A Rocket.Chat alternative should match one of three needs: internal team chat you control, encrypted messaging with other organisations, or customer conversations. Self-hostable chat suits teams bound by data rules, privacy-first messengers suit confidential work across organisations, and open-source inboxes suit support desks. The table below sorts eight tools by that need.
Here's the whole shortlist in one view, so you don't have to scroll to compare. Rows run A to Z and are otherwise in no particular order; the middle column tells you which need each tool answers.
Eight tools sorted by the job they do
| Tool | Kind of tool | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Chatwoot | Open-source support inbox | Self-hosted customer support across channels |
| Crisp | Customer messaging platform | Support and lead chats with an AI agent |
| Element | Matrix-based encrypted messenger | Encrypted chat on an open standard |
| Mattermost | Self-hosted secure collaboration | Air-gapped and private cloud collaboration |
| Nextcloud Talk | Private chat and video, self-hosted | Chat and calls kept on your own servers |
| Threema Work | Privacy-first business messenger | Confidential messaging for staff |
| Wire | Encrypted team messaging | Encrypted calls and files across organisations |
| Zulip | Open-source team chat you can self-host | Owning your chat data on your servers |
Rocket.Chat 9.0 and its pitch to governments
Rocket.Chat's own homepage headlines version 9.0 with native XMPP, built-in video and access control, aimed at governments, agencies and partners that run different systems. That's a heavier brief than ordinary office chat, and it may not be what your team signed up for. If you came to it for a private Slack-style workspace, or for its customer chat features, you may be carrying a platform built for a different buyer.
So split the requirement before you shortlist. Internal messaging, secure messaging across organisations and customer-facing chat are three separate purchases, and this list covers all three. Everyday office chat apps have their own roundups, so the tools here are the ones where control of your data is the point.
Inside your walls, across organisations, or facing customers
Internal chat you control. Mattermost aims at critical infrastructure and regulated teams, with private cloud, self-hosted and air-gapped options. Nextcloud Talk, its makers say, adds chat, calls and webinars to a Nextcloud setup that keeps you in control of your data. Zulip says it's built for distributed teams, with guidance for switching from other chat apps. All three put data on infrastructure you choose, which means someone on your side has to look after it, and that's work you'll need to plan for.
Encrypted messaging between organisations. Element is an encrypted messenger on the open Matrix standard, according to its site, so it can talk to other Matrix servers. Wire says it offers end-to-end encrypted messaging, calls and file sharing, in the cloud or on premises. Threema Work presents itself as a business messenger built around confidentiality and data protection. Before you pick one, check that the people you'll message can use it too.
Customer conversations. Chatwoot calls itself open-source customer support for live chat, email, WhatsApp and social, self-hosted or in the cloud. Crisp describes a multichannel messaging platform for support and lead conversations. If omnichannel support was why you used Rocket.Chat, start with these two.
If you're also weighing hosted options, my list of LiveChat alternatives and my guide to cloud collaboration tools for teams go wider.
Advice on running chat on your own servers
Be realistic about the work. It's not a set-and-forget job: self-hosting needs someone to apply updates, watch backups and handle the odd outage, with time set aside for it every month. If you can't staff that, a hosted plan from the same group, with data kept in a region you choose, is a sensible middle ground. Ask each vendor which hosting regions it offers and whether you can move to self-hosting later.
Trial one need at a time. For internal chat, run two self-hostable tools on a test server with a small group for a fortnight. For cross-organisation messaging, confirm the people you'll talk to can use the same standard. For customer chat, connect your real website and one social channel. Mixing the three jobs in one trial means you'll end up comparing tools that were never meant to compete.
Rocket.Chat alternatives in alphabetical order
If you build secure messaging software, this page explains how to be considered for a featured place.
Chatwoot
Best for: Support teams who'd like an AI agent, which the vendor calls Captain, inside a platform they can run themselves.
Crisp
Best for: Support and sales teams who want to teach an AI agent about their product so it answers customer questions, per the vendor.
Element
Best for: Public bodies after what the vendor calls decentralised, digitally sovereign self-hosting, or a hosting service instead.
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Mattermost
Best for: Teams wanting what the vendor calls zero-trust collaboration on an extensible, audited and hardened open-source supply chain.
Nextcloud Talk
Best for: Organisations wary of lock-in, as the vendor describes an open-source, privacy-respecting architecture.
Threema Work
Best for: Businesses who want, as the vendor puts it, data protection and compliance without giving up usability.
Wire
Best for: Government and enterprise teams who want open-source messaging built on the MLS standard, per the vendor.
Zulip
Best for: Groups that want full data sovereignty, which the vendor says comes from self-hosting its fully open-source software.
Where will your messages live?
- Which country holds your messages and files?
- Can you self-host, and who on your team will keep it updated?
- Is end-to-end encryption on by default, or something you switch on?
- Can you export your history if you move again?
- Do your regulator or clients set rules on any of this? Requirements vary, so check with them directly.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What's new in Rocket.Chat 9.0?
Its homepage headlines native XMPP, built-in video and access control, pitched at governments, agencies and partners running different systems.
Which tools here can I run on my own servers?
Several say they can be self-hosted, covering both internal chat and customer support. Check each vendor's own site for the details.
How is this list different from everyday chat app roundups?
It sticks to tools where data control, encryption or self-hosting is the main reason to choose them, rather than general office chat.
Should team chat and customer chat share one tool?
Most tools here are built for one or the other. Decide which matters more and shortlist for that job.
Who needs encrypted messaging between organisations?
Teams that exchange sensitive messages with partners, agencies or other public bodies, where both sides need to trust the channel.
Can customer chat tools be self-hosted?
One of the two customer messaging tools here says it can run self-hosted or in the cloud. The other doesn't state self-hosting on its homepage.
