software
Mattermost vs Slack 2026: Cost & Features
Slack is a cloud-hosted SaaS platform with 750,000+ active workspaces and superior integrations, while Mattermost is a self-hosted open-source alternative costing 60-70% less with full data control. Slack dominates enterprise adoption; Mattermost suits organizations prioritizing privacy and cost savings.
M
Mattermost
Self-hosted open-source team collaboration platform with full data control and 60% lower costs than Slack.
Healthcare organizations, government agencies, financial institutions, and enterprises requiring HIPAA/SOC2 compliance, data sovereignty, and cost optimization.
Score63%
VS
S
Slack
Cloud-based SaaS team communication platform with 750,000+ active workspaces and 2,000+ native integrations.
Mid-market to enterprise SaaS companies, tech teams, startups, and organizations prioritizing integration ecosystem, managed infrastructure, and rapid deployment.
Score63%
Quick Answer
AI SummarySlack is a cloud-hosted SaaS platform with 750,000+ active workspaces and superior integrations, while Mattermost is a self-hosted open-source alternative costing 60-70% less with full data control. Slack dominates enterprise adoption; Mattermost suits organizations prioritizing privacy and cost savings.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose Mattermost if your organization prioritizes data sovereignty, cost efficiency, and regulatory compliance—it's ideal for government, healthcare, and enterprises with strict security requirements. Choose Slack if you need best-in-class integrations, enterprise support, and seamless team collaboration at scale without infrastructure management overhead.
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M
Mattermost
6.5/10
Slack
8.5/10
S
M
Choose Mattermost if
Healthcare organizations, government agencies, financial institutions, and enterprises requiring HIPAA/SOC2 compliance, data sovereignty, and cost optimization.
S
Choose Slack if
Best pickMid-market to enterprise SaaS companies, tech teams, startups, and organizations prioritizing integration ecosystem, managed infrastructure, and rapid deployment.
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Key Differences at a Glance
- Deployment Model:✓ Mattermost wins(Self-hosted or cloud (open-source) vs Cloud-only SaaS)
- Monthly Cost Per User:✓ Mattermost wins($4-8 (self-hosted) or free open-source vs $8-15)
- Third-Party Integrations:✓ Slack wins(2,000+ integrations vs 500+ integrations)
Key Facts & Figures
123 numeric metrics compared
| Metric | Mattermost | Slack | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $10.00 | $7.25 | |
| Business+ Tier Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $18.00 | $12.50 | |
| Price Stability (2024-2026)(months) | Stable | No increases for 33 months | — |
| Available Integrations(integrations) | 500+ | 2000+ | |
| Monthly Active Users (2024)(millions) | ~0.3 million | — | — |
| Starting Price (Monthly)(USD) | $0 (self-hosted) or $10 (cloud) | — | — |
| Native Third-Party Integrations(integrations) | 400+ plugins | 100+ | |
| Maximum Video Conference Participants(participants) | Up to 1,000 (with Jitsi) | — | — |
| Base Monthly Cost (Single User)(USD) | $0 (open-source) - $39/month (Mattermost Cloud) | — | — |
| Maximum File Upload Size(GB) | 100+ GB (configurable) | — | — |
| Available Integrations(count) | 120+ integrations (community-contributed) | 2,400+ | |
| Annual TCO (1,000 users, 3-year average)(USD) | $0 (self-hosted) or $39,000 (managed cloud) | — | — |
| Monthly Cost Per User (Standard)(USD) | $4-8 | $8-15 | |
| Third-Party Integrations(integrations) | 500+ | 2,000+ | |
| Active Organizational Users(organizations) | 50,000+ | 750,000+ workspaces | |
| Message History Search (Self-Hosted)(messages) | Unlimited | 10,000 (free), unlimited (paid) | — |
| Enterprise Support SLA(hours) | Varies by provider (24-48h) | 1-4 hours (Enterprise Grid) | |
| File Storage (Free Plan)(GB) | 10GB (self-hosted unlimited) | 5GB | |
| App Integrations(count) | 2,600+ | 2,600+ | |
