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Rocket.Chat vs Cbox vs HCL Sametime Comparison

Last updated:

Rocket.Chat

3.9(156 reviews)

Starting at $2 /User/Month

  • Free Trial
  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Rocket.Chat is an instant-messaging and team collaboration platform for enterprises and organizations that need private messaging, persistent chat rooms, direct messages, persistent user presence and file transfer capabi…

Cbox

4.5(2 reviews)

Starting at $1.67 /Month

  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Cbox has been designed around a set of powerful features that are easier-to-use. It includes a full set of tools to help user manage its day-to-day business or personal workflow as well as social communication needs. Cbo…

HCL Sametime

3.6(234 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

HCL Sametime is a complete collaboration solution built for small and medium businesses that want to nurture their employees' ideas, streamline internal processes, and enhance customer relationships. It's a smart instant…

Cbox leads on user satisfaction with a 4.5-star rating across 2 reviews.

Rocket.Chat vs Cbox vs HCL Sametime — at a glance

FeatureRocket.ChatCboxHCL Sametime
Rating3.9 / 54.5 / 53.6 / 5
Reviews1562234
Starting price$2 /User/Month$1.67 /MonthContact for pricing
Free trial Yes No No
Free version No No No
Best forLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
CategoryBusiness Instant Messaging SoftwareBusiness Instant Messaging SoftwareBusiness Instant Messaging Software
PlatformsSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - MacSaaS/Web/CloudSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac
APIAvailable
Support modes24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, OnlineOnlineOnline
CertificationsSOC 2, GDPR
Data residencyGlobalGlobalUS

Key differences between Rocket.Chat and Cbox

  • Pricing: Rocket.Chat starts at $2 /User/Month, while Cbox starts at $1.67 /Month.
  • Free trial: Rocket.Chat offers a free trial; Cbox does not.
  • User satisfaction: Cbox scores higher with a 4.5-star average.
  • Deployment: Rocket.Chat supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac; Cbox supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Compare Rocket.Chat vs Cbox vs HCL Sametime — and walk away knowing which one fits.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Business Instant Messaging Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Rocket.Chat - Business Instant Messaging Software
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Cbox - Business Instant Messaging Software
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HCL Sametime - Business Instant Messaging Software
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Talk to an expert

Free PDF comparison

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Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Rocket.Chat

Best for

Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business

Cbox

Best for small to medium teams needing versatile, multimedia-rich instant messaging.

Choose if
  • You need integrated video conferencing, photo, and desktop sharing within messaging.
  • Your team requires a flexible tool supporting both business and personal workflows.
  • You are a small or medium business focused on internal and remote team collaboration.
Consider alternatives if
  • Your organization demands extensive third-party integrations beyond core messaging features.
  • You are a large enterprise needing highly specialized or customizable communication tools.

HCL Sametime

Best for

Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business

Rocket.Chat typically suits Large Enterprises and Medium Business. Cbox tends to fit Large Enterprises and Medium Business better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

Description

Rocket.Chat is an instant-messaging and team collaboration platform for enterprises and organizations that need private messaging, persistent chat rooms, direct messages, persistent user ... Read More about Rocket.Chat

Cbox has been designed around a set of powerful features that are easier-to-use. It includes a full set of tools to help user manage its day-to-day business or personal workflow as well as ... Read More about Cbox

HCL Sametime is a complete collaboration solution built for small and medium businesses that want to nurture their employees' ideas, streamline internal processes, and enhance customer ... Read More about HCL Sametime

Entry Level Pricing

  • Starts from $2 , Billed Yearly
  • Starts from $1.67
  • Not Available

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial
  • No free trial

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

4.5

(2)

Best Company Size

Small BusinessMedium Business
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Software Demo

Demo

No software demo available

Cbox has not given any software demo yet

If you're the owner of this profile, add your demo.Contact us

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Step 1 of 4

How big is your team?

We tailor recommendations to companies your size.

