Rocket.Chat
Open-source communication platform with team chat, video, and omnichannel customer engagement.
Overview
Rocket.Chat is an open-source communication platform that combines internal team messaging with omnichannel customer engagement. Self-host it or use their cloud offering.
Strengths
- Self-hosted with full data ownership
- Combines internal chat and customer-facing messaging
- Active open-source community
- Federation support for cross-organization chat
Weaknesses
- UI feels dated compared to Slack
- Self-hosting requires significant DevOps effort
- Fewer integrations than mainstream alternatives
- Can be resource-intensive to run
Quick info
- Category
- Team Communication
- Starting price
- Free (self-hosted)
- Free tier
- Fully free
- Open source
- Yes
- Best for
- Mid-size teams
- Founded
- 2015
Last updated 2026-04-12
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Rocket.Chat comparisons
Slack vs Rocket.Chat
Rocket.Chat is the free option; Slack charges $7.25/user/mo but may offer more polish. Here is how they compare.
Microsoft Teams vs Rocket.Chat
Rocket.Chat is the free option; Microsoft Teams charges $4/user/mo but may offer more polish. Here is how they compare.
Discord vs Rocket.Chat
Rocket.Chat gives you open source and self-hosting; Discord is a managed service. Which trade-off works for you?
Mattermost vs Rocket.Chat
Mattermost is built for teams that need self-hosted, privacy-first messaging. Rocket.Chat is built for teams that want self-hosted chat with customer-facing features. Pick the one that fits.
Rocket.Chat vs Element
Rocket.Chat is built for teams that want self-hosted chat with customer-facing features. Element is built for privacy-focused teams and cross-organization communication. Pick the one that fits.
Rocket.Chat vs Google Chat
Rocket.Chat is the free option; Google Chat charges $6/user/mo but may offer more polish. Here is how they compare.
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Element
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Google Chat
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