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Team chat software · 12 alternatives

Slack alternatives: 12 compared

Sebastiaan Smits By Sebastiaan Smits · Published October 8, 2026 · Updated October 8, 2026

Teams look past Slack when the free plan's 90-day history, per-user pricing that rises with each tier, or the limits on exporting private conversations start to matter. Most go to Microsoft Teams or Google Chat if they already pay for a suite, or to Pumble and Zulip for a cheaper or self-hosted chat.

Short answer: The closest replacements for Slack in our team chat software ranking are Microsoft Teams, Google Chat and Pumble. Choose Microsoft Teams if you already pay for Microsoft 365 and want chat, files and meetings under one login. All 12 alternatives below are ranked products from Best Team Chat Software in 2026, and each says where it differs from Slack and when Slack is still the better choice.

Visibility in our rankings can be paid for. Payment moves a vendor's position within the shortlist; it never adds a vendor, and it never changes a word of the review or of this page. How it works: placement disclosure · editorial process.

Slack at a glance

  • Headquarters: United States
  • Pricing model: Per user / month
  • Pricing: Free plan with 90-day history; Pro €6.75, Business+ €15 per user per month annual; Enterprise+ quoted around €45 per user.
  • Free option: Free plan
  • Built for: Companies living in many apps
  • Wrong for: Cost-sensitive companies, nonprofits and teams that mostly need channels and files should compare Pumble, Zulip and Chanty. Buyers who need self-hosting or data control should read the Mattermost and Element entries.
  • Place in our ranking: #4 of 13
  • Website: slack.com

Facts from our team chat software ranking, last checked October 8, 2026.

Why buyers look past Slack

  1. History and price both depend on the tier

    On the free plan, Slack keeps messages searchable for 90 days and deletes data after one year. Paid plans keep it for life by default. Pro is listed at 6.75 euros per user per month billed annually, Business+ at 15 and Enterprise+ at 45.

  2. Full export sits in the higher tiers

    Free and Pro workspaces can export public channels only. Exporting private channels and direct messages needs Business+ or Enterprise. Slack's help page lists scheduled exports for Business+ and exports by member for Enterprise, so teams on Pro have the least visibility into their own data.

  3. Introductory discounts end

    Slack's 50 percent offer on Pro and Business+ applies for the first three months and only to plans bought online in the first seven days of creating a team. After that, the standard price applies to the rest of the plan and to renewals.

12 alternatives at a glance

Closest replacement first. The last column is our place in the full 13-product ranking.

#AlternativeHeadquartersPricingKey differenceSwitch ifOur rank
1Microsoft TeamsUnited StatesBundled with Microsoft 365; free planMicrosoft's chat, channel and meeting hubyou already pay for Microsoft 365 and want chat, files and meetings under one login#5
2Google ChatUnited StatesBundled with Google Workspace; free trialGoogle Workspace's built-in messaging and spacesyour company already runs on Google Workspace and email, calendar and chat should live together#6
3PumbleUnited StatesPer seat / month; free planFree-first team chat from the makers of Clockifyyou want Slack's channel layout with unlimited history on a free plan#1
4ZulipUnited StatesPer user / month; free planOpen source team chat built around topicsyou want open-source chat you can self-host, with a free cloud tier to test it#2
5MattermostUnited StatesQuote only; free trialSelf-hosted collaboration for secure and regulated workyou need chat on your own infrastructure with compliance exports#8
6ChantyUnited StatesPer user / month; free planSimple team chat with built-in tasks and callsyou are a small team that wants chat and tasks in one lightweight app#3
7Zoho CliqIndiaPer user / month; free planTeam chat inside the Zoho business suiteyou already use Zoho apps and want chat that connects to them#7
8ElementUnited KingdomOpen source + paid tiers; open sourceMatrix-based secure collaboration you host yourselfyou want an open protocol, end-to-end encryption and your own servers#12
9Rocket.ChatUnited StatesQuote only; free planSovereign chat for regulated and public-sector buyersyou must run chat on-premises or air-gapped for public-sector or regulated work#13
10WireSwitzerlandPer user / month; free planEnd-to-end encrypted chat and calls for businessyou handle sensitive conversations and want end-to-end encryption by default#10
11Threema WorkSwitzerlandPer user / month; free trialSwiss end-to-end encrypted messenger for organizationsyou want a privacy-focused messenger for staff, not a full collaboration workspace#11
12Nextcloud TalkGermanyOpen source + paid tiers; open sourceOpen source chat and calls inside Nextcloudyou already host Nextcloud and want chat next to your files#9

What each alternative does differently

1. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft's chat, channel and meeting hub · United States

Teams is built on Microsoft 365 groups and Entra ID, and creating a team also creates a SharePoint site, a shared mailbox and a OneNote notebook. Microsoft's own pricing pages blocked our fetch, so check what your licence already includes. Premium and phone features are separate add-on licenses.

