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Best Mattermost Alternatives for Mac — 12 Compared in 2026

Explore 12 alternatives to Mattermost — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

Compare the top 12 Mattermost alternatives

Quick answer

The top-rated business instant messaging software alternatives to Mattermost are Rocket.Chat, Zulip and Output Messenger. Rocket.Chat leads the list with a 4.37★ rating from real users. Compare all 12 on rating and pricing below.

Ready to move on from Mattermost? These 12 business instant messaging software alternatives are the picks worth testing first. Our ranking leans on SpotScore, which weighs verified satisfaction against market presence, then star ratings and pricing model. Editors check each tool. Start with the table for a fast read, then go section by section below.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
Rocket.ChatEffortlessly connect and collaborate with Rocket.Chat.★★★★ 4.37(382)Freefrom $2 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
ZulipStreamlining communication for efficient teamwork.★★★★ 4.43(40)Freefrom $6.67 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
Output MessengerStay connected with ease, anytime, anywhere.★★★★ 4.11(10)Freefrom $35/yrteams of all sizes
TrillianStreamline your communication in one place.★★★★★ 4.6(110)Freefrom $3.33/moteams of all sizes
DiscordReal-time community and collaboration platform for voice, video, and text8.8Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
ArkchatRevolutionizing Business Communication and Lead GenerationNot yet ratedFreeFree Trialteams of all sizes
Message WhizRevolutionize your communication with seamless customer connections.Not yet ratedSubscriptionteams of all sizes
Beeper MiniEffortless communication, unified on one platform.Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
TapTalk.ioConnect, chat, and stay in touch effortlessly.Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
EnThinnaiReclaim your privacy and control your data.Not yet ratedQuotation Basedteams of all sizes
ShiftEffortless productivity made simple.★★★★ 4.15(640)FreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
BashEffortless communication for teams, anytime, anywhere.Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Subscription · Quotation Basedsmall & mid-size businesses
Rocket.Chat - Business Instant Messaging Software

Rocket.Chat

Effortlessly connect and collaborate with Rocket.Chat.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Rocket.Chat?

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 capabilities. It does not require the installation of any client software, which ...

Read more about Rocket.Chat
Free TrialTry Free →·

Rocket.Chat offers custom pricing plan

Zulip - Business Instant Messaging Software

Zulip

Streamlining communication for efficient teamwork.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is Zulip?

Zulip is enterprise software that makes it easy to set up a business IM network with dozens or thousands of people, while avoiding most of the problems of larger public IM systems such as scale, spam, usability and support. Zulip also has great features through which businesses can be more ...

Read more about Zulip

Zulip offers custom pricing plan

Spotsaas Ads

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Reach in-market buyersRank above rivals2M+ buyers a year
Output Messenger - Business Instant Messaging Software

Output Messenger

Stay connected with ease, anytime, anywhere.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Output Messenger?

Output Messenger is an easy to use software that allows business to connect with others and keep in touch, regardless of proximity. Output Messenger provides instant chat options, file sharing, a task manager and more. It also can work at no cost with business operations over the web, using ...

Read more about Output Messenger
Free Trial
Trillian - Business Instant Messaging Software

Trillian

Streamline your communication in one place.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is Trillian?

Trillian combines instant messaging and email into one integrated system that's a breeze to use. It lets user effortlessly combine IM and email contacts, and provides a multitude of ways to communicate with them regardless of their location, AIM or ICQ account, online status, or time zone. With ...

Read more about Trillian

Trillian offers custom pricing plan

8.8

SpotScore

Discord logo

Discord

Real-time community and collaboration platform for voice, video, and text

Best for: SMB teams

Try for Free

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

What is Discord?

Discord is a real-time communication platform combining voice, video, and text channels in organized servers. Originally built for gamers, Discord is now widely used by developer communities, SaaS companies, creator economies, and enterprise teams for community building, async collaboration, ...

Read more about Discord

Starts from Freefree, also offers free forever plan

Logo

Arkchat

Revolutionizing Business Communication and Lead Generation

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

What is Arkchat?

Arkchat is an AI-powered business messaging platform that combines project management, team collaboration, and customer engagement in one interface. Teams can manage tasks and projects, and businesses can pitch products, close deals, and generate leads directly within the chat — accessible from ...

Read more about Arkchat
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $100/user when monthly

Message Whiz

Message Whiz

Revolutionize your communication with seamless customer connections.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

See Plans & Pricing

Add to compare

What is Message Whiz?

Message Whiz is a cloud-hosted Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) that manages customer journeys across SMS, WhatsApp, and Voice channels from a single interface. It supports user verification and one-time password workflows, and provides analytics and reporting tools for tracking ...

