The Best Slack AlternativesTop Group Chat Apps & Instant Messengers like Slack

Slack is described as 'Facilitates teams' real-time collaboration with versatile chat interface and advanced search in configurable channels across multiple platforms' and is a leading Group Chat app in the social & communications category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Slack for a variety of platforms, including Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac and Web-based apps. The best Slack alternative is Element, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Slack are Zulip, Mattermost, Discord and Rocket.Chat.

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Slack alternatives are mainly Instant Messengers but may also be Group Chat Apps or Team Collaboration Tools.  Other popular filters includes Self-Hosted + Open Source. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Slack.
Slack iconSlack
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Facilitates teams' real-time collaboration with versatile chat interface and advanced search in configurable channels across multiple platforms.

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Slack alternatives page was last updated Feb 6, 2025
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  1. Element icon
    Element icon

    Element

     704 likes
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    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.

    299 Element alternatives
    Video calls for desktop and mobile

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    Collaboration widgets
    Collaboration and screen sharing
    +1
    Connect with other apps

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  Decentralized
    3.  Federated
    4.  Team Collaboration
    5.  Encrypted Chat
    6.  Video Calling
    7.  Matrix Protocol
    8.  Voice Chat
    9.  Federation
    10.  Direct Messaging
    11.  Cloud Hosting
    12.  Simple installation
    Element iconSlack Icon

    Element VS Slack

    Is Element a good alternative to Slack?
     
    Comments about Element as an Alternative to Slack
     
       
    Comment summary: Element is praised for being free, open-source, and decentralized, with strong privacy due to its encryption and adherence to the Matrix protocol. It offers federated communication, interoperability, and allows end-to-end encrypted messaging, enhancing user security and flexibility. Users appreciate its ability to bridge into other networks and its performance in team communication.
    Tommi

    It is decentralized and it works with an open standard

    Top positive comment •Dec 5, 2021
    2
    Dserver Hosting

    this is a open source and free software that is very useful for me

    Positive comment •Dec 20, 2022
    1
    kaspian

    Encrypted, free, open-source, decentralized

    Positive comment •Sep 28, 2022
    0
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    3 of 12 comments
    Slack Icon
    Element icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Element is a great Slack alternative.

    • Element is the most popular Web-based, Windows, Android & Mac alternative to Slack.

    • Element is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Slack.

    • Element is Freemium and Open SourceSlack is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Element is Decentralized and Privacy focusedSlack is not according to our users
  2. Zulip icon
    Zulip icon

    Zulip

     203 likes
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    Zulip is the only modern team chat app that is designed for both live and asynchronous conversations. Zulip topics create a separate space for each discussion, so different conversations will never get in each other's way.

    228 Zulip alternatives
    Zulip screenshot 1

    License model

    • Free Personal • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    Zulip screenshot 1
    Zulip screenshot 2
    +4
    Zulip screenshot 3

    Top Zulip Features

    1.  Threaded Conversations
    2.  Team Collaboration
    3.  Support for Hotkeys
    4.  Community-based
    5.  Support for MarkDown
    6.  Syntax Highlighting
    7.  Chat Bot
    8.  Integrated File Sharing
    9.  Secure Chat
    10.  Third party integrations
    11. GitHub icon  GitHub Integration
    12.  Live topics
    Zulip iconSlack Icon

    Zulip VS Slack

    Is Zulip a good alternative to Slack?
     
    Comments about Zulip as an Alternative to Slack
     
       
    Comment summary: Zulip is praised for its open-source nature and unique threading model, which many users find superior to Slack's, especially for organizing and categorizing conversations through Streams and Topics. It's particularly beneficial in professional settings with diverse team discussions. Users appreciate its vibrant community and flexibility, offering both self-hosted options and better value plans compared to Slack. Despite not being fully open-source, Zulip provides a robust alternative.
    Paulo Coghi

    More than feature parity with Slack, it's better because of Streams and Topics. It offer the same free tier with 10.000 max messages and better paid plans to the hosted version, and also provide the open source self-hosted option to install it on your own server and also remove the max messages limits. 5 stars

    Top positive comment •Feb 6, 2020
    4
    Alex Hoyau

    Beware this is not free/libre software, not even fully open source, zulip is open core (like freemium is not fully free/gratis)

    Positive comment •Sep 11, 2024
    1
    Guest

    the threading model is the best i've used for keeping up with active communities, and the open-source community is excellent.