| Paid Starting Price(USD/user/mo) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Standalone Monthly Pricing (Pro Tier)(USD per user per month) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Annual Cost per User (Pro Tier)(USD) | $87 (billed yearly) | $87 (billed yearly) | |
| Third-Party App Integrations(integrations) | 2,400+ | 2,400+ | |
| Video Meeting Capacity(participants) | Up to 2,000 (with paid plan) | Up to 2,000 (with paid plan) | |
| Mobile App Feature Parity(%) | 95% | 95% | |
| Monthly Cost per 20-Person Team(USD) | $3,600 (Pro plan at $15/user) | $3,600 (Pro plan at $15/user) | |
| Global Market Share(%) | 65% | 65% | |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | 7 days | 7 days | |
| Daily Active Users Worldwide(millions) | 20+ million | 20+ million | |
| Message History Retention on Free Plan(count) | 10,000 most recent | 10,000 most recent | |
| Base Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $8.25 (Pro plan, min 3 users) | $8.25 (Pro plan, min 3 users) | |
| Free Tier Meeting Participant Limit(participants) | Unlimited (Slack Huddles for video limited to 50 participants) | Unlimited (Slack Huddles for video limited to 50 participants) | |
| Asynchronous Communication Strength(scale 1-5) | 5 out of 5 (core feature with channels, threads, and history) | 5 out of 5 (core feature with channels, threads, and history) | |
| Google Workspace Integration Level | 2 out of 5 (available via integration, not native) | 2 out of 5 (available via integration, not native) | |
| AI Features Count (2026)(features) | 30+ (CRM tools, meeting summaries, automation, SlackBot enhancements) | 30+ (CRM tools, meeting summaries, automation, SlackBot enhancements) | |
| Free Tier Cost(USD) | Free | Free | |
| Pro/Standard Monthly Cost(USD per user/month) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Third-party Integrations(integrations) | 2000+ | 2000+ | |
| Minimum Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Third-Party Integrations Available(count) | 2,000+ | 2,000+ | |
| Years Price Stable (2026)(months) | 33+ months | 33+ months | |
| Native Integrations Available(count) | 2200+ | 2200+ | |
| Pro Plan Annual Cost(USD) | $150 (billed monthly) | $150 (billed monthly) | |
| Free Tier Message History Retention(days) | 90 days | 90 days | |
| AI Transcription Languages Supported(languages) | 0 (not native feature) | 0 (not native feature) | |
| Enterprise Uptime SLA(percent) | 99.99% | 99.99% | |
| User Workspace Limit (Free Tier)(workspaces) | 1 workspace | 1 workspace | |
| Maximum Meeting Participants (Free)(participants) | 3 participants | 3 participants | |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD per user) | $8.75 | $8.75 | |
| Monthly Cost (Pro Plan)(USD) | $12.50 per user/month | $12.50 per user/month | |
| Free Message History(days) | 90 days maximum | 90 days maximum | |
| Voice Audio Codec Quality(kHz) | 16 kHz | 16 kHz | |
| Maximum Video Call Participants(people) | 15 participants | 15 participants | |
| Total Registered Users(millions) | 750 million | 750 million | |
| Enterprise Plan Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $12.50 | $12.50 | |
| Free Plan Message History Retention(days) | 90 days | 90 days | |
| Third-Party Integrations Available(count) | 2,300+ integrations | 2,300+ integrations | |
| Paid Plan Starting Price(USD/month) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Cloud Storage (Base Plan)(GB) | 10 GB | 10 GB | |
| Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $8-12.50 (Pro/Business+) | $8-12.50 (Pro/Business+) | |
| Active Workspaces(workspaces) | 750,000+ | 750,000+ | |
| Message History Searchable(years) | 10 years standard | 10 years standard | |
| Workflow Automation Steps(built-in steps) | 50+ | 50+ | |
| Native App Integrations Available(count) | 2,400+ apps | 2,400+ apps | |
| Monthly Cost (Pro Plan, 50 users)(USD) | $412.50/month | $412.50/month | |
| Paid Workspaces/Users (Enterprise Adoption)(workspaces) | 750,000+ paid workspaces | 750,000+ paid workspaces | |
| Monthly Cost (10 Users, Annual)(USD) | $150/month ($1,800/year) | $150/month ($1,800/year) | |
| Pre-built Integrations(count) | 2,400+ integrations | 2,400+ integrations | |
