5 Open Source Alternatives To Microsoft Teams

The best Communication tools similar to Microsoft Teams

Rocket.Chat stands out as a leading open-source alternative to Microsoft Teams. For those seeking different features or workflows, we've curated a comprehensive list of Microsoft Teams alternatives, each offering unique strengths.

Notable mentions in the Microsoft Teams alternative space include: Zulip, Mattermost, Element, Cinny.

The Microsoft Teams ecosystem primarily consists of Communication solutions. Explore these alternatives to discover tools that align with your specific Microsoft Teams-related requirements, whether you're looking for enhanced features, different user experiences, or specialized functionalities.

Rocket.Chat iconRocket.Chat

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Rocket.Chat screenshot

Rocket.Chat invites you to join us for an exclusive webinar, 'Roadmap Reveal: Uncovering The Secrets of Rocket.Chat v7.0.' This event will provide a deep dive into the upcoming features and enhancements in the latest version of Rocket.Chat, a leading communication platform that prioritizes data protection and security.

  • Team Collaboration: Enhanced tools for seamless collaboration among teams, improving productivity and communication.
  • Customer Communication: Advanced omnichannel capabilities to better connect with customers across various platforms.
  • Hosting Options: Flexible hosting solutions tailored to meet the specific needs of your organization.
  • Security and Compliance: Robust security measures and compliance features to safeguard sensitive data.
  • Marketplace: An expanded marketplace with more prebuilt and custom apps to extend Rocket.Chat's functionality.
  • Apps-Engine: Improved Apps-Engine for developers to create and integrate custom applications effortlessly.
  • Federation and Bridges: Enhanced cross-organizational collaboration features to connect different entities securely.
  • Integrations: Seamless integration with popular tools and services to streamline workflows.

Rocket.Chat v7.0 aims to elevate your communication experience by offering a comprehensive suite of features designed for security, flexibility, and scalability. Join our webinar to get an exclusive look at what’s coming next and how it can benefit your organization.

Zulip iconZulip

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Zulip screenshot

Zulip is an open-source team chat platform designed to help teams stay productive and focused. By organizing conversations into topics, Zulip makes it easy to follow discussions and manage communication efficiently. Whether you are a small business, a large enterprise, or a community project, Zulip offers a structured way to keep your team's communication clear and organized.

  • Threaded Conversations: Zulip's unique threading model allows users to organize conversations by topics, making it easier to follow multiple discussions simultaneously.
  • Cross-Platform Apps: Available on desktop and mobile, Zulip ensures you can stay connected with your team wherever you are.
  • Integrations: Zulip supports numerous integrations, allowing you to connect with your favorite tools and streamline your workflow.
  • API Access: Zulip provides a robust API, enabling developers to customize and extend the platform to meet their specific needs.
  • Self-Hosting: For those who prefer ultimate control and compliance, Zulip offers an easy-to-install self-hosting option.
  • Security: With features like end-to-end encryption, Zulip ensures your team's communication remains secure.
  • Migration Tools: Switching to Zulip is made easy with tools to import data and integrations from other platforms like Slack.
  • Community Support: As an open-source project, Zulip has a vibrant community that contributes to its continuous improvement.

Zulip's organized approach to team communication helps reduce chaos and stress, making it a preferred choice for teams that need to stay productive and focused. Its flexible deployment options and strong security features make it suitable for a wide range of use cases, from business and education to open-source projects and research collaborations.

Mattermost iconMattermost

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Mattermost screenshot

Mattermost is an open-source platform designed to facilitate secure collaboration across the entire software development lifecycle. Tailored for mission-critical work, Mattermost is a robust alternative to Skype for Business, especially suited for defense, government, and critical infrastructure enterprises.

  • Channels: A single source of truth for every conversation, process, and activity. Channels eliminate communication silos and enable secure, searchable collaboration through messaging, meetings, talks, and screen sharing.
  • Playbooks: Orchestrate and execute repeatable processes with checklist-based workflows in one unified location, enhancing command and control.
  • AI: Leverage AI-accelerated workflows while maintaining 100% data control. Integrate any LLM to enhance conversations without compromising flexibility, privacy, or security.
  • Security: Built to meet the strictest security, privacy, and compliance requirements. Deployable in on-premise or air-gapped environments, making it ideal for highly regulated industries.
  • Segmented Deployment: Offers multiple deployment options including air-gapped edge, private cloud, or public cloud, ensuring secure collaboration in even the most protected environments.

Mattermost helps organizations improve their resilience by facilitating faster detection, response, and remediation workflows. Its adaptability, focused collaborative workflows, and fully self-sovereign infrastructure make it a reliable solution for enterprises needing stringent security and privacy controls.

Element iconElement

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Element screenshot

Element is a sovereign and secure communications platform built by the creators of Matrix. It provides a robust solution for organizations that need to protect and manage their business-critical communications with full data sovereignty and compliance. Element offers both a frontend for real-time collaboration and a backend for customizable network configurations, all based on the open Matrix standard for secure data management.

  • Frontend: Collaborate with confidence in real-time using the Element app.
  • Backend: Customize your network configurations and permissions with the Element Server Suite, available for self-hosted or fully managed deployments.
  • Open Standard: Utilize the Matrix open standard to configure networks according to your requirements.

Element is trusted by secure organizations for its ability to protect and strengthen business-critical communications. It allows you to control your data with flexible hosting options, ensuring data sovereignty. Additionally, it enables trusted real-time communication across organizations, making it an ideal solution for enterprises that value security, compliance, and customizable communication infrastructure.

Cinny iconCinny

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Cinny screenshot

Cinny is an elegant and secure Matrix client designed to offer a pleasant communication experience. Built on the open-source Matrix protocol, Cinny ensures your conversations are protected with end-to-end encryption (e2ee) and provides a simple, user-friendly interface. It is perfect for anyone looking for a streamlined and organized chat experience.

  • Organized Navigation: DMs are separated from channels, making it easier to find and manage conversations.
  • No Clutter: The interface shows only what is necessary, providing better visual feedback.
  • Adaptive Input: The interface adapts to your actions seamlessly, ensuring a comfortable user experience.
  • Calm Visuals: Proper alignment and formatting offer a calm and visually appealing environment.
  • Constantly Evolving: Continuous improvements and updates make Cinny a better place for communication.

Cinny is built on the Matrix network, an open protocol for secure, decentralized communication. As an open-source project, Cinny allows users to enhance, modify, and inspect its source code, fostering a collaborative and transparent development process.