Slack vs Rocket.Chat
A detailed comparison of Slack and Rocket.Chat to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
💰 Pricing Comparison
| Plan | Slack | Rocket.Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✓ 90-day message history | ✓ Free (self-hosted) |
| Lowest Paid | $8.75/user/mo | $4/user/mo |
| Enterprise | $12.50/user/mo | Custom pricing |
⚡ Feature Comparison
| Feature | Slack | Rocket.Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | ✓ | ✓ |
| Direct messages | ✓ | — |
| Huddles | ✓ | — |
| Clips | ✓ | — |
| Workflow Builder | ✓ | — |
| App integrations | ✓ | — |
| File sharing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Search | ✓ | — |
| Threads | ✓ | — |
| Canvas | ✓ | — |
| Video conferencing | — | ✓ |
| Livechat | — | ✓ |
| Bots | — | ✓ |
| Apps marketplace | — | ✓ |
| Self-hosting | — | ✓ |
| E2E encryption | — | ✓ |
| Federation | — | ✓ |
| API | — | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rating | ⭐ 4.4 | ⭐ 4 |
Pros & Cons
Slack
Pros
- ✓ Industry standard
- ✓ Massive integration ecosystem
- ✓ Great search
- ✓ Familiar to most teams
Cons
- ✗ Expensive at scale
- ✗ Can be distracting
- ✗ Limited free plan now
- ✗ Message history limits
Rocket.Chat
Pros
- ✓ Open source
- ✓ Self-hosted option
- ✓ Feature rich
- ✓ Good for compliance
Cons
- ✗ Resource heavy
- ✗ Complex setup
- ✗ Performance issues
- ✗ UI not as polished
🏆 The Verdict
Choose Slack if: You need teams of all sizes. Slack excels with its industry standard and massive integration ecosystem.
Choose Rocket.Chat if: You need organizations needing open-source, compliant chat. Rocket.Chat stands out with its open source and self-hosted option.
Best free option: Both Slack and Rocket.Chat offer free tiers. Slack offers "90-day message history" while Rocket.Chat offers "Free (self-hosted)".
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is Slack better than Rocket.Chat?
It depends on your needs. Slack is better for teams of all sizes, while Rocket.Chat is better for organizations needing open-source, compliant chat. Both are excellent tools rated 4.4 and 4 respectively.
Which is cheaper, Slack or Rocket.Chat?
Slack starts at $8.75/user/mo while Rocket.Chat starts at $4/user/mo. Both offer free tiers.
Can I switch from Slack to Rocket.Chat?
Most tools offer import/export features to help you migrate. We recommend trying Rocket.Chat's free tier before fully committing to a switch.
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