| Message History on Free Plan(days) | 90-day limited access | 90-day limited access | |
| Active Global Workspaces/Deployments(count) | 750,000+ active workspaces | 750,000+ active workspaces | |
| Uptime SLA Guarantee(%) | 99.99% | 99.99% | |
| Price Per User Per Month (Pro/Standard)(USD) | $12.50/user (Pro plan) | $12.50/user (Pro plan) | |
| Base Monthly Cost (10-person team)(USD) | $80-150 | $80-150 | |
| Cost for 50-person team(USD/month) | $400-750 | $400-750 | |
| Real-time Messaging Speed(ms (message delivery latency)) | 50-100ms (instant) | 50-100ms (instant) | |
| File Storage Included(GB) | 5GB (Free), varies by plan | 5GB (Free), varies by plan | |
| Setup Time for New Team(hours) | 0.5-1 hour | 0.5-1 hour | |
| Max Video Conference Participants(people) | 1000 | 1000 | |
| Voice Codec Quality Rating(score (1-10)) | 7.5 | 7.5 | |
| Enterprise Security Certifications(count) | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, FedRAMP | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, FedRAMP | |
| Time to Deploy(hours) | 3-7 | 3-7 | |
| Uptime Guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | 99.99% | |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD) | $8.75 | $8.75 | |
| Video Conference Max Participants(participants) | 150 | 150 | |
| Free Tier File Storage(GB per user) | 1 GB shared workspace | 1 GB shared workspace | |
| Message Search History (Free Tier)(days) | 90 days | 90 days | |
| Annual Subscription Cost (Pro, 100 users)(USD) | $10,500 | $10,500 | |
| Desktop App Memory Usage(MB) | 280 MB | 280 MB | |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro Plan)(USD) | $12.50 | $12.50 | |
| Message Search Response Time(seconds) | 2-4 seconds | 2-4 seconds | |
| User interface satisfaction rating(out of 10) | 9.2/10 | 9.2/10 | |
| Maximum video call participants (free tier)(people) | 100 participants | 100 participants | |
| Service uptime SLA guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | 99.99% | |
| Message history retention (free plan)(days) | 90 days searchable | 90 days searchable | |
| Enterprise app marketplace size(applications) | 2,000+ apps (Slack App Directory) | 2,000+ apps (Slack App Directory) | |
| Team Size Cost Efficiency Threshold(team members) | Cost-effective until ~12 users | Cost-effective until ~12 users | |
| Message History Searchability(months) | 90 days (Free/Pro), unlimited with Enterprise | 90 days (Free/Pro), unlimited with Enterprise | |
| Average User Adoption Time(days) | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | |
| Global Active Users(millions) | 750+ million messages daily across 750k+ organizations | 750+ million messages daily across 750k+ organizations | |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro/Standard)(USD) | $8.25 | $8.25 | |
| Message Delivery Latency(milliseconds) | <100ms | <100ms | |
| File Upload Limit(GB) | 20GB | 20GB | |
| Message History Retention (Free Tier)(days) | 90 days | 90 days | |
| G2 Ease of Use Rating (2024)(stars) | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | |
| Video Meeting Participant Limit(participants) | 2000 | 2000 | |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $12.50 | $12.50 | |
| File Storage Per User(GB) | 100 (workspace) | 100 (workspace) | |
| Free Group Video Call Duration Limit(minutes) | 40 | 40 | |
| Maximum Video Conference Participants (Free)(people) | Limited (typically 3-4) | Limited (typically 3-4) | |
| G2 User Interface Rating(out of 5) | 4.6/5 (12,400 reviews) | 4.6/5 (12,400 reviews) | |
| Daily Active Users(millions) | 21 million | 21 million | |
| Message History (Free Plan)(days) | 90 days | 90 days | |
| Cost Per User (Annual, Lowest Paid Tier)(USD/month) | $8/month | $8/month | |
| Organizations Using Platform(count (thousands)) | 750,000+ | 750,000+ | |
| Monthly Cost Per User (Standard Tier, Annual Billing)(USD) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Cloud Storage Included Per User(GB) | 0 GB (integrations only) | 0 GB (integrations only) | |
| Maximum Video Conference Participants (Standard Plan)(participants) | 2 | 2 | |
| Third-Party App Integrations Available(apps) | 2,300+ | 2,300+ | |
