The Best Mattermost Alternative: Top Communication Platforms for Your Team
Mattermost is a popular open-source, self-hosted Slack alternative, designed to centralize team communication with a focus on privacy and control. While it offers robust features like Slack-compatibility, mobile and desktop apps, and easy deployment, it might not be the perfect fit for every team. Whether you're seeking different pricing models, specific integrations, or a simpler user experience, exploring a Mattermost alternative can open up new possibilities for efficient team collaboration.
Top Mattermost Alternatives
Finding the right communication tool is crucial for team productivity. Here's a curated list of top Mattermost alternatives, each offering unique strengths for various team needs.
Discord
Discord is an all-in-one voice, video, and text chat platform, originally designed for gamers but widely adopted by various communities and teams. It's a Freemium service available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iOS. Discord stands out with its excellent voice chat quality, screen sharing, and robust bot integration, making it a compelling Mattermost alternative for teams prioritizing real-time audio and video communication.
Slack
Slack is a widely recognized real-time messaging, archiving, and search platform for modern teams. As a popular Mattermost alternative, Slack offers extensive integrations, excellent search capabilities, and a user-friendly interface. It operates on a Freemium model and is available across Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS, providing comprehensive team collaboration features including group chat, video calling, and a vast ecosystem of apps.
Riot.im
Riot.im, now known as Element, is a free and open-source instant messaging and collaboration software built on the Matrix protocol. This makes it an excellent open-source Mattermost alternative for those prioritizing decentralization and end-to-end encryption. Available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iOS, Riot.im offers secure group chat, video calling, and federated communication, ensuring privacy-focused team collaboration.
Jitsi
Jitsi is a free and open-source audio/video and chat communicator renowned for its full encryption and support for various protocols like SIP and XMPP. As a strong Mattermost alternative, particularly for video conferencing, Jitsi offers features like desktop sharing, group chat, and no login or installation requirements for browser-based calls. It's available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iOS, emphasizing privacy and ease of use.
Matrix.org
Matrix.org defines open APIs for decentralized communication, focusing on secure, persistent, and federated data over a global network. As the underlying protocol for Riot.im, Matrix.org is a powerful open-source Mattermost alternative for teams seeking ultimate control and privacy. It supports end-to-end encryption, real-time collaboration, and is available for various platforms including Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iOS, enabling custom communication solutions.
Zulip
Zulip is a unique group chat app that organizes messages by topic into threaded conversations, significantly improving long-running discussions. Available as Free Personal, Freemium, and Open Source, Zulip runs on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iOS, and can be self-hosted. Its threaded conversation model makes it a distinct Mattermost alternative for teams overwhelmed by linear chat streams, offering a more organized approach to team collaboration with integrated file sharing and Markdown support.
Rocket.Chat
Rocket.Chat is a free and open-source web chat server built with JavaScript, offering a robust suite of communication tools. As a direct Mattermost alternative, Rocket.Chat allows self-hosting, providing complete control over data. It's available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Cloudron, and boasts features like group chat, live chat, video conferencing, integrated file sharing, and Slack integration, making it highly customizable for diverse team needs.
Viber
Viber is a popular mobile application for free phone calls and text messages, now also available on desktop. While primarily a consumer-oriented app, its robust group chat, video calling, and voice call features make it a viable Mattermost alternative for small teams or those already familiar with the platform. It's a Freemium service available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS, offering features like hidden chats and animated stickers for more casual communication.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a comprehensive team collaboration software from Microsoft, deeply integrated with the Microsoft Office 365 ecosystem. As a Freemium Mattermost alternative, it's widely used by businesses and offers chat, voice & video communications, shared calendars, and integrations with Planner, SharePoint, and Trello. Available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS, Teams is ideal for organizations heavily invested in Microsoft's suite of products.
Gitter
Gitter is a free and open-source chat and collaboration tool specifically tailored for developers and users, providing unlimited public chat rooms. It's a cross-platform Mattermost alternative available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iOS, focusing on real-time collaboration within developer communities. Gitter's integration with GitHub and focus on public communities makes it a unique choice for open-source projects and developer teams.
Each of these Mattermost alternatives brings its own strengths to the table, from open-source flexibility to deep enterprise integrations. Consider your team's specific communication needs, budget, and desired level of control to find the best fit for your collaborative ecosystem.