Slack is a premium cloud-based messaging platform with superior UX and 2,000+ integrations, while Rocket.Chat is an open-source alternative offering self-hosted deployment and lower total cost of ownership. Slack dominates enterprise adoption with 750,000+ active workspaces; Rocket.Chat appeals to organizations prioritizing data sovereignty and budget constraints.
Slack vs Rocket.Chat — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Slack if you prioritize seamless integration ecosystem, superior user experience, and don't have strict data residency requirements—ideal for distributed teams in regulated industries with budget flexibility. Choose Rocket.Chat if you need complete data control, self-hosted infrastructure, unlimited search history, or operate in cost-sensitive environments where open-source flexibility and on-premise deployment are critical.
Cloud-based team messaging platform with 2,000+ integrations and 750,000+ active workspaces.
Open-source team communication platform with self-hosted or managed cloud options and 300+ integrations.
Structured comparison data for Slack vs Rocket.Chat with 165 attributes.
Paid Workspaces/Users (Enterprise Adoption)
Annual Subscription Cost (Pro, 100 users)
Maximum video call participants (free tier)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro/Standard)
Maximum Video Conference Participants (Free)
Cost Per User (Annual, Lowest Paid Tier)
Monthly Cost Per User (Standard Tier, Annual Billing)
Maximum Video Conference Participants (Standard Plan)
Slack vs Rocket.Chat — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Slack vs Rocket.Chat.
No. Slack is cloud-only SaaS. Slack Enterprise Grid offers single-workspace-per-organization deployments in dedicated cloud regions, but not true on-premises deployment. For self-hosting requirements, Rocket.Chat is the only option between the two.
Which is cheaper for a team of 50 people?
Rocket.Chat (self-hosted): $0/month ongoing. Rocket.Chat (managed cloud): $200-300/month ($4-6/user). Slack Pro: $449.50/month ($8.99/user) or Business+: $625/month ($12.50/user). Rocket.Chat saves $249-625/month for mid-sized teams.
Does Slack limit message history on free plans?
Yes. Slack free tier shows only the last 10,000 messages across all channels and DMs combined. Older messages become unsearchable. Paid plans (Pro and above) offer unlimited search history. Rocket.Chat provides unlimited history on all plans.
Rocket.Chat is superior for HIPAA due to self-hosted deployment ensuring data never leaves your infrastructure. Slack's cloud-only model limits HIPAA compliance—only Enterprise Grid offers limited HIPAA support but requires BAA and higher costs. Healthcare organizations typically prefer Rocket.Chat.
Can I import data from Slack to Rocket.Chat?
Partial migration possible: Rocket.Chat supports importing Slack workspaces via Slack's standard export format (messages, channels, basic metadata). However, integrations, workflows, and app configurations must be manually reconfigured. Professional migration services charge $5,000-20,000+ for enterprise deployments.