May 9, 2025
Need a better way to connect than Slack? This listicle presents eight excellent Slack alternatives, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses to help your professional organization, corporate team, or event planning group find the perfect communication platform. We'll explore options like Microsoft Teams, Discord, Mattermost, Google Chat, Rocket.Chat, Element (Matrix), Flock, and Twist, examining how each can streamline communication and collaboration. Discover how platforms like Groupos can be used as a Slack alternative, and select the ideal tool for your specific needs.
Microsoft Teams is a powerful alternative of Slack, offering a comprehensive collaboration platform that integrates chat, video meetings, file storage, and application integration. As part of the Microsoft 365 family, Teams provides a robust solution with deep integration with Office applications and a familiar interface for organizations already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. It's designed to cater to businesses of all sizes, from small teams to large enterprises, with scalable features and robust security controls, making it a compelling choice for professional associations, corporate community managers, event planners, and membership-based businesses.
While Slack excels in its simplicity and ease of use, Teams goes further by integrating tightly with the Microsoft 365 suite. This means seamless access to familiar tools like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint directly within the Teams environment. For example, event planners can collaborate on budget spreadsheets in Excel, conference organizers can co-author presentations in PowerPoint, and membership-based businesses can manage member databases in Access, all without leaving the Teams platform. This deep integration streamlines workflows and boosts productivity significantly. Furthermore, Teams offers advanced meeting capabilities, supporting up to 300 participants with interactive features and up to 10,000 in view-only mode for large-scale webinars or presentations. This makes it a suitable platform for hosting virtual conferences, training sessions, or membership meetings.
Using Teams as a "Group" Organizer (Similar to Slack Channels):
Teams provides a structured approach to communication through "Teams" and "Channels," which function similarly to Slack's workspaces and channels. You can create dedicated Teams for different projects, departments, or event committees. Within each Team, you can establish Channels for specific topics or discussion threads. For instance, an event planning team might have channels for "Venue Selection," "Marketing & Promotion," "Budget Management," and "Speaker Coordination." This segmented approach keeps conversations focused and organized, mirroring the functionality of groups in other platforms. It also allows exhibitors and sponsors seeking targeted lead generation to connect with specific event organizers or committees within designated channels.
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Website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/
Microsoft Teams stands out as a comprehensive and powerful alternative of Slack, especially for organizations already utilizing the Microsoft 365 suite. Its deep integrations, robust security features, and advanced meeting capabilities make it a compelling choice for businesses and organizations of all sizes seeking a feature-rich collaboration hub. While it might require a slight learning curve, the benefits in terms of productivity and streamlined workflows make it a worthwhile investment.
Looking for an alternative of Slack, especially one that thrives on community engagement? Discord, while originally designed for gamers, has blossomed into a powerful communication hub perfect for various professional settings. From fostering connections within professional associations and industry groups to facilitating seamless communication between corporate community managers and their members, Discord offers a robust and engaging platform. Event planners can use it to coordinate with attendees and sponsors, while membership-based businesses can create dedicated spaces for subscribers. Even exhibitors seeking targeted lead generation can leverage Discord's community features to connect with potential clients. Its server-based structure mirrors Slack's workspaces, allowing for organized channels dedicated to specific topics or projects. This makes it particularly useful for groups such as corporate and enterprise community managers who need to segment communication and manage multiple communities simultaneously.
Discord's strength lies in its rich communication features. Text, voice, and video communication options facilitate real-time collaboration, making it an ideal alternative of Slack for remote teams. High-quality voice channels with minimal latency are particularly beneficial for event planners conducting virtual meetings or exhibitors engaging in live Q&A sessions with attendees. Screen sharing and video calls further enhance collaboration, allowing for interactive presentations and demonstrations. Imagine a professional association hosting a virtual conference: Discord's robust features enable seamless presentations, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, all within a dedicated and easily navigable server.
One of Discord's standout features, especially for groups like membership-based businesses and subscription services, is its "server" organization. Think of servers as dedicated online spaces. Within each server, you can create multiple channels (like Slack channels) dedicated to different discussion topics, facilitating organized and efficient communication. A membership-based business could, for instance, create a server for premium members, with separate channels for product announcements, support inquiries, and community discussions. This "groups" feature acts as an effective Slack alternative, enabling focused discussions and fostering a sense of belonging amongst members.
