Rocket.Chat AlternativesOnly Open Source apps categorised as Instant Messengers

The best open source Instant Messenger alternative to Rocket.Chat is Element. It's not free, so if you're looking for a free alternative, you could try Element or Matrix. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Rocket.Chat and many of them are open source Instant Messengers so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source Instant Messenger alternatives to Rocket.Chat are Zulip, Element X, Mirotalk and 0xchat.

filter to find the best alternatives

Rocket.Chat alternatives are mainly Instant Messengers, but if you're looking for Group Chat Apps or Video Calling Apps you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Self-Hosted and Self-Hosted + Open Source. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Rocket.Chat.
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Alternatives list

  1. Element icon

    Element

     783 likes

    Provides secure collaboration with end-to-end encryption, supporting chat, voice, and video calls. Available on all major platforms, it enables digital sovereignty with a decentralized design and interoperability through bridges to systems like Slack and Teams. Includes enterprise-grade SaaS.

    311 Element alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    • Snapcraft
    Video calls for desktop and mobile
     
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    1
    Element vs Rocket.Chat Comments
    James AI
    Positive
    1

    Yes its their main competitor, except for the omnichannel feature

    • Element is Free Personal and Open SourceRocket.Chat is Freemium and Open Source
    • Element is Privacy focused and LightweightRocket.Chat is not according to our users
  2. Matrix icon

    Matrix

     390 likes

    Open standard protocol enabling decentralized, encrypted instant messaging, VoIP signaling, IoT device connectivity, and persistent data management across federated servers without central control or single points of failure, bridging communication platforms.

    170 Matrix alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • WebRTC
    • Python
    • JavaScript
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • Cloudron
    • Java
    • Perl
    Main Page
     
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    1
    Matrix vs Rocket.Chat Comments
    Guest
    Negative
    6

    Matrix is "a set of open APIs", not team collaboration software.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Matrix is Free and Open SourceRocket.Chat is Freemium and Open Source
    • Matrix is Privacy focused, Security-focused and LightweightRocket.Chat is not according to our users
  4. Jitsi Meet icon

    Jitsi Meet

     287 likes

    Go ahead, video chat with the whole team. In fact, invite everyone you know. Jitsi Meet is a fully encrypted, 100% open source video conferencing solution that you can use all day, every day, for free.

    150 Jitsi Meet alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Apple Watch
    • F-Droid
    Jitsi Meet screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Jitsi Meet vs Rocket.Chat Comments
    luison
    Negative
    1

    Jitsi is a video chatting system not a team coms

    • Jitsi Meet is Free and Open SourceRocket.Chat is Freemium and Open Source
    • Jitsi Meet is Security-focused, Privacy focused and LightweightRocket.Chat is not according to our users
  5. Zulip icon

    Zulip

     267 likes

    Threaded group conversations combine live and asynchronous messaging, separating topics for organized collaboration, supporting open-source, cloud, and self-hosted deployments, secure communication with encryption, and multi-platform access for diverse teams.

    227 Zulip alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    Zulip screenshot 1
     
  9. 0xchat icon

    0xchat

     4 likes

    0xchat is a secure chat app built on the Nostr protocol. It prioritizes security, featuring private key login, encrypted private chats and contacts, encrypted group chats.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Mac
    • BSD
    0xchat screenshot 1
     
  10. nheko icon

    nheko

     5 likes

    Matrix-focused desktop chat client supporting secure end-to-end encrypted messaging, voice and video calling, file sharing, emoji, room and community management, multi-theme interface, presence/status, notifications, profiles, and plugin integration for Unix.

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    Chat
     
  11. Nerimity icon

    Nerimity

     11 likes

    Open-source chat platform providing community-focused group messaging, video calls, profile customization with animated avatars, custom emojis, tags, post creation, discovery of communities, and full source code access on GitHub. Entirely donation-funded.

    29 Nerimity alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Self-Hosted
    Profile Interface [PC - 2025]
     
  12. Keychat icon

    Keychat

     2 likes
    • Senders send messages stamped with Bitcoin ecash to Nostr relays. The Nostr relays collect the Bitcoin ecash, then deliver messages to receivers.

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    Keychat screenshot 1
     
  13. Ruqola icon

    Ruqola

     Like

    Ruqola is a client for Rocket.Chat.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • KDE Plasma
    • Flathub
    • Snapcraft
    • Flatpak
    Ruqola screenshot 1
     
  14. Databag icon

    Databag

     3 likes

    A tiny self-hosted federated messenger for the decentralized web.

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    Browser Screenshot
     
12 of 21 Rocket.Chat alternatives