Trusted by teams at

Compare Rocket.Chat, Cbox and HCL Sametime on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

        Starting From

        • $2 , Billed Yearly
        • $1.67
        • Not Available

        Pricing Plans

        • Community (Self-Managed)

          • Recommended 1k Users

          • Unlimited Message History

          • 10.000 Monthly Push Notifications

          Show more +

        • Pro (Self-Managed)

          • Includes features of Community plan, plus

          • Unlimited Users

          • Social Network Login

          Show more +

        • Enterprise (Self-Managed)

          • Includes features of Pro plan, plus

          • High Scalability

          • Message Audit Panel / Audit Logs

          Show more +

        • Browse all pricing plans
        • Not Available
        • Not Available

        Pricing Page

        Rocket.Chat pricing
        Cbox pricing

        Pricing information not available

        Other Details

        Organization Types supported

        • Large Enterprises
        • Freelancers
        • Small Business
        • Medium Business
        • Individuals
        • Large Enterprises
        • Freelancers
        • Small Business
        • Medium Business
        • Individuals
        • Large Enterprises
        • Freelancers
        • Small Business
        • Medium Business
        • Individuals

        Platforms Supported

        • Installed - Windows
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Mobile - Android
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Installed - Mac
        • Mobile - Windows
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Installed - Windows
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Mobile - Android
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Installed - Mac
        • Mobile - Windows
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Installed - Windows
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Mobile - Android
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Installed - Mac
        • Mobile - Windows
        • Browser Based (Cloud)

        Modes of support

        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online
        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online
        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online

        API Support

        • Available
        • Not Available
        • Not Available
        Get help choosing
        Get help choosing
        Get help choosing

        Security & Compliance

        Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

        SOC 2

        ✓ Yes

        HIPAA

        ✗ No
        ✗ No

        GDPR

        ✓ Yes

        Single Sign-On (SSO)

        ✓ Yes

        Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

        ✓ Yes

        Audit Logs

        ✓ Yes

        Data Residency

        🌐 Global
        🌐 Global
        🇺🇸 US

        Rocket.Chat vs Cbox User Reviews & Rating Comparison

        User Ratings

        Rating Distribution

        210

        125

        45

        0

        1

        2

        1

        0

        0

        0

        60

        40

        15

        6

        2

        Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

        Buyer sentiment

        Buyer sentiment is mixed to positive across 381 reviews, with clear strengths and a few common watchouts.

        What buyers like

        • Enterprise-level collaboration
        • Private messaging features
        • Persistent chat rooms

        Common complaints

        • May require technical setup
        • Limited customization options
        • Performance can vary

        Buyer sentiment

        Overall positive sentiment highlighting ease of use and advanced communication features, tempered by limited review volume and pricing clarity.

        What buyers like

        • Ease of use
        • Advanced multimedia features
        • Versatility for business and personal use

        Common complaints

        • Pricing transparency
        • Limited user feedback

        Buyer sentiment

        Buyer sentiment is mixed to positive across 123 reviews, with clear strengths and a few common watchouts.

        What buyers like

        • Complete collaboration solution
        • Enhances internal processes
        • Smart messaging features

        Common complaints

        • Complex setup process
        • Limited integrations
        • May not suit very small teams

        Pros and Cons

        • Strong focus on privacy and security

        • Flexible for large organizations

        • No client installation simplifies access

        • May require IT support for setup

        • Limited customization for user experience

        • Includes advanced features like photo sharing, video conferencing, and desktop sharing

        • User-friendly interface designed for ease of use

        • Supports both business and personal workflow communication

        • Limited publicly available pricing information

        • Relatively low number of user reviews to validate reliability

        • Enhances internal processes for better efficiency.

        • Smart messaging features improve team communication.

        • Comprehensive collaboration tools in one platform.

        • Setup can be complex and time-consuming.

        • Limited integrations with other tools.

        Positive Reviews

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        List of Customers

        Customers

        The World Bank

        The World Bank

        Albourne

        Albourne

        Illumination MacGuff

        Illumination MacGuff

        No Customers information available.

        No Customers information available.

        Media and Screenshots

        Screenshots

        Rocket.Chat Demo

        2 Screenshots

        No screenshots available.

        No screenshots available.

        Videos

        video-0

        4 Videos

        No videos available.

        video-0

        1 Videos

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        Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

        Frequently asked questions

        Which is better, Rocket.Chat or Cbox?
        Cbox edges out the other on user ratings (4.5 vs 3.9). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
        Do Rocket.Chat and Cbox offer a free trial?
        Rocket.Chat offers a free trial. Cbox does not.
        What is the starting price of Rocket.Chat vs Cbox?
        Rocket.Chat starts at $2 /User/Month. Cbox starts at $1.67 /Month.
        What are the top alternatives to Rocket.Chat?
        Top alternatives to Rocket.Chat include Slack, Glip, Google Chat, Zulip, IRCCloud.
        What are the top alternatives to Cbox?
        Top alternatives to Cbox include Office Chat, Speakap, ChatCamp, SupportChamp, LiveChat.

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