    Positive comment •Nov 25, 2020
    2
    Show more comments
    3 of 17 comments
    Slack Icon
    Zulip icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Zulip is a great Slack alternative.

    • Zulip is Free Personal and Open SourceSlack is Freemium and Proprietary
  4. Mattermost icon
    Mattermost icon

    Mattermost

     246 likes
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    Mattermost is a secure, open source platform for communication, collaboration, and workflow orchestration across tools and teams.

    124 Mattermost alternatives
    Mattermost screenshot 1

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • JavaScript
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • Cloudron
    Mattermost screenshot 1
    Mattermost screenshot 2
    +1
    Mattermost screenshot 3

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Team Collaboration
    2.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    3.  Chat Bot
    4.  On-premises software
    5.  Multi Channel
    6.  Full-Text Search
    7.  Built-in viewer
    8.  Dark Mode
    9.  Real time collaboration
    10.  Support for @mentions
    11.  Support for MarkDown
    12.  End-to-End Encryption
    Mattermost iconSlack Icon

    Mattermost VS Slack

    Is Mattermost a good alternative to Slack?
     
    Comments about Mattermost as an Alternative to Slack
     
       
    Comment summary: Mattermost offers similar functionality and interface to Slack while providing increased control over data, enhanced privacy, and greater customization options. Users appreciate its open-source nature and the ability to self-host, contributing to reduced cost and more flexibility. While it matches Slack's features, some users expressed a preference for Slack's design.
    shelehovchanin

    Same functionality. Same interface. At the same time, there are much fewer restrictions. IN my experience, the free version is great enough for a team of 100 people

    Top positive comment •Apr 4, 2019
    7
    Alex Hoyau

    Beware this is not free/libre software, not even fully open source, mattermost is open core (like freemium is not fully free/gratis)

    Top negative comment •Sep 11, 2024
    3
    Indiana Lake

    Same with more emphasis on privacy.

    Positive comment •Feb 27, 2023
    0
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    3 of 22 comments
    Slack Icon
    Mattermost icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Mattermost is a great Slack alternative.

    • Mattermost is Freemium and Open SourceSlack is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Mattermost is LightweightSlack is not according to our users
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Zenchat icon

    Zenchat

    Zenchat combines messaging and task management, letting users turn messages into tasks for streamlined collaboration. It supports task-related and topic-based chats while integrating with the Zenkit Suite. Features include SSO, S...

    https://zenkit.com
    Learn More
  6. Discord icon
    Discord icon

    Discord

     1064 likes
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    An integrated platform for text and voice communications. Offers tailored channels for different topics, customizable moderation tools, low latency for fluency, and managed user roles for optimal community facilitation.

    183 Discord alternatives
    Discord screenshot 1

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Epic Games Store
    • Flathub
    • Electron
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
    Discord screenshot 1
    Discord screenshot 2
    +7
    Discord screenshot 3

    Top Discord Features

    1.  Screen Sharing
    2.  VoiP Calls
    3.  Video Calling
    4.  Multi Channel
    5.  Text chat
    6.  Bots
    7.  Voice Chat
    8.  Multiple Servers
    9.  Push to talk
    10.  Text to Speech
    11.  Dark Mode
    12.  Two-factor Authentication
    Discord iconSlack Icon

    Discord VS Slack

    Is Discord a good alternative to Slack?
     
    Comments about Discord as an Alternative to Slack
     
       
    Comment summary: Discord is often seen as a more casual, gamer-friendly alternative to Slack, with features like voice support and lower setup complexity. While Discord lacks Slack's integration with external tools, such as GitHub and document editors, it is rebranding to appeal to enterprise users, suggesting potential for broader use. Discord excels in personal and community-oriented use cases, whereas Slack targets business productivity, offering features better suited for that environment.
    James Brown

    Very very similar in terms of use and features. Of course, discord is marketed as for gamers while slack is for teams but usage is almost identical.

    Top positive comment •Feb 14, 2020
    10
    thompsonmj

    Slack is a project productivity and communication enhancement tool with integrating with other collaborative tools like GitHub, document editors, storage, etc. Discord is for recreational chatting.

    Top negative comment •Aug 31, 2018
    9
    zetneteork

    Discord is a good choice for communities with various interests. There are nice options on how to sort topics into individual channels. I do not see Discord as a competitor of Slack in the business sector.

