Mattermost Professional costs $10/mo.
These cost $0.
5 free alternatives to Mattermost Professional, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.
Mattermost Professional vs Free Alternatives Matrix
Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $10/mo
| Alternative | Type | License | Where It Runs | Stars | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocket.Chat Community | open source | MIT | Self-host | ★ 46k | Mattermost Professional vs Rocket.Chat Community → |
| Mattermost Team Edition | open source | MIT | Self-host | ★ 39k | Mattermost Professional vs Mattermost Team Edition → |
| Zulip | open source | — | — | ★ 26k | Mattermost Professional vs Zulip → |
| Element | open source | AGPL-3.0-or later OR GPL-3.0+ | Local or hosted | ★ 13k | Mattermost Professional vs Element → |
| Pumble Free | free | proprietary, free | Hosted | ★ $0 forever | Mattermost Professional vs Pumble Free → |
The picks
4 open source · 1 free to use · ranked by fit
- 01
Rocket.Chat Community
open sourceMITSelf-host46kaug 2026Channels, threads, search and integrations for up to a hundred concurrent users; MongoDB joins the team.
The catch vs Mattermost ProfessionalRocket.Chat Community provides the expected team-chat surface, but MongoDB and upgrades are yours and the free Community workspace is limited to 100 concurrent users.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopmobilewebself-hostedself-host, real ops
- install
- Deploy the Community workspace with Docker Compose, Podman, or Kubernetes
- setup
- A production installation requires MongoDB, DNS/TLS, email, backups, upgrades, and enough capacity planning to stay within the Community plan's 100-concurrent-user limit.
- your data
- Users, rooms, messages, and most metadata live in MongoDB; uploads live on local storage or a configured object-storage backend.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 02
Mattermost Team Edition
open sourceMITSelf-host39kaug 2026Mattermost without the invoice: full team chat below 250 users, but no SSO and every server problem belongs to you.
The catch vs Mattermost ProfessionalTeam Edition keeps the core chat product, but Professional features such as enterprise authentication, advanced compliance and administration, support, and larger-scale assurances are absent.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopmobilewebself-hostedself-host, real ops
- install
- Install the official Linux binary with PostgreSQL, then configure systemd, TLS/reverse proxy, SMTP, and file storage
- setup
- The first obstacle is a real Linux service deployment, PostgreSQL, SMTP, DNS/TLS, storage, backups, and upgrades, not an app-store install.
- your data
- Channels, posts, users, and configuration live in PostgreSQL; file attachments live in the Mattermost data directory or configured S3-compatible object storage.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 03
Zulip
open source26kaug 2026Email-shaped topics inside team chat; excellent for async work and merciless about naming conversations.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopmobilewebself-hostedself-host, real ops
- 04
Element
open sourceAGPL-3.0-or later OR GPL-3.0+Local or hosted13kjul 2026Matrix rooms, threads, files and search with free hosted accounts; less Slack clone, more protocol.
The catch vs Mattermost ProfessionalElement covers rooms, threads, files, and search, but its Matrix-first model and smaller workplace-integration surface are less familiar and less Slack-like than Mattermost.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopmobilewebself-hostedthey host it
- install
- Use a free Matrix account in Element Web/mobile/desktop, or deploy Element Server Suite on your own infrastructure
- setup
- The clean hosted path is easy, but self-hosting the current Element Server Suite means operating a Matrix homeserver and its Kubernetes/Helm-based stack.
- your data
- Rooms, event history, account data, and media live on the selected Matrix homeserver; encrypted-room keys remain on clients and can be backed up through Matrix's key-backup system.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 05
Pumble Free
freeproprietary, freeHostedUnlimited users, channels and history with ten gigabytes total; group meetings and serious integrations still cost money.
The catch vs Mattermost ProfessionalPumble Free removes server work and keeps unlimited history, but free group meetings, screen sharing, broad integrations, storage, and self-hosted control fall short of Mattermost Professional.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopmobilewebthey host it
- install
- Hosted signup; use the browser or Pumble's desktop/mobile apps
- setup
- There is no installation hurdle, but migration still requires inviting everyone and rebuilding channels and integrations; free exports exclude private channels and direct messages.
- your data
- Messages, channels, user records, and files live in Pumble's cloud; workspace owners can export public-channel data as a ZIP with message data and file links.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers · Mattermost Professional open-source replacements
What is the best free alternative to Mattermost Professional?+
The top free alternative to Mattermost Professional is Rocket.Chat Community (open source, MIT). Channels, threads, search and integrations for up to a hundred concurrent users; MongoDB joins the team. Other popular Mattermost Professional replacements include Mattermost Team Edition, Zulip, Element.
Can I self-host a free replacement for Mattermost Professional?+
Yes. Of the 5 free alternatives to Mattermost Professional, 4 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Rocket.Chat Community (MIT), Mattermost Team Edition (MIT), Zulip (free), Element (AGPL-3.0-or later OR GPL-3.0+).
How much does switching from Mattermost Professional to a free alternative save?+
Mattermost Professional starts at $10/month per seat ($120/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Rocket.Chat Community saves $600 per year in software subscription fees.
Should I vibe-code or build my own Mattermost Professional clone from scratch?+
Our build verdict for Mattermost Professional is KINDA (the core, yes. the polish, no). The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Mattermost Professional, self-host team chat with channels, threads, search, and integrations. The hard boundary is managed operations, mobile push, enterprise security, support, and governance, plus network, moderation, and communication infrastructure.
What is the catch when switching from Mattermost Professional to Rocket.Chat Community?+
Rocket.Chat Community provides the expected team-chat surface, but MongoDB and upgrades are yours and the free Community workspace is limited to 100 concurrent users.
