What is the difference between Mattermost and Google Chat?

Mattermost is best for Teams that need self-hosted, privacy-first messaging, while Google Chat is best for Teams already using Google Workspace. Mattermost starts at Free (self-hosted) and Google Chat starts at $6/user/mo.

Is Mattermost or Google Chat cheaper?

Mattermost starts at Free (self-hosted) and is free. Google Chat starts at $6/user/mo.

Is there a free alternative to Google Chat?

Yes, Mattermost offers a free tier.

Mattermost vs Google Chat

Mattermost is open-source, self-hosted team messaging platform for organizations that need data sovereignty, while Google Chat is team messaging built into Google Workspace with Spaces, threads, and deep Google app integration. The biggest difference up front: Mattermost is free, while Google Chat starts at $6/user/mo. Mattermost is built for teams that need self-hosted, privacy-first messaging, whereas Google Chat targets teams already using google workspace.

At a glance

	Mattermost	Google Chat
Best for	Teams that need self-hosted, privacy-first messaging	Teams already using Google Workspace
Starting price	Free (self-hosted)	$6/user/mo
Free tier	✓	—
Open source	✓	—
Free tier available	✓	—
Open source	✓	—
Bots	—	✓
Channels	✓	—
Compliance	✓	—
File Sharing	—	✓
Google Workspace	—	✓
Integrations	✓	—
Playbooks	✓	—
Self-Hosted	✓	—
Spaces	—	✓
Threads	—	✓

Mattermost

Strengths

Self-hosted — full control over your data
Open source with active community
Slack-compatible interface, easy migration
Strong compliance and security features

Weaknesses

Requires server management if self-hosting
Smaller integration ecosystem than Slack
Cloud-hosted version is more expensive than Slack
Mobile apps lag behind Slack and Teams in polish

Try Mattermost → Full review

Google Chat

Strengths

Seamless integration with Google Workspace
Clean, simple interface
Included with Google Workspace subscription
Good mobile experience

Weaknesses

Limited features compared to Slack
Fewer third-party integrations
Not available as a standalone product
Threading can be confusing

Try Google Chat → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Mattermost is completely free, which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. Google Chat starts at $6/user/mo. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.

Feature gaps: Mattermost offers Channels, Compliance and Integrations that Google Chat lacks. Google Chat brings Bots, File Sharing and Google Workspace that Mattermost does not have.

Team fit: Mattermost is geared toward mid-size teams teams, while Google Chat is aimed at any size teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Open source: Mattermost is open source, meaning you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in. Google Chat is proprietary — you are trusting the vendor with your data and uptime.

Where each tool shines: Mattermost's biggest strengths are: self-hosted — full control over your data. open source with active community. Google Chat's biggest strengths are: seamless integration with google workspace. clean, simple interface.

Watch out for: With Mattermost, users commonly note that requires server management if self-hosting. With Google Chat, the main complaint is that limited features compared to slack.

Choose Mattermost if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams that need self-hosted, privacy-first messaging
Budget is a hard constraint — Mattermost is free, Google Chat is not
You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
You specifically need Channels and Compliance
You care about open source with active community