Discord offers a generous free tier with unlimited message history, a major advantage over Slack’s free version which limits message history. Paid plans unlock additional features like higher upload limits and enhanced customization options. While it may lack some of the business-oriented integrations found in Slack, Discord shines with its highly customizable environment, thanks to a rich ecosystem of bots that automate tasks and integrate with other services. This can be particularly beneficial for exhibitors and sponsors who can leverage bots to automate lead generation, gather attendee feedback, or even conduct interactive polls and quizzes.
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Website: https://discord.com/
Despite its gamer origins, Discord offers a compelling alternative of Slack, particularly for organizations prioritizing community engagement and interactive communication. Its robust features, generous free tier, and highly customizable environment make it a valuable tool for a variety of professional applications. While the interface may take some getting used to, the benefits of its strong community features and excellent communication capabilities are well worth exploring.
For organizations prioritizing security and control over their communication platform, Mattermost presents a compelling alternative of Slack. This open-source platform offers the flexibility of self-hosting, ensuring your data remains within your own infrastructure, a crucial feature for security-conscious enterprises, government agencies, and highly regulated industries. Even if you're not technically inclined, Mattermost offers cloud-based options, allowing you to leverage their secure infrastructure without the burden of self-management. The interface will feel familiar to Slack users, easing the transition, while providing greater flexibility for customization and integrations to fit your existing workflows. This makes it particularly attractive for groups like professional associations, corporate community managers, and event planners who need tight control over their data and communication.
Mattermost shines with its extensive customization capabilities. From branding to integrating with existing systems like DevOps pipelines and CRM platforms, it adapts to your specific needs, unlike more rigid alternatives. Membership-based businesses and exhibitors seeking targeted lead generation, for example, can tailor Mattermost to streamline communication and track interactions within their community. The markdown-based formatting also allows for rich, structured communication.
While "using groups" within Mattermost isn't explicitly labeled as such (like in platforms like Groups.io, which was perhaps what the user was referencing with their additional instructions), Mattermost achieves similar functionality through its robust channel system. You can create dedicated channels for specific projects, departments, events, or interest groups, effectively replicating the segmented communication offered by dedicated "group" features in other platforms. These channels can be public or private, allowing for both open collaboration and focused discussions within smaller teams. For instance, event planners can create channels for each conference, allowing sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees to communicate within their respective groups. Similarly, corporate community managers can use channels for different product lines or customer segments.
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Pricing: Mattermost offers a free starter plan, a cloud-based Professional plan (starting at $10 per user/month), and an Enterprise plan with custom pricing for advanced features and support. Self-hosting, naturally, involves infrastructure costs.
Technical Requirements (Self-Hosted): A server running a supported operating system (Linux, Windows), a database (PostgreSQL, MySQL), and sufficient processing power and memory based on your user base.
Implementation/Setup Tips: If you choose self-hosting, carefully plan your server resources based on anticipated user load. The Mattermost documentation provides comprehensive guides for installation and configuration. For simpler setup, consider the cloud-based options. Begin by creating key channels and integrating existing tools to maximize efficiency. Encourage team members to explore the customization options to personalize their experience.
Looking for an alternative of Slack, especially if your organization thrives within the Google Workspace ecosystem? Google Chat (formerly Hangouts Chat) is Google's answer to team communication, tightly integrated with services like Gmail, Drive, and Calendar. It offers a streamlined experience with direct messaging, group conversations, and dedicated spaces for focused discussions, making it a strong contender for businesses seeking efficient collaboration. Google Chat shines with its AI-powered features and intuitive navigation, simplifying communication and boosting productivity.
While "groups" isn't a specific feature name within Google Chat, the platform offers "Spaces" which function similarly to how one might use groups in other platforms like Slack. These Spaces provide dedicated areas for teams, projects, or topics, offering a structured way to organize conversations, files, and tasks. You can use Spaces in Google Chat as a Slack alternative by creating dedicated Spaces for different teams, departments, or projects, mirroring the functionality of Slack channels. This helps keep conversations focused and avoids cluttering general communication channels. For example, event planners could use a Space to coordinate logistics with vendors, sponsors, and internal teams, while an industry group might create separate Spaces for different committees or special interest groups.