| Message Search History(messages) | 10,000 (free tier); unlimited (paid) | 10,000 (free tier); unlimited (paid) | |
| Base Cost per User/Month(USD) | $8.99 | $8.99 | |
| Native Integrations(count) | 2,000+ | 2,000+ | |
| Active Workspaces/Deployments(count) | 750,000 | 750,000 | |
| iOS App Rating(stars) | 4.7 | 4.7 |
Sourced from publicly available data ·
Key Differences
7 attributes compared head-to-head
M
5MattermostMattermost leads
S
2SlackMattermost
Attribute
Slack
- Self-hosted or cloud (open-source)(winner)Deployment ModelCloud-only SaaS
- $4-8 (self-hosted) or free open-source(winner)Monthly Cost Per User$8-15
- 500+ integrationsThird-Party Integrations2,000+ integrations(winner)
- Full control (self-hosted option)(winner)Data OwnershipSlack controls data
- 50,000+ organizationsEnterprise Adoption750,000+ active workspaces(winner)
- Yes, fully open source(winner)Open Source CodeProprietary closed-source
- Unlimited (on self-hosted)(winner)Message Search Limit10,000 most recent messages (free plan)
- Deployment Model
Mattermost
Self-hosted or cloud (open-source)(winner)
Slack
Cloud-only SaaS
- Monthly Cost Per User
Mattermost
$4-8 (self-hosted) or free open-source(winner)
Slack
$8-15
- Third-Party Integrations
Mattermost
500+ integrations
Slack
2,000+ integrations(winner)
- Data Ownership
Mattermost
Full control (self-hosted option)(winner)
Slack
Slack controls data
- Enterprise Adoption
Mattermost
50,000+ organizations
Slack
750,000+ active workspaces(winner)
- Open Source Code
Mattermost
Yes, fully open source(winner)
Slack
Proprietary closed-source
- Message Search Limit
Mattermost
Unlimited (on self-hosted)(winner)
Slack
10,000 most recent messages (free plan)
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Mattermost | Slack |
|---|---|---|
| Base Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $10.00 | $7.25(winner) |
| Business+ Tier Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $18.00 | $12.50(winner) |
| Price Stability (2024-2026)(months) | Stable | No increases for 33 months |
| Base Monthly Cost (Single User)(USD) | $0 (open-source) - $39/month (Mattermost Cloud) | — |
| Monthly Cost Per User (Standard)(USD) | $4-8(winner) | $8-15 |
Show 28 more attributesStandalone Monthly Pricing (Pro Tier)(USD per user per month) $7.25 — Annual Cost per User (Pro Tier)(USD) $87 (billed yearly) — Monthly Cost per 20-Person Team(USD) $3,600 (Pro plan at $15/user) — Base Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $8.25 (Pro plan, min 3 users) — Free Tier Cost(USD) Free — Pro/Standard Monthly Cost(USD per user/month) $7.25 — Minimum Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $7.25 — Years Price Stable (2026)(months) 33+ months — Pro Plan Annual Cost(USD) $150 (billed monthly) — Pro Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD per user) $8.75 — Monthly Cost (Pro Plan)(USD) $12.50 per user/month — Enterprise Plan Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $12.50 — Paid Plan Starting Price(USD/month) $7.25 — Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $8-12.50 (Pro/Business+) — Monthly Cost (Pro Plan, 50 users)(USD) $412.50/month — Monthly Cost (10 Users, Annual)(USD) $150/month ($1,800/year) — Price Per User Per Month (Pro/Standard)(USD) $12.50/user (Pro plan) — Base Monthly Cost (10-person team)(USD) $80-150 — Cost for 50-person team(USD/month) $400-750 — Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD) $8.75 — Annual Subscription Cost (Pro, 100 users)(USD) $10,500 — Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro Plan)(USD) $12.50 — Team Size Cost Efficiency Threshold(team members) Cost-effective until ~12 users — Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro/Standard)(USD) $8.25 — Pro Plan Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $12.50 — Cost Per User (Annual, Lowest Paid Tier)(USD/month) $8/month — Monthly Cost Per User (Standard Tier, Annual Billing)(USD) $7.25 — Base Cost per User/Month(USD) $8.99 — | ||
| Deployment Options | Self-hosted, on-premise, cloud | Cloud-based SaaS only |
| GDPR & Data Sovereignty Compliance | Full control with self-hosting option | Compliant but data on Salesforce servers |
