The best team chat app depends on the tools you already use. Slack suits teams that want the most integrations, Microsoft Teams suits Microsoft 365 businesses, Google Chat suits Google Workspace teams, Zoom Team Chat suits teams that live in Zoom, Discord suits community-style teams, Mattermost and Rocket.Chat suit businesses that want to self-host, and Chanty and Pumble suit small teams that want something simple.
Team chat replaced a lot of internal email, and for good reason. Quick questions get quick answers, projects get their own channels and nobody has to reply-all to a thread of forty messages. The right app keeps your team connected without drowning everyone in notifications.
The apps below are well known and widely used. Some are part of bigger office suites and others are standalone tools. I've focused on what each one is known for, so shortlist two and run a real project in each before you move the whole team.
What should you look for in a team chat app?
- Channels and threads. Organise conversations by team, project or client, and keep replies tidy.
- Search. You'll need to find that file or decision from three months ago.
- Calls and video. Quick voice or video calls save switching to another tool.
- Integrations. Alerts from your project, sales and support tools belong in your chat.
- Guests. Check how you can bring in clients and freelancers safely.
- Notification controls. Good settings protect everyone's focus.
Team chat apps compared
| Tool | Best for | Stand-out feature |
|---|---|---|
| Slack | Teams that rely on lots of apps | Huge integration library |
| Microsoft Teams | Microsoft 365 businesses | Chat, meetings and files together |
| Google Chat | Google Workspace teams | Spaces linked to Gmail and Drive |
| Zoom Team Chat | Teams that live in Zoom | Chat inside Zoom Workplace |
| Discord | Community-style teams | Always-on voice channels |
| Mattermost | Security-focused teams | Open source and self-hostable |
| Rocket.Chat | Self-hosted chat | Open source with customer chat options |
| Chanty | Small teams | Chat with a built-in task board |
| Pumble | Small teams wanting simple chat | Straightforward Slack-style chat |
Plans and features change often, so check each vendor's current plans before you commit.
The best team chat apps
1. Slack
Slack made channel-based team chat popular. Conversations are organised into channels, with threads, huddles for quick calls, Slack Connect for working with other companies and a huge library of app integrations.
Who it suits: teams that use lots of different apps and want them all feeding into one place.
What stands out: integrations. Almost every business tool can post updates into Slack.
Watch out for: it's easy to create too many channels, so agree some simple rules early.
2. Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams combines chat, meetings, calls and file sharing, and it's included in many Microsoft 365 plans. Files live in SharePoint and OneDrive behind the scenes.
Who it suits: businesses that already run on Microsoft 365.
What stands out: everything in one place. Chat, meetings and Office documents sit together.
Watch out for: it does a lot, so new users can find it busy. A little training goes a long way.
3. Google Chat
Google Chat is the team messaging app in Google Workspace. Spaces hold group conversations, and it works alongside Gmail, Google Meet and Drive.
Who it suits: teams that already work in Google Workspace.
What stands out: convenience. It's right there in Gmail, with files from Drive a click away.
Watch out for: its third-party integrations are fewer than Slack's, so check the apps you rely on.
4. Zoom Team Chat
Zoom Team Chat is the messaging part of Zoom Workplace. It brings chat, channels and file sharing into the same app you use for Zoom meetings.
Who it suits: teams that already use Zoom for most of their calls.
What stands out: the link between chat and meetings. Moving from a message to a call takes one click.
Watch out for: if you're not using Zoom for meetings, a standalone chat app may suit you better.
5. Discord
Discord started with gaming communities and is now used by all kinds of groups. It's known for always-on voice channels, where people drop in and out like a shared office.
Who it suits: small, informal teams and businesses that run a community alongside their team.
What stands out: voice channels. They recreate the feel of working in the same room.
Watch out for: it's not built around business admin features, so check guest access and controls first.
6. Mattermost
Mattermost is an open source team chat platform that you can self-host or use in the cloud. It's popular with technical, government and security-focused teams.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Who it suits: businesses that need control over where their messages are stored.
What stands out: control. Self-hosting keeps your conversations on your own servers.
Watch out for: self-hosting means someone has to manage updates and security.
7. Rocket.Chat
Rocket.Chat is an open source chat platform you can self-host. Alongside team chat it offers options for customer conversations across channels.
Who it suits: businesses that want self-hosted chat and may also want customer messaging in one place.
What stands out: flexibility. It can be customised heavily to fit your setup.
Watch out for: like Mattermost, self-hosting needs technical help to run well.
8. Chanty
Chanty is a simple team chat app with a built-in task board, so you can turn messages into tasks and manage them in a Kanban view.
Who it suits: small teams that want chat and light task management together.
What stands out: the task board, which means fewer tools for a small team.
Watch out for: its integration library is smaller than Slack's.
9. Pumble
Pumble is a straightforward team chat app from the company behind Clockify. It offers channels, direct messages, threads and calls in a familiar Slack-style layout.
Who it suits: small teams that want simple, familiar team chat.
What stands out: simplicity. It's easy to set up and easy for everyone to understand.
Watch out for: it's newer than the big names, so check it has the integrations you need.
How to choose the right team chat app
Look at your office suite first. If you're on Microsoft 365, Teams is probably already included. If you're on Google Workspace, Google Chat is right there. For many small businesses that's the sensible choice.
Choose Slack when you rely on lots of different apps or work closely with other companies. Choose Mattermost or Rocket.Chat if you need to self-host. And whichever app you pick, agree a few house rules on channels and notifications, so chat helps your team focus rather than pulling them away.
For more on working together, read my remote team communication tips and tools and my guide to collaboration tools for teams. If you like a good growth story, Slack's marketing strategy is worth a read.
Building a tool in this space? Here's how tools get considered for my roundups.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best team chat app?
Slack is the best known and has the most integrations. Microsoft Teams suits Microsoft 365 businesses and Google Chat suits Google Workspace teams.
What's the difference between Slack and Microsoft Teams?
Slack focuses on chat and integrations with thousands of apps. Teams combines chat, meetings and Office files and is included in many Microsoft 365 plans.
Can I bring clients into team chat?
Yes. Most apps support guests, and Slack Connect lets two companies share channels. Check permissions so clients only see what they should.
Is there a self-hosted alternative to Slack?
Yes. Mattermost and Rocket.Chat are open source team chat apps that you can run on your own servers.