Google Chat seamlessly integrates with other Google Workspace apps. Imagine starting a video meeting directly from a chat thread with Google Meet, sharing and collaboratively editing documents in Google Drive without leaving the conversation, or scheduling events in Google Calendar based on discussion outcomes. This deep integration streamlines workflows and enhances productivity, particularly for organizations already leveraging the Google Workspace suite.
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Pricing and Technical Requirements: Google Chat is included with Google Workspace subscriptions. The specific features available depend on the Workspace tier your organization chooses. Technically, Google Chat is accessible through a web browser or dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android, ensuring broad accessibility.
Implementation/Setup Tips: Setting up Google Chat is straightforward for organizations already using Google Workspace. Simply navigate to Chat within your Workspace account. For new users, consider structuring your Spaces thoughtfully to mirror your organization’s structure or project needs. Leverage the search functionality to quickly find information within past conversations.
For professional associations, corporate community managers, event planners, and membership-based businesses, Google Chat offers a robust, integrated solution for internal and external communication. Its tight integration with the Google ecosystem, coupled with its user-friendly interface and collaborative features, makes it a worthy alternative of Slack, especially for those already invested in the Google Workspace. Visit the Google Chat website for more information.
Looking for a robust, secure, and customizable alternative of Slack? Rocket.Chat is a fully open-source team communication platform offering a compelling suite of features, including chat, video conferencing, file sharing, and live chat. It caters specifically to organizations prioritizing data sovereignty and security, allowing them to host their communication infrastructure on their own servers or leverage Rocket.Chat's cloud offerings. This makes it especially attractive for businesses with stringent data privacy requirements, technical teams, and those seeking a community-supported solution. For professional associations, industry groups, corporate community managers, event planners, and membership-based businesses, Rocket.Chat presents an attractive option for streamlined communication and collaboration.
Rocket.Chat's flexibility shines through its deployment options. You can self-host it on your own server for maximum control over your data, or opt for the convenience of their cloud-based service. This granular control differentiates it from Slack and makes it ideal for organizations handling sensitive information. Imagine an exhibitors and sponsors group using Rocket.Chat's private channels to share lead generation strategies and coordinate event logistics securely.
The platform’s open-source nature translates to a high degree of customizability. The comprehensive API allows for seamless integrations with other tools, tailoring the platform to specific workflows. For instance, event planners could integrate Rocket.Chat with their event management software to automate communication and updates to attendees and speakers. Membership-based businesses can leverage the API to connect with their CRM and automate membership renewals or notifications.
While Rocket.Chat excels in security and customization, it’s worth noting the technical considerations. Self-hosting requires system administration knowledge for setup and maintenance. While the user interface is functional, it might not be as polished as commercially driven alternatives like Slack. Occasional performance hiccups have been reported on the mobile apps, though these are continually being addressed by the development community. The smaller marketplace of integrations, compared to Slack, could also be a limiting factor for some users.
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Pricing: The community edition is free and open source. Pricing for cloud-based plans and enterprise support varies based on user needs and can be found on their website.
Technical Requirements: For self-hosting, a server with appropriate resources (CPU, RAM, storage) is required, along with a competent system administrator. Specific requirements depend on the scale of deployment.
Using "Groups" as a Slack Alternative (within Rocket.Chat):
While Rocket.Chat doesn't have a feature specifically labeled "Groups" in the same way Slack does, you can achieve similar functionality using Channels and Private Groups. Channels are open to all members of your Rocket.Chat instance, making them ideal for general announcements and discussions. Private Groups, on the other hand, allow you to create exclusive spaces for specific teams or projects, mirroring Slack's private channels. For example, a professional association could create a private group for its board members, another for its marketing committee, and a general channel for all members. This provides a structured way to organize communication and replicate the segmented approach offered by Slack's "Groups" functionality.
