Best Team Collaboration Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Google Chat is ranked #1 of 24 as of 3 October 2026, ahead of Microsoft Teams and Chanty. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Microsoft Teams. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Chanty at $0.25/mo.
When your group needs a shared space to communicate and coordinate, compare the practical details of access, record-keeping, and connected tools. Admin controls, guest access, and message history can matter for managing conversations across a team, while app integrations and file storage help show how work connects. Mobile apps, free-plan availability, and paid-from pricing offer further points to weigh. The first entries are Google Chat, Microsoft Teams, and Chanty, followed by Element and Flock. Lark, Mattermost, and Notion are also near the start of the ranking. Match the listed access and collaboration features to how your team works with colleagues and guests.
24 team collaboration software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | App | Score | From | Free plan | Paid from | Guest access | Message history | File storage | App integrations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Google Chat | 6.8 | $7/mo | Yes | 7 /user/mo | Yes | — | — | — | View |
| 2 |  Microsoft Teams | 6.8 | $0.33/mo | Yes | — | Yes | unlimited | — | — | View |
| 3 | Chanty | 6.7 | $0.25/mo | Yes | 3 /user/mo | Yes | unlimited | — | — | View |
| 4 | Element | 6.7 | — | Yes | — | Yes | unlimited | — | — | View |
| 5 | Flock | 6.7 | — | Yes | 4.5 /user/mo | Yes | limited | — | — | View |
| 6 | Lark | 6.7 | — | Yes | — | — | limited | — | — | View |
| 7 | Mattermost | 6.7 | — | Yes | — | Yes | unlimited | — | — | View |
| 8 | Notion | 6.7 | $10/mo | Yes | 10 /user/mo | — | — | — | — | View |
| 9 | Pumble | 6.7 | $2.49/mo | Yes | 2.49 /user/mo | Yes | unlimited | — | — | View |
| 10 | Rocket.Chat | 6.7 | Free | Yes | — | Yes | unlimited | — | — | View |
| 11 |  Slack | 6.7 | $8.75/mo | Yes | 7.25 /user/mo | Yes | limited | — | — | View |
| 12 | Wire | 6.7 | €7.45/mo | Yes | — | Yes | — | — | — | View |
| 13 | Zoho Cliq | 6.7 | Free | Yes | — | Yes | unlimited | — | — | View |
| 14 | Zulip | 6.7 | $3.50/mo | Yes | 3.5 /user/mo | Yes | limited | — | — | View |
| 15 | Basecamp | 6.6 | $25/mo | Yes | — | Yes | — | — | — | View |
| 16 | Confluence | 6.6 | $5.42/mo | Yes | 5.42 /user/mo | — | — | — | — | View |
| 17 | Twist | 6.6 | $6/mo | Yes | 6 /user/mo | Yes | limited | — | — | View |
| 18 | HumHub | 6.5 | — | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 19 |  Nextcloud Talk | 5.6 | €5.94/mo | — | — | Yes | — | — | — | View |
| 20 | Brosix | 5.3 | $8/mo | No | 6 /user/mo | Yes | limited | — | — | View |
| 21 | Slite | 5.3 | $0.83/mo | No | 10 /user/mo | — | — | — | — | View |
| 22 | eXo Platform | 5.1 | $8/mo | No | 8 /user/mo | — | — | — | — | View |
| 23 | Workvivo | 5.0 | — | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 24 | Quip | 4.9 | $10/mo | No | 10 /user/mo | Yes | — | — | — | View |
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 collaboration software is ranked first on Freedom251?
Google Chat is ranked #1 of 24 with a score of 6.8. Microsoft Teams is second and Chanty third.
How many of these have a free plan?
14 of the 24 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.