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Zulip alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Zulip: topic model takes getting used to, and fewer third-party integrations. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Zulip, 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
1Slack logoSlackFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +33 of 361.8
2Mattermost logoMattermostOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +41 of 361.8
3Rocket.Chat logoRocket.ChatOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +41 of 357.8
4Element logoElementOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +44 of 438.6
  1. Slack logo

    1. SlackTop pick

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

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

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Zulip

    Hosted chat with more integrations and a familiar channel model.

    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 ×0.377
    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 Zulip 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)
  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

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Zulip

    Self-hosted, Slack-style channels for teams who prefer that model.

    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 ×0.3100
    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 Zulip 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

    57.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Zulip

    Self-hosted chat with omnichannel support and Matrix federation.

    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 ×0.387
    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 Rocket.Chat a good Zulip 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. Element logo

    4. 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 Zulip

    Open-source, self-hostable chat with encryption and federation.

    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 Zulip 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 Zulip alternative for…

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

Slack logo

Best Zulip alternative for most people

Slack

Hosted chat with more integrations and a familiar channel model.

Mattermost logo

Best Zulip alternative for a free option

Mattermost

Self-hosted, Slack-style channels for teams who prefer that model.

Twist logo

Best Zulip alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Twist

Another thread-first app, hosted, with an even more async style.

Rocket.Chat logo

Best Zulip alternative for open source

Rocket.Chat

Self-hosted chat with omnichannel support and Matrix federation.

Element logo

Best Zulip alternative for self-hosting

Element

Open-source, self-hostable chat with encryption and federation.

Slack logo

Best Zulip alternative for Mac

Slack

Hosted chat with more integrations and a familiar channel model.

Slack logo

Best Zulip alternative for Windows

Slack

Hosted chat with more integrations and a familiar channel model.

Slack logo

Best Zulip alternative for Linux

Slack

Hosted chat with more integrations and a familiar channel model.

Slack logo

Best Zulip alternative for iPhone and Android

Slack

Hosted chat with more integrations and a familiar channel model.

Slack logo

Best Zulip alternative for working in the browser

Slack

Hosted chat with more integrations and a familiar channel model.

Zulip alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Zulip?

Slack ranks first right now. Hosted chat with more integrations and a familiar channel model. Mattermost and Rocket.Chat follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Zulip?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Zulip?

Yes: Mattermost, Rocket.Chat and Element. Mattermost, Rocket.Chat and Element can also be self-hosted.

Which Zulip alternatives work on Linux?

Slack, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat and Element run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Zulip?

The complaints we hear most: topic model takes getting used to; fewer third-party integrations.

How is this list ranked?

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