Website: https://rocket.chat/
Rocket.Chat offers a compelling alternative of Slack, particularly for organizations valuing data security, customizability, and open-source solutions. While it requires some technical proficiency for self-hosting, the benefits of complete control and robust features make it a worthwhile consideration for the right audience.
If your organization prioritizes security and data control above all else, Element (built on the Matrix protocol) is a compelling alternative to Slack. It offers a decentralized, federated communication platform where you retain ownership of your data. This is particularly relevant for professional associations, industry groups, and corporate communities managing sensitive information. Unlike Slack, where a third-party company controls all data, Element distributes control across a network of servers, preventing any single entity from accessing all communication data. Imagine event planners coordinating a large conference, or a membership-based business interacting with its subscribers – with Element, these conversations remain confidential and secure, empowering the organization with full control.
Element functions much like Slack, facilitating text chat, voice/video calls, file sharing, and even integrations with other platforms. Exhibitors and sponsors seeking targeted lead generation within a controlled environment will appreciate this functionality. You can create "rooms" (equivalent to Slack channels) for different projects, teams, or topics. Thinking about how to use groups as a Slack alternative? Element's rooms function similarly to groups, providing dedicated spaces for discussions and collaboration. You can even bridge Element with existing Slack instances, allowing for seamless communication between teams using different platforms. This interoperability is particularly valuable for large organizations transitioning to a more secure alternative, or for those working with external partners who still rely on Slack.
Element’s end-to-end encryption for all communications ensures that only the intended recipients can read messages, unlike Slack’s standard plan which only offers encryption in transit and at rest. This is a major selling point for industries dealing with confidential data. Furthermore, the open standard and cross-platform synchronization of Element allow users to connect seamlessly from various devices. While Element’s setup might be slightly more complex initially than Slack, it’s a worthwhile investment for organizations prioritizing security and control. Element is free to use with your own server or you can opt for a hosted solution with various pricing tiers depending on your needs. Technical requirements are minimal – just a compatible device and an internet connection.
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Website: https://element.io/
This focus on security and control makes Element a significant alternative to Slack, especially for organizations handling sensitive data or requiring communication across various platforms. The ability to bridge with other services and the open-source nature of the platform adds further value, ensuring flexibility and community-driven development.
Looking for a streamlined and cost-effective alternative to Slack? Flock might be the perfect fit, especially for budget-conscious small to medium-sized businesses. This team messaging and collaboration platform prioritizes productivity with a clean interface and integrates essential tools like video conferencing, screen sharing, and even process automation. This makes it a strong contender for organizations seeking a unified platform for communication and project management. For groups seeking a dedicated space for specific discussions, like a dedicated channel for event planning within a larger professional association, Flock offers a simple and affordable solution.
Flock excels in providing a central hub for various team activities. Imagine an event planning committee within a professional association. They can use Flock to create dedicated channels for different aspects of the event, such as "Venue Selection," "Speaker Coordination," or "Marketing & Promotion." Within these channels, members can share updates, files, and collaborate on tasks, all while keeping the conversations organized and easily searchable. This focused communication, combined with built-in tools like polls, to-dos, and reminders, helps streamline the entire event planning process. Exhibitors and sponsors can also be included in dedicated channels for seamless communication regarding logistics and promotional opportunities, offering targeted lead generation.
Using Flock as a Slack Alternative (and for "Groupos"):
Flock's channel-based system acts like a collection of “groupos,” offering dedicated spaces for different teams, projects, or even interest-based discussions. This structured approach is ideal for organizations with multiple departments or projects running simultaneously. For example, a membership-based business can create separate channels for "Customer Support," "Product Development," and "Marketing," ensuring clear communication within each team and minimizing cross-talk. Conference organizers can similarly create focused "groupos" (channels) for specific tracks or workshops, facilitating communication between speakers, attendees, and organizers. This replicates the functionality of separate group messaging apps or email threads, all within a single, unified platform.
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Flock's key features contribute directly to improved team efficiency:
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Website: https://flock.com/
While pricing details aren't readily available on their website, Flock generally offers a freemium model with paid plans for enhanced features and storage. Technical requirements are minimal, with apps available for desktop and mobile devices across various operating systems.
