Free picks
7 Best Free Team Chat Apps
Every team needs one place to talk. These team chat apps are free or have free plans, from the big names most companies use to open-source options you can host yourself and keep full control of your messages.
Short answer
Our top picks for free team chat apps are Slack, Microsoft Teams (free) and Discord. Of the 7 picks on this list, 1 is completely free and 6 have a free plan.
Updated
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The list
Every pick is free or has a usable free plan. Pricing and features change, so check each tool's own site before you commit.
- 1
Team communication organised into channels.
Why it stands out: Great integrations
Best for Teams, Remote Workers, Small Businesses · Web App
- 2
Microsoft's free chat and video meetings for personal use.
Why it stands out: Free chat, file sharing and video calls in one app
Best for Personal Use, Small Businesses, Students · Web App
- 3
Free voice, video and text chat for communities, friends and small teams.
Why it stands out: Free unlimited text, voice and video chat
Best for Creators, Teams, Developers · Web App
- 4
Self-hosted, open-source team chat with a free edition for small teams.
Why it stands out: Free, open-source Team Edition you host yourself
Best for Teams, Developers, Enterprises · Web App
- 5
Open-source team chat where every conversation has a topic, so threads stay readable.
Why it stands out: Topics keep busy channels easy to follow asynchronously
Best for Teams, Developers, Remote Workers · Web App
- 6
Open-source, Matrix-based messaging you can self-host for free.
Why it stands out: Built on the open Matrix standard, not a closed platform
Best for Teams, Developers, Personal Use · Web App
- 7
Open-source team chat you host yourself, free for up to 50 users.
Why it stands out: Free Starter plan with premium features for up to 50 users
Best for Teams, Small Businesses, Developers · Web App
Frequently asked questions
- Which of these free team chat apps is the top pick?
- Slack is our first pick. Team communication organised into channels. Slack has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features or usage.
- Are all of these team chat apps free?
- Every pick is free to start. 1 pick is completely free, and 6 have free plans with paid upgrades for more features or usage.
- Which ones are easiest for beginners?
- Slack, Microsoft Teams (free) and Discord are rated beginner-friendly in our directory.
- What platforms do these tools run on?
- The most common platforms are Android (7 of 7 picks), iOS (7) and macOS (7). Check each tool's page for its full list of platforms.
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