Microsoft Teams Alternatives (2026): 10 Chat and Meeting Apps

Microsoft Teams combines chat, meetings and file sharing, and it comes bundled with plenty of Microsoft 365 plans. For a lot of businesses that's convenient. But it isn't the right fit for every team. Some people find it busy, some don't use Microsoft's other apps, and some want a tool they can host themselves or a simpler way to run video calls.

This page lists ten Microsoft Teams alternatives in no particular order, sorted alphabetically. They cover team chat apps, open source options and video meeting tools. Everything here comes from each tool's own website. If you want to see how Microsoft's own apps fit together first, my guide to Microsoft 365 tools for small business productivity is a good starting point.

Chat and meeting apps compared against Microsoft Teams

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site describes a permanent free plan, free edition or free tier. Free plans usually limit things such as message history, meeting length or the number of people, so read the current details before you move your team across.

Tool	Type of app	Good for	Free plan
Chanty	Team chat app	Simple chat for very small teams	Yes
Google Chat	Workspace messaging	Chat for teams already using Google apps	Yes
Mattermost	Open source team chat	Self-hosted messaging with channels	Yes
Rocket.Chat	Open source team chat	Self-hosted chat with data control	Yes
Slack	Channel-based messenger	Busy teams with lots of app connections	Yes
Twist	Threaded team messaging	Calm, asynchronous conversations	Yes
Whereby	Browser video meetings	Instant meetings from one room link	Yes
Zoho Cliq	Team chat and meetings	Teams already using other Zoho apps	Yes
Zoom	Meetings and team chat	Video meetings with chat alongside	Yes
Zulip	Threaded team chat	Organised topic-based conversations	Yes

Ten team chat and meeting apps, A to Z

Chanty

Best for: Tiny teams who want an easy chat app with searchable history, with a free plan that covers up to five people.

Google Chat

Best for: Teams who live in Gmail, Calendar and Drive and want messaging and spaces built into the tools they already open.

Mattermost

Best for: Technical teams who want to run their own chat server with channels and integrations, using the free edition.

Rocket.Chat

Best for: Organisations that want to keep conversations on their own servers, with free Starter and Community options.

Slack

Best for: Teams who like organised channels and a huge range of app connections, starting on a free plan with limits.

Twist

Best for: Remote or part-time teams who'd rather have organised threads than a constant stream of quick chat messages.

Whereby

Best for: Consultants and small teams who want clients to join a video call from a link, with no app to install.

Zoho Cliq

Best for: Small teams who want chat, channels and built-in meetings, particularly if they use other Zoho business apps.

Zoom

Best for: Teams who spend much of the day on calls and want chat, calendar and meetings inside one familiar app.

Zulip

Best for: Teams who want chat sorted by topic so long conversations stay readable, with hosted and self-hosted options.

Questions to ask about team chat before you leave Microsoft Teams

Work out which part of Microsoft Teams your people use most. For some teams it's the chat. For others it's the video calls, or the shared files. A replacement that is brilliant at one of these may be average at another, so be clear about your own priorities.

• Chat structure. Do you want fast channels, tidy threads, or both? This changes how the whole team feels about the tool.
• Meetings. Check how many people can join, how long a call can run on the plan you'd use, and whether guests need an account.
• Guests and clients. If you talk to people outside your company, see how easily they can be invited in.
• File sharing. Look at where files are kept and whether they link neatly with the documents you already use.
• Message history. Some free plans limit how far back you can search, which matters if you rely on old decisions.
• Notifications. Good controls stop a chat tool from becoming a source of constant interruptions.

Which style of team chat or meeting app fits your business

• Channel-based chat apps suit teams who like a lively, organised home for everyday conversation.
• Threaded and async tools suit remote teams across time zones, where nobody should have to reply instantly.
• Open source, self-hosted chat suits organisations with a technical person who needs full control over where messages are kept.
• Video-first tools suit consultants, tutors and agencies who mainly talk to clients on calls.
• Suite-based messaging suits teams who already work inside one set of apps and want chat to sit alongside them.

Chat is only one slice of team software. My roundup of collaboration tools for teams covers the wider picture, and what makes a good collaboration tool for remote teams helps if your people work from different places.

Moving your team chat out of Microsoft Teams

1. Decide which channels and groups you really need and leave the rest behind.
2. Pick one small team to try the new tool first, rather than moving everyone in one go.
3. Agree a few simple rules, such as when to use a channel, when to use a direct message and when to hold a call.
4. Connect the calendar and the tools people use every day so the new app feels useful straight away.
5. Run both side by side for a short spell, then tell the team clearly when the old one is going away.
6. Keep a copy of anything important, such as shared files and key decisions, before you close the old channels.

Team chat mistakes to dodge when replacing Microsoft Teams

• Picking a tool because one person loves it, without asking the rest of the team.
• Ignoring the free plan limits until the history search stops working.
• Moving every old chat across, including conversations nobody will ever read again.
• Forgetting that video meetings and chat may live in different tools, which means two logins.
• Setting up dozens of channels on day one, then watching the team stop using any of them.

It also helps to agree how the team will use whatever you pick. If you mostly book calls with clients, my guide to Calendly alternatives pairs well with a video tool, and developer productivity tools is useful if your team writes code.

Do you make team chat or video meeting software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

Your shortlist of chat and meeting apps for the team

Pick two tools that suit how your team talks. Set up a small group, run a real meeting and a real week of messages, and ask honestly what felt easier and what felt worse. Keep the one people open without being reminded, and don't switch off your old tool until the new one has been through a busy week.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Teams?

Yes. Several chat and meeting tools have a free plan, and some open source options are free to run on your own server. Free plans often limit history, meeting length or the number of people.

Can I use a different tool for chat and for video meetings?

Yes. Many small businesses use one app for everyday messages and another for client calls. Just check that your calendar connects to both so invitations stay simple.

What should I look for if my team works in different time zones?

Look for threaded conversations, good notification controls and easy search. These help people catch up on their own schedule instead of being pulled into live chat.

Do I need to host chat software myself?

No. Hosted tools are quicker to start. Self-hosting gives you more control over your data, but someone needs to look after updates, backups and security.

How do I get my team to really use a new chat tool?

Start small, agree a few simple rules, and move one team at a time. Lead by using the new tool yourself and let the old one fade out once everyone's comfortable.