Best Team Chat Apps in 2026
Updated
In short: Microsoft Teams is ranked #1 of 64 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Slack and Zoho Cliq. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Slack. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Chanty at $0.25/mo.
Team chat apps give colleagues a shared way to discuss work, whether conversations are organized around channels or involve guests and connected tools. Compared on channels, guest access, integrations and maximum members, these entries also specify message history and supported platforms. Check which options accommodate the devices your team uses, and whether the listed history and access details suit its communication needs. Free plan availability and paid-from pricing can help you compare costs. Microsoft Teams, Slack and Zoho Cliq are among the apps to consider alongside Rocket.Chat, Lark and Zulip.
64 team chat apps ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
21 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft TeamsWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $0.33/mo | 8.4 | |
| 2 | SlackWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $8.75/mo | 8.3 | |
| 3 | Zoho CliqWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.3 | |
| 4 | Rocket.ChatWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.2 | |
| 5 | LarkWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.2 | |
| 6 | ZulipWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $3.50/mo | 8.1 | |
| 7 | DiscordWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $2.50/mo | 8.1 | |
| 8 | WireWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | €7.45/mo | 8.0 | |
| 9 | PumbleWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $2.49/mo | 7.9 | |
| 10 | ChantyWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $0.25/mo | 7.9 | |
| 11 | TwistWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $6/mo | 7.8 | |
| 12 | Troop MessengerWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $2.50/mo | 7.8 | |
| 13 | TrillianWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $3.99/mo | 7.7 | |
| 14 | LINE WORKSWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 7.6 | |
| 15 | ChatworkWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 7.5 | |
| 16 | WhallerWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | €3/mo | 7.5 | |
| 17 | DingTalkWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 7.3 | |
| 18 | JANDIWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 7.3 | |
| 19 | RyverWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 7.3 | |
| 20 | MattermostWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 7.2 |
| 21 | FlockWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Extension | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 7.1 |
| 22 | FluxerWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 7.1 | |
| 23 | Output MessengerWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $0.75/mo | 7.1 | |
| 24 | Nextcloud TalkWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | €5.94/mo | 7.0 |
| 25 | ElementWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 7.0 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which team chat app is ranked first on Freedom251?
Microsoft Teams is ranked #1 of 64 with a score of 8.4. Slack is second and Zoho Cliq third.
How many of these have a free plan?
21 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Chanty has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.25/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.