Slack AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Instant Messengers

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

filter to find the best alternatives

Slack alternatives are mainly Instant Messengers, but if you're looking for Group Chat Apps or Team Collaboration Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source, Self-Hosted, Self-Hosted + Open Source and Free. 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 Slack.
More about Slack
Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
Slack alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. Element icon

    Element

     766 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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.

    301 Element alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Open Source

    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
     
    |
    13
    102
    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.
    Top Positive Comment
    brinerustle
    6

    because its open source, decentralised, and end-to-end secure. Plus the folks at matrix.org are working to get us out of our communication silos by creating standards for communication interoperability!

    Top Negative Comment
    davaga6837
    1

    Element is way too buggy and slow. It's actually totally free unlike the description which says it's not free. But, free isn't enough when the software is just buggy and slow.

    Dserver Hosting
    Positive
    1

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

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Show more comments
    3 of 13 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 Free Personal and Open SourceSlack is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Element is Privacy focused and LightweightSlack is not according to our users
  2. Zulip icon

    Zulip

     263 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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.

    221 Zulip alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    Zulip screenshot 1
     
    |
    75
    213
    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.
    Top Positive Comment
    Paulo Coghi
    10

    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

    Jump5231
    Positive
    0

    Excellent organization of topics and sub topics, great phone and desktop app, and web interface, new features and incredible support

    bast
    Positive
    0

    Zulip found the right balance to facilitate asynchronous communication and collaboration. It allows me to participate in several conversation topics without getting overwhelmed and without missing relevant messages. It allows more control over the data and it gives users more control to find their preferred communication and notification setup. It allows me to be away from the chat for 1-2 weeks and still catch up on all relevant discussion threads.

    Show more comments
    3 of 75 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
    • Zulip is Privacy focusedSlack is not according to our users
  4. Mattermost icon

    Mattermost

     253 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

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

    131 Mattermost alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Subscription
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • JavaScript
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • Cloudron
    Mattermost screenshot 1
     
    |
    22
    186
    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.
    Top Positive Comment
    shelehovchanin
    6

    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 Negative Comment
    Alex Hoyau
    6

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

    Indiana Lake
    Positive
    0

    Same with more emphasis on privacy.

    Show more comments
    3 of 22 comments
    Slack Icon
    Mattermost icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Mattermost is a great Slack alternative.

    • Mattermost is the most popular SaaS alternative to Slack.

    • Mattermost is the most popular commercial alternative to Slack.

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

    Zoho Cliq simplifies your team communication with organized conversations, information that's easy to find and by connecting to the tools you love. Transform ideas into reality with your team. With channels, your team communi...

    https://www.zoho.com
    Learn More
  6. Rocket.Chat icon

    Rocket.Chat

     160 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

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

    142 Rocket.Chat alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Cloudron
    Rocket.Chat screenshot 1
     
    |
    3
    81
    Comments about Rocket.Chat as an Alternative to Slack
    John Fastman
    Positive
    10

    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.

    Guest
    Positive
    7

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

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    2

    open source, locally hosted so you own your data.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    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
  7. Discord icon

    Discord

     1105 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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.

    191 Discord alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Epic Games Store
    • Flathub
    • Electron
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
    Desktop UI
     
    |
    15
    138
    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.
    Top Positive Comment
    James Brown
    10

    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 Negative Comment
    thompsonmj
    10

    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.

    KazimirPodolski
    Negative
    1

    Slack is a work tool, Discord is common chatting and communities.

    Show more comments
    3 of 15 comments
    Slack Icon
    Discord icon

    • Most users think Discord is a great Slack alternative.

    • Discord is Freemium and ProprietarySlack is also Freemium and Proprietary
  8. Matrix icon

    Matrix

     380 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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.

    165 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
     
    |
    7
    50
    Comments about Matrix as an Alternative to Slack
    Top Positive Comment
    Vladimir Studinsky
    2

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

    Top Negative Comment
    somegirlfromit
    18

    Matrix is a protocol, not a client.

    Guest
    Positive
    4

    Respects your Freedom. Increasingly popular

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Show more comments
    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 Privacy focused, Security-focused and LightweightSlack is not according to our users
  10. Wire icon

    Wire

     311 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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.

    282 Wire alternatives

    Cost / License

    • 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)
    • Flathub
    • Snapcraft
    Wire screenshot 1
    Wire screenshot 2
    Wire screenshot 3
     
    |
    26
  11. Stoat Chat icon

    Stoat Chat

     108 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Stoat (previously Revolt) is a chat platform that puts users first. With text & voice channels, video calling, screen sharing, permissions, mod tools, bots & more. Join any community or build one just the way you like it. It also respects your privacy.

    46 Stoat Chat alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Rust
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • GitHub
    User settings page, on "Appearance" tab
     
  12. Threema icon

    Threema

     135 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Threema is a new mobile messaging app that puts security first. With true end-to-end encryption, you can rest assured that only you and the intended recipient can read your messages.

    121 Threema alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • iPad
    • F-Droid
    • Flathub
    Threema screenshot 1
    Threema screenshot 2
    Threema screenshot 3
     
  14. Zorium icon

    Zorium

     20 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    The next generation communication platform designed for gamers and academics alike. Experience seamless collaboration like never before.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    Zorium screenshot 1
     
12 of 54 Slack alternatives