of 5	40.0
9	Twist	Free plan + paid	No	Web, Windows, macOS +2	4 of 4	40.0
10	Campfire	Open source	Yes	Self-hosted, Web	5 of 5	40.0
11	Zoho Cliq	Free plan + paid	No	Web, Windows, macOS +3	4 of 4	40.0
12	Zoom Team Chat	Free plan + paid	No	Windows, macOS, Linux +3	4 of 4	40.0
13	Gather	Paid	No	Web, macOS, Windows	3 of 3	38.6
14	Wire	Free plan + paid	Yes	Web, Windows, macOS +3	5 of 5	38.6
15	Element	Open source	Yes	Web, Windows, macOS +4	4 of 4	38.6

1. DiscordTop pick
Best for: Communities that want free voice and text chat
Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
64.8
score / 100
Why switch from Slack
Free with unlimited message history and excellent voice channels.
Pros
Free with unlimited history
Excellent voice channels
Rich roles, bots and moderation
Cons
Not built for enterprise compliance
Consumer-style interface for work
Visit Discord Compare with Slack Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.387
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Discord a good Slack alternative?
Verified facts
3 of 3 verified
Price
Free; optional Nitro subscription
Checked Oct 24, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
Voice channels
Yes
Checked Oct 24, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
Web, desktop, mobile
Checked Oct 24, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
2. Microsoft Teams
Best for: Organizations already using Microsoft 365
Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
56.0
score / 100
Why switch from Slack
Often included in Microsoft 365 plans, with stronger meetings.
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 Compare with Slack Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.3100
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 Slack 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)
3. 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 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)
4. 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 Slack Details 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)
5. 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)
6. Google Chat
Best for: Organisations already on Google Workspace that want chat without another subscription
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android
40.0
score / 100
Why switch from Slack
Included with Google Workspace, so no extra subscription if you already use it.
Pros
Included with Google Workspace at no extra cost
Tight links with Gmail, Drive, Calendar and Meet
Spaces scale to very large groups
Cons
Fewer third-party integrations than Slack
Threads and spaces feel less refined than Slack's
Best features require a Workspace subscription
Visit Google Chat Compare with Slack Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.312
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 Google Chat a good Slack alternative?
Verified facts
5 of 5 verified
Pricing
Included with Google Workspace
Checked Oct 25, 2026workspace.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
Space size
Up to 500,000 members
Checked Oct 25, 2026workspace.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free trial
14 days (Workspace)
Checked Oct 25, 2026workspace.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
API
Yes, plus webhooks
Checked Oct 25, 2026workspace.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
Migration
From Slack, Teams or Workplace
Checked Oct 25, 2026workspace.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
7. Chanty
Best for: Small teams that want chat with simple built-in task tracking at a low price
Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
40.0
score / 100
Why switch from Slack
Simpler, cheaper chat for small teams, with a built-in task board.
Pros
Messages convert into tasks on a built-in board
Low per-user price on the Business plan
Apps for every major platform
Cons
Free plan is capped at five members
Far smaller integration catalogue than Slack
Limited advanced admin and compliance features
Visit Chanty Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.312
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 Chanty a good Slack alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Free plan
Up to 5 team members
Checked Oct 25, 2026chanty.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free storage
20 GB per team
Checked Oct 25, 2026chanty.com(opens source in a new tab)
Task management
Built in
Checked Oct 25, 2026chanty.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free plan integrations
Up to 10
Checked Oct 25, 2026chanty.com(opens source in a new tab)
8. Pumble
Best for: Small and growing teams that want Slack-style chat cheaply, with full history on the free plan
Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
40.0
score / 100
Why switch from Slack
Familiar Slack-style chat at a fraction of the price, with unlimited history on the free plan.
Pros
Free plan has unlimited users and message history
Paid seats are far cheaper than Slack
Bundles with Clockify and Plaky
Cons
Far fewer integrations than Slack
Group meetings require a paid plan
Younger product with fewer advanced workflow features
Visit Pumble Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.312
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 Pumble a good Slack alternative?
Verified facts
5 of 5 verified
Free plan
Unlimited users and history
Checked Oct 25, 2026pumble.com(opens source in a new tab)
Pro price
$2.49 per seat/month (annual)
Checked Oct 25, 2026pumble.com(opens source in a new tab)
Business price
$3.99 per seat/month (annual)
Checked Oct 25, 2026pumble.com(opens source in a new tab)
Enterprise price
$6.99 per seat/month (annual), with SSO
Checked Oct 25, 2026pumble.com(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android
Checked Oct 25, 2026pumble.com(opens source in a new tab)
9. Twist
Best for: Remote teams across time zones that prefer threaded, asynchronous discussion
Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
40.0
score / 100
Why switch from Slack
Thread-first async messaging for calmer remote teams.
Pros
Threads keep discussions organised and easy to catch up on
Calmer, less interruptive than real-time chat
Simple pricing with one paid plan
Cons
Free plan only keeps one month of history accessible
No built-in voice or video calls
Async style doesn't suit teams needing quick back-and-forth
Visit Twist Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.312
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 Twist a good Slack alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Free plan history
1 month
Checked Oct 25, 2026twist.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free plan integrations
Up to 5
Checked Oct 25, 2026twist.com(opens source in a new tab)
Unlimited plan
Full history and unlimited integrations
Checked Oct 25, 2026twist.com(opens source in a new tab)
Approach
Async, thread-based
Checked Oct 25, 2026twist.com(opens source in a new tab)
10. Campfire
Best for: Small companies and groups that want simple, free, self-hosted chat with no subscription
Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web
40.0
score / 100
Why switch from Slack
Free, self-hosted group chat with no recurring fees.
Pros
Free and MIT-licensed, with one-command install
Works on air-gapped networks
Simple, clean design that covers the essentials
Cons
No native mobile apps, mobile web only
Can't import Slack or Teams history
Few integrations beyond a basic bot API
Visit Campfire Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.312
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 Campfire a good Slack alternative?
Verified facts
5 of 5 verified
License
MIT
Checked Oct 25, 2026once.com(opens source in a new tab)
Deployment
Self-hosted
Checked Oct 25, 2026once.com(opens source in a new tab)
Air-gapped use
Yes
Checked Oct 25, 2026once.com(opens source in a new tab)
Slack/Teams import
Not available
Checked Oct 25, 2026once.com(opens source in a new tab)
Capacity
250 users on 2 GB RAM, 1 CPU
Checked Oct 25, 2026once.com(opens source in a new tab)
11. Zoho Cliq
Best for: Businesses on Zoho apps and teams that want low-cost chat with bots and automation
Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
40.0
score / 100
Why switch from Slack
Cheaper chat with strong bots and automation, plus a free edition.
Pros
Free edition with messaging and meetings
Strong bot and automation platform
Deep integration with Zoho's business apps
Cons
Interface feels busier than Slack
Professional and Enterprise need at least 10 users
Third-party integrations trail Slack's catalogue
Visit Zoho Cliq Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.312
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 Zoho Cliq a good Slack alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Free edition
Yes
Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free trial
15 days
Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
Minimum users (Professional)
10
Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
External channels
Standard plan and up
Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
12. Zoom Team Chat
Best for: Companies that already use Zoom for meetings and want chat in the same app
Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
40.0
score / 100
Why switch from Slack
Comes with Zoom Workplace if the company already pays for Zoom.
Pros
Included with Zoom Workplace, even the free Basic plan
Moves smoothly from chat to call or meeting
Shared spaces for cross-team and external projects
Cons
Smaller integration ecosystem than Slack
Chat features feel secondary to meetings
AI features require paid plans
Visit Zoom Team Chat Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.312
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 Zoom Team Chat a good Slack alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Pricing
Included in Zoom Workplace
Checked Oct 25, 2026zoom.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free plan
Team Chat included in Basic
Checked Oct 25, 2026zoom.com(opens source in a new tab)
Pro price
$14.16 per user/month (annual)
Checked Oct 25, 2026zoom.com(opens source in a new tab)
Shared spaces
Yes, with external members
Checked Oct 25, 2026zoom.com(opens source in a new tab)
13. Gather
Best for: Fully remote teams that want an always-on virtual office
PaidWeb, macOS, Windows
38.6
score / 100
Why switch from Slack
A virtual office for spontaneous video chats instead of scheduled huddles.
Pros
Spontaneous conversations by walking up to colleagues
Shows who's free or focused at a glance
Customisable office maps
Cons
Avatar-based interface isn't for everyone
Needs the whole team to adopt it
Not designed for large external meetings
Visit Gather 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 Gather a good Slack alternative?
Verified facts
3 of 3 verified
Essential plan
$12 per member/month
Checked Oct 25, 2026gather.town(opens source in a new tab)
Free trial
30 days
Checked Oct 25, 2026gather.town(opens source in a new tab)
Integrations
GitHub and Spotify
Checked Oct 25, 2026gather.town(opens source in a new tab)
14. 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)
15. 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.