For organizations seeking a less expensive, user-friendly, and productivity-focused alternative to Slack, Flock deserves serious consideration. Its integrated tools and clean interface make it particularly suitable for teams prioritizing efficient communication and streamlined workflows. Its ability to create focused channels ("groupos") also makes it an effective platform for professional associations, membership-based businesses, and event organizers seeking to segment communication and improve collaboration within different teams or projects.
If your team struggles with constant Slack notifications and the overwhelming feeling of needing to respond right now, Twist offers a refreshing change. As a Slack alternative, Twist prioritizes asynchronous communication, allowing teams to work more deliberately and thoughtfully. Designed by the productivity experts at Doist (creators of Todoist), Twist replaces the frenetic pace of real-time chat with organized, threaded discussions, resembling a more structured, email-like approach within a familiar channel-based interface. This makes it an excellent option for remote and distributed teams, or any team valuing focused work over instant responses. This is particularly relevant for professional associations, industry groups, and corporate community managers who often need to manage multiple projects and communications across different time zones. Twist’s asynchronous nature allows for more considered responses, leading to more productive discussions.
Twist shines in scenarios where asynchronous communication is beneficial, such as discussing project updates, brainstorming ideas, or sharing resources. For example, event planners could use Twist threads to coordinate with exhibitors and sponsors, maintaining a clear, organized history of all communication. Similarly, membership-based businesses can use Twist to manage member inquiries and feedback, ensuring nothing gets lost in the constant stream of messages typical in a real-time chat environment. Even corporate community managers can leverage Twist to facilitate discussions within employee resource groups, fostering a sense of belonging and community without the pressure of immediate responses. It’s a powerful tool for exhibitors and sponsors looking for targeted lead generation, allowing them to follow up with potential leads in a thoughtful and organized manner.
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Twist offers a free plan with a one-month message history limit. Paid plans start at $6 per user per month and unlock unlimited message history, along with other features.
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How Twist Can Be Used Like Groupos (a Slack Alternative focused on topic-based conversations):
While not identical to Groupos, Twist’s threaded conversations within channels can function similarly to Groupos' topic-based rooms. By dedicating specific channels to particular projects or topics and then using threads within those channels for individual discussions, you can achieve a comparable level of organization and focus. This setup allows for focused conversations on specific subjects while keeping all relevant information easily accessible within the respective channel. This is particularly useful for professional associations and industry groups that need to manage multiple ongoing projects and discussions.
Website: https://twist.com/
Twist is a valuable alternative of Slack for teams prioritizing focused, asynchronous communication. Its threaded conversations and organized channels help mitigate information overload and notification fatigue, making it an excellent choice for distributed teams, project-based work, and organizations seeking a calmer, more deliberate communication platform.
As we’ve explored Microsoft Teams, Discord, Mattermost, Google Chat, Rocket.Chat, Element (Matrix), Flock, and Twist, it’s clear that the best “alternative of slack” depends on your organization’s unique priorities. Microsoft Teams and Google Chat shine when you need tight integration with Office 365 or G Suite, while Discord delivers a familiar voice-and-text experience for large communities. Security-first teams will appreciate Mattermost or Rocket.Chat, and if asynchronous, threaded discussions appeal to you, Twist offers a quieter workspace.
Key Takeaways
Next Steps for Implementation
When comparing top contenders, don’t forget to weigh features, pricing tiers, and integration depth. For a detailed comparison of Slack and Microsoft Teams, one of its most popular alternatives, check out this article on Slack vs Teams.
Finally, for professional associations, community managers, and event organizers seeking a unified platform that goes beyond messaging, consider GroupOS. It not only integrates with Slack to ease migration but also centralizes event management, content delivery, and membership engagement in one hub.
Embarking on a platform switch can feel daunting, but with the right criteria and a phased rollout, you’ll empower your community to communicate more effectively and drive real growth.
Ready to streamline communication, events, and member engagement all in one place? Discover how GroupOS can serve as your next “alternative of slack,” combining familiar chat features with powerful event and membership management—so you spend less time toggling apps and more time building community.