Switch from Slack if you already pay for Microsoft 365 and want chat, files and meetings under one login.

Pricing: Included in Microsoft 365 business plans, with a free version for basic use; confirm current prices on Microsoft's site. (free plan)

Full review: #5 of 13 in our ranking · Visit Microsoft Teams →

2. Google Chat

Google Workspace's built-in messaging and spaces · United States

Included in every Google Workspace plan, with permanent spaces of up to 500,000 members and a place inside Gmail. Chat is free on personal Google accounts. Working with people on other platforms goes through interoperability partners such as Mio and NextPlane, and Google lists Slack migration tools.

Switch from Slack if your company already runs on Google Workspace and email, calendar and chat should live together.

Pricing: Included with Google Workspace plans, which list at €6.80, €13.60 and €21.10 per user per month; 14-day trial of Workspace. (free trial)

Full review: #6 of 13 in our ranking · Visit Google Chat →

3. Pumble

Free-first team chat from the makers of Clockify · United States

Aimed at cost, with channels and threads as in Slack. The free plan has unlimited users and message history, three integrations and 10 GB of workspace storage. Group meetings begin on Pro, and SSO and audit logs only on Enterprise. Guests in a single channel are free, five per paid seat.

Switch from Slack if you want Slack's channel layout with unlimited history on a free plan.

Pricing: Free plan with unlimited users and history; Pro $2.49, Business $3.99 and Enterprise $6.99 per seat per month on annual billing. (free plan)

Full review: #1 of 13 in our ranking · Visit Pumble →

4. Zulip

Open source team chat built around topics · United States

Cloud has a free plan with 10,000 messages of search history and 5 GB of file storage in total, and Standard is billed per user. The software is open source and can be self-hosted, with export and import tools between cloud and your own servers.

Switch from Slack if you want open-source chat you can self-host, with a free cloud tier to test it.

Pricing: Cloud: free plan with 10,000 searchable messages; Standard $6.67 per user per month annual. Self-hosted from $3.50 per user per month, free for eligible organizations. (free plan)

Full review: #2 of 13 in our ranking · Visit Zulip →

5. Mattermost

Self-hosted collaboration for secure and regulated work · United States

Sold as prepaid annual seat licenses, on your own servers, Kubernetes or a single-tenant cloud. Professional covers SSO, MFA and LDAP sync, while Enterprise adds compliance exports and eDiscovery. A limited-use evaluation edition is free. It is built for engineering and regulated teams, not for casual use.

Switch from Slack if you need chat on your own infrastructure with compliance exports.

Pricing: Prepaid annual seat licenses with Professional, Enterprise and Enterprise Advanced tiers priced on request; limited-use evaluation edition at no cost. (free trial)

Full review: #8 of 13 in our ranking · Visit Mattermost →

6. Chanty

Simple team chat with built-in tasks and calls · United States

Small-team tool with a free plan for up to five members, unlimited searchable history and built-in tasks. Business adds data import and export, SSO, retention settings and three free guest seats per member. Enterprise brings directory sync and SAML. The free plan allows up to ten integrations.

Switch from Slack if you are a small team that wants chat and tasks in one lightweight app.

Pricing: Free for up to 5 members; Business is €3 per user per month billed annually or €4 monthly; Enterprise is quoted. (free plan)

Full review: #3 of 13 in our ranking · Visit Chanty →

7. Zoho Cliq

Team chat inside the Zoho business suite · India

Free plan keeps 10,000 messages of history and limits calls to sixty minutes. Standard and above remove the limits, Professional and Enterprise need ten users, and Enterprise adds data loss prevention and eDiscovery. Fits teams already using other Zoho products, with a 14-day trial of paid plans.

Switch from Slack if you already use Zoho apps and want chat that connects to them.

Pricing: Free plan plus Standard, Professional and Enterprise tiers; 10% off for yearly billing; Professional and Enterprise need 10 users. (free plan)

Full review: #7 of 13 in our ranking · Visit Zoho Cliq →

8. Element

Matrix-based secure collaboration you host yourself · United Kingdom

Built on the open Matrix standard, with end-to-end encryption by default and self-hosted deployment. The Community edition is free under AGPL for non-professional use and evaluation. Enterprise is priced per seat with a 100-user minimum, and Sovereign targets air-gapped deployments on a per-deployment price.

Switch from Slack if you want an open protocol, end-to-end encryption and your own servers.

Pricing: Community edition is free and open source (AGPL); Enterprise is priced per seat per month for 100+ users; Sovereign is priced per deployment. (open source)

Full review: #12 of 13 in our ranking · Visit Element →

9. Rocket.Chat

Sovereign chat for regulated and public-sector buyers · United States

Self-managed first. The free Starter plan is a self-managed workspace for trial and small use. Commercial, Government and Defense plans are quoted, with on-premises, private cloud or air-gapped deployment. Compliance frameworks such as HIPAA and FINRA are its pitch, so it is heavier than a simple team chat.

