Indie Alternatives

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Indie alternatives to Microsoft Teams

7 products made by independent developers and small teams that do what Microsoft Teams does, 7 of them with a free plan. Free and open-source options come first.

At a glance

ProductPriceOpen sourceSelf-hostPlatforms
Jitsi MeetFreeYesYesWeb, iOS, Android, Self-hosted
MattermostFree planYesYesWeb, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted
PumbleFree plan––Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Rocket.ChatFree planYesYesWeb, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted
TwistFree plan––Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
WireFree plan––Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
ZulipFree planYesYesWeb, Self-hosted, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android

The alternatives

1. Jitsi Meet

Free, open-source video meetings

A free, open-source video conferencing app that runs in the browser with no account needed; can also be self-hosted.

Free · Web, iOS, Android, Self-hosted · Website ↗

2. Mattermost

Open-source, self-hosted team messaging

An open-source collaboration platform with team chat, calls, playbooks and boards, deployable self-hosted for security-focused organizations.

Free plan · Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted · Website ↗

3. Pumble

Team chat app with unlimited history on the free plan

A team messaging app from the makers of Clockify with channels, direct messages, voice and video calls and screen sharing.

Free plan · Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android · Website ↗

4. Rocket.Chat

Open-source secure communications platform

An open-source team chat and omnichannel communication platform that can be self-hosted, with federation and end-to-end encryption options.

Free plan · Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted · Website ↗

5. Twist

Asynchronous team communication organized in threads

Twist is a team messaging app from Doist that organizes discussions into threads, designed for calmer, async communication in remote teams.

Free plan · Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android · Website ↗

6. Wire

End-to-end encrypted collaboration and messaging

A secure communication platform with end-to-end encrypted messaging, calls, conferencing and file sharing for organizations.

Free plan · Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android · Website ↗

7. Zulip

Open-source team chat organized by topic threads

Zulip is an open-source team chat app that organizes conversations into streams and topics, making async discussion easier to follow. Available as cloud or self-hosted.

Free plan · Web, Self-hosted, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android · Website ↗

Questions

Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Teams?

Yes. 7 of the 7 indie alternatives listed here have a free plan or are free: Jitsi Meet, Mattermost, Pumble, Rocket.Chat and 3 more.

Is there an open-source alternative to Microsoft Teams?

Jitsi Meet, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat and Zulip are open source.

Can I self-host an alternative to Microsoft Teams?

Yes: Jitsi Meet, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat and Zulip can run on your own server.

Which Microsoft Teams alternatives work on Mac, Windows, iPhone or Android?

On Mac: Mattermost, Pumble, Rocket.Chat and 3 more. On Windows: Mattermost, Pumble, Rocket.Chat and 3 more. On Linux: Mattermost, Pumble, Rocket.Chat and 3 more.

What makes these alternatives to Microsoft Teams “indie”?

They are built by independent developers or small teams rather than large companies. Each one is listed because it does the same core job as Microsoft Teams.

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Related

Browse: Team Communication · Security & Privacy

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