Best Mattermost alternatives in 2026

Looking for an alternative to Mattermost? Whether you've outgrown it, find the pricing steep, or just want to weigh your options, these are the strongest team chat alternatives in 2026 — ranked on pricing, features, and who each one fits best. Mattermost itself has a free tier, so we've flagged where each option is cheaper, simpler, or more specialized.

1
Microsoft Teams
Best for: enterprise
Chat and meetings inside Microsoft 365. A popular team chat alternative to Mattermost with a genuinely usable free tier — free – $4/user/mo. Particularly strong for enterprise.
4.3Free – $4/user/moVisit
2
Rocket.Chat
Best for: enterprise
If Mattermost feels like overkill or over-budget, Rocket.Chat is a leaner option with a genuinely usable free tier. Open-source communications platform. Pricing: free – $4/user/mo.
4.2Free – $4/user/moVisit
3
Slack
Best for: startups
Slack goes head-to-head with Mattermost on features with a genuinely usable free tier. The messaging app for teams. Best suited to startups. Free – $8.25/user/mo.
4.5Free – $8.25/user/moVisit
4
Discord
Best for: communities
A well-rated team chat pick. Chat, voice, and community. Discord offers a free plan and starts at free – $9.99/mo, making it a credible Mattermost replacement.
4.6Free – $9.99/moVisit
5
Zulip
Best for: open-source-projects
Topic-based team chat, open source. A popular team chat alternative to Mattermost with a genuinely usable free tier — free – $6.80/user/mo. Particularly strong for open-source-projects.
4.6Free – $6.80/user/moVisit
6
Telegram
Best for: communities
If Mattermost feels like overkill or over-budget, Telegram is a leaner option with a genuinely usable free tier. Fast, secure messaging. Pricing: free – $4.99/mo.
4.6Free – $4.99/moVisit
7
Pumble
Best for: smb
Pumble goes head-to-head with Mattermost on features with a genuinely usable free tier. Free team chat for unlimited users. Best suited to smb. Free – $2.50/user/mo.
4.5Free – $2.50/user/moVisit
8
GitLab CI/CD
Best for: devops-teams
A well-rated ci cd pick. CI/CD built into GitLab. GitLab CI/CD offers a free plan and starts at free – $29/user/mo, making it a credible Mattermost replacement.
4.4Free – $29/user/moVisit

Still considering Mattermost itself? Read our Mattermost review →

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Mattermost alternative?

Microsoft Teams is our top-rated Mattermost alternative for 2026. Chat and meetings inside Microsoft 365. Free – $4/user/mo.

Is there a free Mattermost alternative?

Yes — Microsoft Teams, Rocket.Chat, Slack all offer a free tier you can start on without a credit card.

Why switch from Mattermost?

Common reasons are price, a simpler feature set, better fit for a specific use case, or platform support. Each tool above notes where it has an edge over Mattermost.