Best Slack alternative for most people

Discord

Free with unlimited message history and excellent voice channels.

Best Slack alternative for a free option

Zulip

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

Best Slack alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Microsoft Teams

Often included in Microsoft 365 plans, with stronger meetings.

Best Slack alternative for open source

Mattermost

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

Best Slack alternative for self-hosting

Rocket.Chat

Self-hosted chat with omnichannel customer messaging built in.

Best Slack alternative for Mac

Chanty

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

Best Slack alternative for Windows

Pumble

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

Best Slack alternative for Linux

Zoho Cliq

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

Best Slack alternative for iPhone and Android

Google Chat

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

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.

Quick comparison

1. DiscordTop pick

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

2. Microsoft Teams

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

3. Zulip

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

4. Mattermost

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

5. Rocket.Chat

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

6. Google Chat

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

7. Chanty

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

8. Pumble

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

9. Twist

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

10. Campfire

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

11. Zoho Cliq

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

12. Zoom Team Chat

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

13. Gather

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

14. Wire

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

15. Element

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

The best Slack alternative for…

Best Slack alternative for most people

Best Slack alternative for a free option

Best Slack alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Best Slack alternative for open source

Best Slack alternative for self-hosting

Best Slack alternative for Mac

Best Slack alternative for Windows

Best Slack alternative for Linux

Best Slack alternative for iPhone and Android

Best Slack alternative for working in the browser

Slack alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Slack?

Is there a free alternative to Slack?

Is there an open-source alternative to Slack?

Which Slack alternatives work on Linux?

Why do people switch from Slack?

How is this list ranked?