Slack AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Instant Messengers

The best Instant Messenger alternative to Slack is Element, which is both free and Open Source. 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 Zulip, Mattermost, Discord and Rocket.Chat.

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Slack alternatives are mainly Instant Messengers but may also be Group Chat Apps or Video Calling Apps. Other popular filters include 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
  851
  • ...

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 Mar 21, 2025
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Alternatives
  1. Element icon

    Element

     711 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.

    303 Element alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    Video calls for desktop and mobile

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Clean design

    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.  Direct Messaging
    10.  Federation
    11.  Cloud Hosting
    12.  Cross-Platform

    Element VS 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.
    Top Positive Comment
    Tommi
    Dec 5, 2021
    2

    It is decentralized and it works with an open standard

    Most Recent Comment
    Dserver Hosting
    Positive •Dec 20, 2022
    1

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

    kaspian
    Positive •Sep 28, 2022
    0

    Encrypted, free, open-source, decentralized

    Show more comments
    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

     204 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.

    230 Zulip alternatives

    License model

    • Free Personal • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

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

    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.  Secure Chat
    9.  Third party integrations
    10.  Integrated File Sharing
    11. GitHub icon  GitHub Integration
    12.  Integrated Search

    Zulip VS 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.
    Top Positive Comment
    Paulo Coghi
    Feb 6, 2020
    4

    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

    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Positive •Mar 21, 2025
    0

    Selfhosted, easy and the best ui compared to all the alternatives.

    Alex Hoyau
    Positive •Sep 11, 2024
    1

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

    Show more comments
    3 of 18 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

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

    125 Mattermost alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

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

    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 VS 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.
    Top Positive Comment
    shelehovchanin
    Apr 4, 2019
    7

    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
    Sep 11, 2024
    3

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

    Most Recent Comment
    Indiana Lake
    Positive •Feb 27, 2023
    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 Freemium and Open SourceSlack is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Mattermost is LightweightSlack is not according to our users
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Infomaniak kChat icon
    Infomaniak kChat

    kChat is a secure instant messaging for businesses, which makes it possible to discuss matters live and organise projects.

    https://www.infomaniak.com
    Learn More
  6. Discord icon

    Discord

     1073 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.

    185 Discord alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

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

    Properties

    1.  Gaming-focused

    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.  Two-factor Authentication
    12.  Dark Mode

    Discord VS 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.
    Top Positive Comment
    James Brown
    Feb 14, 2020
    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
    Aug 31, 2018
    9

    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.

    Most Recent Comment
    zetneteork
    Positive •Oct 27, 2022
    0

    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.

    Show more comments
    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

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

    137 Rocket.Chat alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

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

    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.  Screen Sharing
    9.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    10.  Bots
    11.  Integrated File Sharing
    12.  Video Conferencing

    Rocket.Chat VS Slack

     
    Comments about Rocket.Chat as an Alternative to Slack
    Most Recent Comment
    John Fastman
    Positive •Dec 26, 2016
    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 •Jun 17, 2018
    7

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

    Guest
    Positive •Nov 29, 2018
    2

    open source, locally hosted so you own your data.

    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

     353 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.

    162 Matrix alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • WebRTC
    • Python
    • JavaScript
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • Cloudron
    • Java
    • Perl
    Main Page

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Support for Themes
    4.  Security-focused

    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 VS Slack

     
    Comments about Matrix as an Alternative to Slack
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    Nov 3, 2017
    3

    Respects your Freedom. Increasingly popular

    Top Negative Comment
    somegirlfromit
    Sep 15, 2019
    19

    Matrix is a protocol, not a client.

    Most Recent Comment
    Vladimir Studinsky
    Positive •Oct 28, 2017
    1

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

    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 Decentralized, Privacy focused and LightweightSlack is not according to our users
  10. Wire icon

    Wire

     307 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.

    281 Wire alternatives

    License model

    • Free Personal • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Wire screenshot 1
    Wire screenshot 2
    Wire screenshot 3

    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 VS 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 54 Slack alternatives