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Twist alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Twist: free plan only keeps one month of history accessible, and no built-in voice or video calls. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Twist, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Zulip currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Zulip logoZulipOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +42 of 365.3
2Slack logoSlackFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +33 of 364.8
3Campfire logoCampfireOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web5 of 559.6
4Google Chat logoGoogle ChatFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android5 of 557.2
5Mattermost logoMattermostOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +41 of 350.5
  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

    65.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Twist

    Open-source chat with topic threads, mixing real-time and async.

    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 ×0.3100
    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 Twist 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. Slack logo

    2. Slack

    Best for: Companies that want the largest integration ecosystem for chat

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

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Twist

    Real-time chat with threads and a huge ecosystem.

    Pros

    • Huge integration ecosystem
    • Polished threads and huddles
    • Shared channels with other companies

    Cons

    • Free plan hides older message history
    • Costs rise quickly per seat
    Visit 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 Slack a good Twist alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, with limited history
    Checked Oct 24, 2026slack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Salesforce
    Checked Oct 24, 2026slack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Web, desktop, mobile
    Checked Oct 24, 2026slack.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Campfire logo

    3. Campfire

    Best for: Small companies and groups that want simple, free, self-hosted chat with no subscription

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Twist

    Simple, self-hosted chat with a one-time setup and no subscription.

    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 ×0.377
    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 Twist 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)
  4. Google Chat logo

    4. Google Chat

    Best for: Organisations already on Google Workspace that want chat without another subscription

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Twist

    Threaded spaces included with Google Workspace.

    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 Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    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 Twist 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)
  5. Mattermost logo

    5. Mattermost

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

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

    50.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Twist

    Self-hosted chat with threads and playbooks.

    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 ×0.363
    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 Mattermost a good Twist 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)

The best Twist alternative for…

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

Zulip logo

Best Twist alternative for most people

Zulip

Open-source chat with topic threads, mixing real-time and async.

Campfire logo

Best Twist alternative for a free option

Campfire

Simple, self-hosted chat with a one-time setup and no subscription.

Slack logo

Best Twist alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Slack

Real-time chat with threads and a huge ecosystem.

Mattermost logo

Best Twist alternative for open source

Mattermost

Self-hosted chat with threads and playbooks.

Zulip logo

Best Twist alternative for self-hosting

Zulip

Open-source chat with topic threads, mixing real-time and async.

Zulip logo

Best Twist alternative for Mac

Zulip

Open-source chat with topic threads, mixing real-time and async.

Zulip logo

Best Twist alternative for Windows

Zulip

Open-source chat with topic threads, mixing real-time and async.

Zulip logo

Best Twist alternative for Linux

Zulip

Open-source chat with topic threads, mixing real-time and async.

Google Chat logo

Best Twist alternative for iPhone and Android

Google Chat

Threaded spaces included with Google Workspace.

Zulip logo

Best Twist alternative for working in the browser

Zulip

Open-source chat with topic threads, mixing real-time and async.

Twist alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Twist?

Zulip ranks first right now. Open-source chat with topic threads, mixing real-time and async. Slack and Campfire follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Twist?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Twist?

Yes: Zulip, Campfire and Mattermost. Zulip, Campfire and Mattermost can also be self-hosted.

Which Twist alternatives work on Linux?

Zulip, Slack and Mattermost run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Twist?

The complaints we hear most: 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.

How is this list ranked?

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