| End-to-End Encryption Available | DMs only, Enterprise+ plan | — |
| End-to-End Encryption Default(null) | Not available | — |
| Enterprise Security Certifications(count) | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, FedRAMP | — |
| Available Integrations(integrations) | 500+ | 2000+(winner) |
| Available Integrations(count) | 120+ integrations (community-contributed) | 2,400+(winner) |
| Third-Party App Integrations Available(apps) | 2,300+ | — |
| Open Source | Yes, fully open-source | No, proprietary |
| Enterprise AI Features | Basic automation and workflows | Advanced AI assistant, smart summaries, automation |
| Maximum Video Conference Participants(participants) | Up to 1,000 (with Jitsi) | — |
| Third-Party Integrations(integrations) | 500+ | 2,000+(winner) |
| Message History Search (Self-Hosted)(messages) | Unlimited | 10,000 (free), unlimited (paid) |
| File Storage (Free Plan)(GB) | 10GB (self-hosted unlimited)(winner) | 5GB |
Show 32 more attributesApp Integrations(count) 2,600+ — Third-Party App Integrations(integrations) 2,400+ — Video Meeting Capacity(participants) Up to 2,000 (with paid plan) — Native Office Integration Limited (third-party connectors) — AI Copilot Features Slack AI (summarization, search, assisted writing) — Message History Retention on Free Plan(count) 10,000 most recent — Free Tier Meeting Participant Limit(participants) Unlimited (Slack Huddles for video limited to 50 participants) — Native Video Conferencing Huddles for brief video, limited to 50 participants; requires external tool for full conferencing — Meeting Recording & Auto-Transcription Not native; requires integration with Otter.ai or similar third-party services — Asynchronous Communication Strength(scale 1-5) 5 out of 5 (core feature with channels, threads, and history) — Third-Party Integrations Available(count) 2,000+ — Native Integrations Available(count) 2200+ — Free Message History(days) 90 days maximum — Free Plan Message History Retention(days) 90 days — Free Plan External Guest Collaboration(capacity) Unlimited external guests via workspace invite — Email Service Included No — Message History Searchable(years) 10 years standard — Workflow Automation Steps(built-in steps) 50+ — Message History on Free Plan(days) 90-day limited access — Message History Retention(status) 10,000 messages (free); unlimited (paid) — Built-in Project Management(status) No (requires integrations) — Max Video Conference Participants(people) 1000 — Video Conference Max Participants(participants) 150 — Message Search History (Free Tier)(days) 90 days — Message Search Speed (Free Tier)(indexing scope) All messages indexed instantly — Message History Retention (Free Tier)(days) 90 days — Video Meeting Participant Limit(participants) 2000 — Free Group Video Call Duration Limit(minutes) 40 — Self-Hosting Capability Not available — Cloud Storage Included Per User(GB) 0 GB (integrations only) — Maximum Video Conference Participants (Standard Plan)(participants) 2 — Native Integrations(count) 2,000+ — | ||
| Monthly Active Users (2024)(millions) | ~0.3 million | — |
| Global Active Users(millions) | 750+ million messages daily across 750k+ organizations | — |
| Daily Active Users(millions) | 21 million | — |
| Starting Price (Monthly)(USD) | $0 (self-hosted) or $10 (cloud) | — |
| Native Third-Party Integrations(integrations) | 400+ plugins(winner) | 100+ |
| Enterprise app marketplace size(applications) | 2,000+ apps (Slack App Directory) | — |
| Source Code Availability | Open-source (Apache 2.0) | Proprietary/closed |
| AI Assistant Integration | Limited AI features, plugin-based integration possible | — |
| AI Assistant Capability | Slack AI (optional on paid plans) | — |
| AI Transcription Languages Supported(languages) | 0 (not native feature) | — |
| AI Meeting Assistant | Slack AI (search, summarization, drafting) | — |
| Data Residency Control(null) | Full control with self-hosted deployment | — |
| FedRAMP Authorization(boolean) | No | — |
| HIPAA Compliance Certified | Yes (Business+ plan required) | — |
