16 Best Team Chat & Messaging tools in 2026
Team chat software provides channel-based messaging, direct messages, and file sharing for coworkers, used by remote and office teams to coordinate daily work.
Top team chat & messaging
Ranked by alternatives mapped, then most recently verified
LaunchPass
Best for Creators charging a recurring fee for access to a private Discord server, Telegram group, or Slack workspace (e.g., stock-trading alert groups, podcaster communities, crypto/NFT groups)
Web
Free tier · paid from $29/mo
Mattermost
Best for regulated, government, or defense organizations that need self-hosted, air-gapped, or sovereign-cloud team chat with compliance controls a SaaS-only tool like Slack can't provide
Web · Windows · macOS · Linux · iOS · Android
RingCentral
Best for mid-size to large businesses replacing a legacy office phone system with a single platform for calling, video meetings, and team chat
Web · Windows · macOS · iOS · Android
From $20/mo
Microsoft Teams
Best for organizations already using Microsoft 365 that need chat, video meetings, and calling tightly integrated with Word, Excel, Outlook, and SharePoint, from small teams under 300 people up to large enterprises
Web · Windows · macOS · iOS · Android
Free tier · paid from $4/mo
Rocket.Chat
Best for regulated and security-conscious organizations (government, defense, healthcare, financial services) that need a self-hostable or air-gapped team chat platform, plus teams wanting a free, open-source Slack alternative
Web · Windows · macOS · Linux · iOS · Android
Slack
Best for teams that need organized, searchable chat with channels, quick huddles, and workflow automation, from small teams on the free tier up to large enterprises needing compliance controls
Web · Windows · macOS · Linux · iOS · Android
Free tier · paid from $8.75/mo
Twist
Best for distributed teams that want threaded, async-first communication instead of a real-time chat firehose like Slack
Web · Windows · macOS · Linux · iOS · Android
Free tier · paid from $6/mo
Zulip
Best for distributed and remote teams, open-source projects, and research groups who need many parallel conversations to stay organized without a flat, scrolling chat feed
Web · Windows · macOS · Linux · iOS · Android
Free tier · paid from $3.50/mo
8x8
Best for businesses that want their phone system and contact center on one cloud platform under a single negotiated contract
Web · Windows · macOS · iOS · Android
Custom pricing
Discord
Best for gaming and hobbyist communities that want an always-on voice hangout with unlimited free members, rather than a scheduled-meeting or formal workplace chat tool
Web · Windows · macOS · Linux · iOS · Android
Free tier · paid from $2.99/mo
Element
Best for government, defense, and enterprise organizations that need self-hosted, end-to-end encrypted chat with the option to federate across organizational boundaries
Web · Windows · macOS · Linux · iOS · Android
Free
GoTo Connect
Best for Small to multi-location businesses replacing an on-premise PBX with a cloud phone system that also needs built-in video meetings and call queues.
Web · Windows · macOS · iOS · Android
Custom pricing
Dialpad
Best for Distributed sales and support teams that want VoIP calling, video meetings, and AI-generated call transcripts/summaries in one app instead of stitching together a separate phone system, video tool, and call-recording add-on.
Web · Windows · macOS · iOS · Android
From $15/mo
Nextiva
Best for Small-to-mid-size businesses that want a single vendor for business phone lines, team messaging, video meetings, and a basic customer support/contact center in one subscription.
Web · Windows · macOS · iOS · Android
From $15/mo
Stoat
Best for running a gaming or hobby community server on an open-source Discord alternative without paying for perks like custom emoji or larger uploads
Web · Windows · macOS · Linux · Android
Free
Zoho Workplace
Best for Small and midsize teams that want business email, office documents, chat, and video meetings from a single vendor at a lower per-seat cost than Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
Web · Windows · macOS · iOS · Android
Pricing not verified
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best team chat & messaging tool right now?
- LaunchPass leads this list — we have mapped more alternatives to it than to anything else here — it is best for creators charging a recurring fee for access to a private discord server, telegram group, or slack workspace (e.g., stock-trading alert groups, podcaster communities, crypto/nft groups). Mattermost is the strongest runner-up.
Which team chat & messaging are free?
- 11 of the 16 tools here have a usable free tier or are fully free: LaunchPass, Mattermost, Microsoft Teams, Rocket.Chat, Slack and 6 more.
Are there open-source team chat & messaging?
- Yes — Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, Zulip, Element, Stoat are open source.