    Positive comment •Oct 27, 2022
    0
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    3 of 14 comments
    Slack Icon
    Discord icon

    • Most users think Discord is a great Slack alternative.

    • Discord is Freemium and ProprietarySlack is also Freemium and Proprietary
  7. Rocket.Chat icon
    Rocket.Chat icon

    Rocket.Chat

     153 likes
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    Rocket.Chat is a Web Chat Server, developed in JavaScript, using the Meteor fullstack framework.

    137 Rocket.Chat alternatives
    Rocket.Chat screenshot 1

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Cloudron
    Rocket.Chat screenshot 1
    Rocket.Chat screenshot 2
    +5
    Rocket.Chat screenshot 3

    Top Rocket.Chat Features

    1.  Omnichannel messaging
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Channels
    4.  Self-Serve Capability
    5. Telegram icon  Telegram integration
    6. WhatsApp icon  Whatsapp integration
    7.  End-to-End Encryption
    8.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    9.  Screen Sharing
    10.  Bots
    11.  Integrated File Sharing
    12.  Video Conferencing
    Rocket.Chat iconSlack Icon

    Rocket.Chat VS Slack

    Is Rocket.Chat a good alternative to Slack?
     
    Comments about Rocket.Chat as an Alternative to Slack
     
    John Fastman

    Does everything Slack does AND it's open source. However, it's also self-hosted. This means you have to put in the effort to set it up, but you control your own data, which is a huge advantage to your privacy - your chats and files don't sit on someone else's servers, ready for them or hackers to look at.

    Positive comment •Dec 26, 2016
    10
    Guest

    Rocket.Chat comes very close to slack regarding it's core features and handling.

    Positive comment •Jun 17, 2018
    7
    Guest

    open source, locally hosted so you own your data.

    Positive comment •Nov 29, 2018
    2
    Slack Icon
    Rocket.Chat icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Rocket.Chat is a great Slack alternative.

    • Rocket.Chat is Freemium and Open SourceSlack is Freemium and Proprietary
  8. Matrix icon
    Matrix icon

    Matrix

     349 likes
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    Matrix defines a set of open APIs for decentralised communication, suitable for securely publishing, persisting and subscribing to data over a global open federation of servers with no single point of control.

    160 Matrix alternatives
    Main Page

    License model

    • 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

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Decentralized
    2.  End-to-End Encryption
    3.  Federation
    4.  Team Collaboration
    5.  Distributed
    6.  Spaces
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  No Tracking
    9.  VoiP Calls
    10.  Dark Mode
    11.  Multiple Account support
    12.  Support for @mentions
    Matrix iconSlack Icon

    Matrix VS Slack

    Is Matrix a good alternative to Slack?
     
    Comments about Matrix as an Alternative to Slack
     
       
    Guest

    Respects your Freedom. Increasingly popular

    Top positive comment •Nov 3, 2017
    3
    somegirlfromit

    Matrix is a protocol, not a client.

    Top negative comment •Sep 15, 2019
    19
    Vladimir Studinsky

    Open source, fecentralized, federation, chat-voice-video function.

    Positive comment •Oct 28, 2017
    1
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    3 of 7 comments
    Slack Icon
    Matrix icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Matrix is a great Slack alternative.

    • Matrix is Free and Open SourceSlack is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Matrix is Decentralized, Privacy focused and LightweightSlack is not according to our users
  10. Wire icon
    Wire icon

    Wire

     306 likes
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    Wire is the most secure collaboration platform featuring messenger, voice, video, conference calls, file-sharing, and external collaboration –all protected by the most secure end-to-end-encryption.

    279 Wire alternatives
    Wire screenshot 1
    Wire screenshot 2
    +2
    Wire screenshot 3

    License model

    • Free Personal • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)

    Properties

    1.  Security-focused
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  Video Calling
    3.  Encrypted Chat
    4.  VoiP Calls
    5.  Encrypted calls
    6.  Screen Sharing
    7.  Multiple Account support
    8.  WebRTC
    9.  Secure File Sharing
    10.  Voice Chat
    11.  Voice messages
    Wire iconSlack Icon

    Wire VS Slack

    Is Wire a good alternative to Slack?
     

    • Most users think Wire is a great Slack alternative.

    • Wire is the most popular SaaS alternative to Slack.

    • Wire is Free Personal and Open SourceSlack is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Wire is Security-focused and Privacy focusedSlack is not according to our users
7 of 214 Slack alternatives