Switch from Slack if you must run chat on-premises or air-gapped for public-sector or regulated work.

Pricing: Free Starter plan for evaluation and small organizations; Commercial, Government and Defense plans are quoted. (free plan)

Full review: #13 of 13 in our ranking · Visit Rocket.Chat →

10. Wire

End-to-end encrypted chat and calls for business · Switzerland

End-to-end encrypted on every plan, including the free one for up to five people. The SMB plan covers teams up to 100 and adds SSO, SCIM and 150-person video conferences. Above 100 people it is Enterprise on a quote, with federation and cloud, on-premises or hybrid deployment.

Switch from Slack if you handle sensitive conversations and want end-to-end encryption by default.

Pricing: Free for up to 5 people; SMB is €7.45 per person per month annual (€8.94 monthly) up to 100 people; Enterprise is quoted. (free plan)

Full review: #10 of 13 in our ranking · Visit Wire →

11. Threema Work

Swiss end-to-end encrypted messenger for organizations · Switzerland

Swiss messenger with a managed work edition. Core adds central management at CHF 3 per user per month billed annually, and Professional adds broadcast, automation and API access at CHF 5. OnPrem is quoted for full control, including air-gapped operation. It is a closed messaging tool, not a Slack-style workspace.

Switch from Slack if you want a privacy-focused messenger for staff, not a full collaboration workspace.

Pricing: Core is CHF 3 per user per month and Professional CHF 5; 30-day free trial for up to 30 users; OnPrem is quoted. (free trial)

Full review: #11 of 13 in our ranking · Visit Threema Work →

12. Nextcloud Talk

Open source chat and calls inside Nextcloud · Germany

Open source and fully on-premises, with chat, video, screen sharing and end-to-end encrypted calls. Documents are shared from the Nextcloud Files app into conversations. Nextcloud GmbH sells support and a high-performance backend for large calls. It has no marketplace comparable to Slack's.

Switch from Slack if you already host Nextcloud and want chat next to your files.

Pricing: Open source software you host yourself; Nextcloud sells support subscriptions, and we could not confirm a price on its Talk page. (open source)

Full review: #9 of 13 in our ranking · Visit Nextcloud Talk →

When Slack is still the right choice

Stay with Slack if your team lives in channels with many outside partners and a deep app directory (it lists over 2,600 apps), and you are on a plan that keeps full history and exports. Slack Connect with groups of up to 250 organizations is a strength on Pro and above. It also fits Salesforce customers, because Slack is a Salesforce company.

What to expect when you switch from Slack

  1. Export first, and know your tier

    Slack's help page lists what each plan can export. Public channels come out on every plan, but private channels and direct messages need Business+ or Enterprise. Check your plan before you cancel, because a downgrade can remove the option.

  2. Decide what history is worth moving

    Exported messages and file links are data to read, not a live archive. Teams usually import the channels they still use and keep the export as a record. Import support differs by tool, and Google lists Slack migration tools on its Chat page.

  3. Tell external partners early

    Slack Connect channels with vendors and customers end when you leave. Free workspaces only allow one-to-one external messages, while Pro and above support groups. Invite partners to the new tool or agree an email fallback before you switch off Slack.

Questions and answers

Can I export private channels and direct messages from Slack?

Only on Business+ and Enterprise. Free and Pro workspaces can export messages and file links from public channels, and scheduled recurring exports are listed for Business+ alone.

What happens to message history on the free plan?

Slack keeps messages searchable for 90 days and deletes free-plan data after one year. Upgrading gives access to the previous twelve months of messages, and paid plans keep data for life by default.

Do the 50 percent Slack discounts continue after three months?

No, the discount covers the first three months, and standard pricing then applies to the rest of the plan and renewals. It is available for Pro or Business+ bought online within seven days of creating a team.

What happens to Slack Connect channels with partners?

They stop working when you leave Slack. On the free plan Slack Connect allows one-to-one external messages only, while Pro and above allow groups and dedicated channels with up to 250 organizations.

Which Slack alternatives have a free plan?

Pumble offers unlimited users and message history, Zulip Cloud 10,000 messages of search history, Zoho Cliq 10,000 messages, Chanty up to five members and Wire up to five people. Self-hosted options cost nothing in licenses.

Which Slack alternatives can I host on my own servers?

Zulip, Mattermost, Element, Rocket.Chat and Nextcloud Talk offer self-hosting, as do Wire (on-premises) and Threema Work (OnPrem). Licensing differs, from open source to quoted seat licenses.

Sources

Prices, plan limits and product facts about Slack on this page were checked against the vendors' own pages on October 8, 2026. Vendors change both without notice, so treat the figures as of that date.

Who wrote this

Sebastiaan Smits Sebastiaan Smits, Founder, wrote, edited and fact-checked this page. Founder of The Interregnum and of 2 Steps Ahead, an AI search visibility agency. Writes, edits and fact-checks every page here. Last reviewed October 8, 2026. How we review.