| Active Monthly Users(millions) | 500,000+ deployments | — |
| Active Organizational Users(organizations) | 50,000+ | 750,000+ workspaces(winner) |
| Active Workspaces(workspaces) | 750,000+ | — |
| Monthly Active Users(billions) | 0.75 million | — |
| Active Workspaces/Deployments(count) | 750,000 | — |
| Maximum File Upload Size(GB) | 100+ GB (configurable) | — |
| Open Source Availability | AGPL v3 open-source | — |
| Self-Hosted Deployment Option | Full self-hosted + cloud managed options | — |
| Self-Hosted/On-Premises Option | No (cloud-only) | — |
| Message Search Speed(seconds) | 0.5-1 second average | Excellent - optimized search indexing |
| Voice Audio Codec Quality(kHz) | 16 kHz | — |
| Maximum Video Call Participants(people) | 15 participants | — |
| Real-time Messaging Speed(ms (message delivery latency)) | 50-100ms (instant) | — |
| Desktop App Memory Usage(MB) | 280 MB | — |
Show 2 more attributesMessage Search Response Time(seconds) 2-4 seconds — Message Delivery Latency(milliseconds) <100ms — | ||
| Annual TCO (1,000 users, 3-year average)(USD) | $0 (self-hosted) or $39,000 (managed cloud) | — |
| Deployment Options(deployment models) | Self-hosted, Cloud, Docker, Kubernetes | Cloud-only SaaS |
| Threading Model | Channel-based threads (contextual loss in active channels) | — |
| Open Source(boolean) | Yes (AGPL license) | No (proprietary) |
| Enterprise Support SLA(hours) | Varies by provider (24-48h) | 1-4 hours (Enterprise Grid)(winner) |
| Paid Starting Price(USD/user/mo) | $7.25 | — |
| Mobile App Feature Parity(%) | 95% | — |
| Mobile App Type | Native iOS/Android with feature-parity | — |
| Global Market Share(%) | 65% | — |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | 7 days | — |
| Daily Active Users Worldwide(millions) | 20+ million | — |
| Self-Hosting Available(boolean) | No | — |
| Google Workspace Integration Level | 2 out of 5 (available via integration, not native) | — |
| AI Features Count (2026)(features) | 30+ (CRM tools, meeting summaries, automation, SlackBot enhancements) | — |
| Maximum Meeting Participants(participants) | Unlimited group chats | — |
| Built-in Task Management(features) | No: messaging-only, requires integrations | — |
| Message History Searchability(months) | 90 days (Free/Pro), unlimited with Enterprise | — |
| Third-party Integrations(integrations) | 2000+ | — |
| Third-Party Integrations Available(count) | 2,300+ integrations | — |
| AI Features (2026) | Workflow automation, search enhancement | — |
| Real-Time Translation | Not available | — |
| Asynchronous Communication | Optimized with threads and archives | — |
| Zoom Rooms Cost(USD per room/month) | N/A | — |
| Google Workspace Native Integration | Limited (requires custom setup) | — |
| Pre-built Integrations(count) | 2,400+ integrations | — |
| Native Microsoft 365 Integration(integration level) | API-based (basic) | — |
| Workflow Automation Complexity | Advanced with conditional logic | — |
| Storage Per User (Standard Plan)(GB) | Variable by plan | — |
| Cloud Storage (Base Plan)(GB) | 10 GB | — |
| File Storage Included(GB) | 5GB (Free), varies by plan | — |
| Free Tier File Storage(GB per user) | 1 GB shared workspace | — |
| Message history retention (free plan)(days) | 90 days searchable | — |
Show 2 more attributesFile Upload Limit(GB) 20GB — File Storage Per User(GB) 100 (workspace) — | ||
| Maximum Video Length (Free Tier)(minutes) | N/A | — |
| Maximum Video Resolution(pixels) | Requires 3rd party | — |
| Free Tier Message History Retention(days) | 90 days | — |
| Enterprise Uptime SLA(percent) | 99.99% | — |
| Uptime SLA Guarantee(%) | 99.99% | — |
| Uptime Guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | — |
| Service uptime SLA guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | — |
| User Workspace Limit (Free Tier)(workspaces) | 1 workspace | — |
| Maximum Meeting Participants (Free)(participants) | 3 participants | — |
| Maximum Meeting Participants (Paid)(participants) | Unlimited (slide deck view only) | — |
| Free Plan Message History(months) | 90 days | — |
| SOC 2 Type II Certified | Yes | — |