Read more about Message Whiz

Starts from $162.00/month when Billed Yearly

Beeper Mini

Beeper Mini

Effortless communication, unified on one platform.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Beeper Mini?

Introducing the innovative Beeper Mini, an exclusive Android application designed to cater to the needs of professionals seeking seamless integration of iMessage features on their Android devices. Beeper Mini is a game-changing communication tool that empowers users with a plethora of advanced ...

Read more about Beeper Mini
Free Trial
TapTalk.io - New SaaS Software

TapTalk.io

Connect, chat, and stay in touch effortlessly.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is TapTalk.io?

TapTalk.io is a powerful tool that combines in-app chat and messaging in one convenient application. It eliminates the need for complicated coding and offers a user-friendly interface for seamless communication with clients and customers. With customizable options for colors and fonts, users ...

Read more about TapTalk.io

Starts from $75/Month, also offers free forever plan

EnThinnai - New SaaS Software

EnThinnai

Reclaim your privacy and control your data.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Get Pricing Details

Add to compare

What is EnThinnai?

EnThinnai, a dynamic 1:1 messaging platform, prioritizes user privacy and provides portability of data. Users have complete control over their personal data as it is hosted on their own dedicated instance. Currently hosted on Amazon Web Services, the platform offers the option to choose a ...

Read more about EnThinnai

EnThinnai offers custom pricing plan

Shift - New SaaS Software

Shift

Effortless productivity made simple.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is Shift?

Shift streamlines your accounts, apps, and tasks for smooth, effortless productivity. Link every Gmail, Outlook, and Office 365 account in one unified hub and gain access to your preferred Chrome extensions. Improve web navigation with effective tab management and more intuitive searching - ...

Read more about Shift

Starts from $99.99/Year, also offers free forever plan

Bash - New SaaS Software

Bash

Effortless communication for teams, anytime, anywhere.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is Bash?

Bash is a revolutionary app that lets teams communicate quickly and securely. UseGifs, emojis and private messaging to share your ideas, and access conversations anytime, anywhere on any browser or device. Plus, you can count on 128-bit AES encryption to keep your data safe from prying eyes. ...

Read more about Bash

Starts from $1/User, also offers free forever plan

What makes each one stand out

Rocket.ChatBest for teams of all sizes

Enterprise-level collaboration

Watch for: May require technical setup

ZulipBest for teams of all sizes

Scalable for large teams

Watch for: May require setup time

Output MessengerBest for teams of all sizes

Easy to use

Watch for: Limited advanced features

TrillianBest for teams of all sizes

Integrated messaging and email

Watch for: Limited advanced features

Discord8.8Best for teams of all sizes

Extremely generous free tier — unlimited servers, voice, video, and text make it viable for communities and small teams with zero budget.

Watch for: Not designed for enterprise workflows — lacks native SSO, formal audit logs, and compliance features (SOC 2, HIPAA) that enterprise buyers require.

ArkchatBest for teams of all sizes
Message WhizBest for teams of all sizes
Beeper MiniBest for teams of all sizes
TapTalk.ioBest for teams of all sizes
EnThinnaiBest for teams of all sizes
ShiftBest for teams of all sizes

Unified account management

Watch for: Can be resource-intensive

BashBest for small & mid-size businesses

Secure messaging

Watch for: Limited integrations

Why teams look for a Mattermost alternative

The motivation to leave Mattermost usually centers on a few specifics:

  • Steeper learning curve
  • Requires self-hosting
  • Limited mobile features
  • Setup can be complex

What to check before picking a Mattermost alternative

How these 12 business instant messaging software alternatives measure up: 10 offer a free tier; paid plans run $2–$35, with Rocket.Chat the cheapest entry point; and Trillian is the highest rated at 4.6 across 110 reviews.

Our ranking logic.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to Mattermost are Trillian (4.6★), Zulip (4.4★), Rocket.Chat (4.4★). Compare all 12 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Mattermost, prioritize: Chat (Messaging), Real-time Chat, File Sharing, Collaboration Tools, Video Conferencing, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Mattermost starts from $3.25 /User/Month. Many alternatives offer similar functionality at different price points — some with free tiers, others with more flexible per-seat pricing. Use the filters above to narrow by budget.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Mattermost is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend shortlisting 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

Which of these Mattermost alternatives should you choose?

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Rocket.Chat, Zulip and Output Messenger let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: Trillian has the strongest star rating (4.6★) among the options with verified reviews.

Switching off Mattermost cleanly

When you're ready to leave Mattermost, protect your data first. Export it, confirm the new tool reads it, and check that your core workflows transfer. Test on a free plan or trial before committing, and hold onto Mattermost until the move is complete.

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