| Custom Workflow Automation | Advanced (Workflow Builder, automations) | — |
| Users Per Workspace(count) | Unlimited | — |
| Total Registered Users(millions) | 750 million | — |
| Daily Posts Published (Organic)(millions) | N/A | — |
| Native Video/Audio Calls | Yes (Slack Huddles) | — |
| Native App Integrations Available(count) | 2,400+ apps | — |
| Paid Workspaces/Users (Enterprise Adoption)(workspaces) | 750,000+ paid workspaces | — |
| Active Global Workspaces/Deployments(count) | 750,000+ active workspaces | — |
| Setup Time for New Team(hours) | 0.5-1 hour | — |
| Voice Codec Quality Rating(score (1-10)) | 7.5 | — |
| Time to Deploy(hours) | 3-7 | — |
| Learning Curve(difficulty (1-10)) | 2 | — |
| User interface satisfaction rating(out of 10) | 9.2/10 | — |
| Average User Adoption Time(days) | 1-3 days | — |
| G2 Ease of Use Rating (2024)(stars) | 4.5/5 | — |
| G2 User Interface Rating(out of 5) | 4.6/5 (12,400 reviews) | — |
| Maximum video call participants (free tier)(people) | 100 participants | — |
| Maximum Video Conference Participants (Free)(people) | Limited (typically 3-4) | — |
| Message Search Capability(text) | Full-text indexed across all messages | — |
| End-to-End Encryption(null) | Partial (DMs only, beta feature) | — |
| Message History (Free Plan)(days) | 90 days | — |
| Message Search History(messages) | 10,000 (free tier); unlimited (paid) | — |
| Organizations Using Platform(count (thousands)) | 750,000+ | — |
| GDPR Compliance | Certified (SOC 2 Type II, GDPR) | — |
| iOS App Rating(stars) | 4.7 | — |
| GitHub Stars (Community)(stars) | N/A (proprietary) | — |
MMattermost
SSlack
Base Monthly Cost Per User(USD)
$10.00
$7.25
Business+ Tier Monthly Cost Per User(USD)
$18.00
$12.50
Price Stability (2024-2026)(months)
Stable
No increases for 33 months
Base Monthly Cost (Single User)(USD)
$0 (open-source) - $39/month (Mattermost Cloud)
—
Monthly Cost Per User (Standard)(USD)
$4-8
$8-15
Show 28 more attributes
Standalone Monthly Pricing (Pro Tier)(USD per user per month)
$7.25
—
Annual Cost per User (Pro Tier)(USD)
$87 (billed yearly)
—
Monthly Cost per 20-Person Team(USD)
$3,600 (Pro plan at $15/user)
—
Base Monthly Cost Per User(USD)
$8.25 (Pro plan, min 3 users)
—
Free Tier Cost(USD)
Free
—
Pro/Standard Monthly Cost(USD per user/month)
$7.25
—
Minimum Monthly Cost Per User(USD)
$7.25
—
Years Price Stable (2026)(months)
33+ months
—
Pro Plan Annual Cost(USD)
$150 (billed monthly)
—
Pro Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD per user)
$8.75
—
Monthly Cost (Pro Plan)(USD)
$12.50 per user/month
—
Enterprise Plan Monthly Cost Per User(USD)
$12.50
—
Paid Plan Starting Price(USD/month)
$7.25
—
Monthly Cost Per User(USD)
$8-12.50 (Pro/Business+)
—
Monthly Cost (Pro Plan, 50 users)(USD)
$412.50/month
—
Monthly Cost (10 Users, Annual)(USD)
$150/month ($1,800/year)
—
Price Per User Per Month (Pro/Standard)(USD)
$12.50/user (Pro plan)
—
Base Monthly Cost (10-person team)(USD)
$80-150
—
Cost for 50-person team(USD/month)
$400-750
—
Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD)
$8.75
—
Annual Subscription Cost (Pro, 100 users)(USD)
$10,500
—
Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro Plan)(USD)
$12.50
—
Team Size Cost Efficiency Threshold(team members)
Cost-effective until ~12 users
—
Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro/Standard)(USD)
$8.25
—
Pro Plan Monthly Cost Per User(USD)
$12.50
—
Cost Per User (Annual, Lowest Paid Tier)(USD/month)
$8/month
—
Monthly Cost Per User (Standard Tier, Annual Billing)(USD)
$7.25
—
Base Cost per User/Month(USD)
$8.99
—
Deployment Options
Self-hosted, on-premise, cloud
Cloud-based SaaS only
GDPR & Data Sovereignty Compliance
Full control with self-hosting option
Compliant but data on Salesforce servers
End-to-End Encryption Available
DMs only, Enterprise+ plan
—
End-to-End Encryption Default(null)
Not available
—
Enterprise Security Certifications(count)
SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, FedRAMP
—
Available Integrations(integrations)
500+
2000+
Available Integrations(count)
120+ integrations (community-contributed)
2,400+
Third-Party App Integrations Available(apps)
2,300+
—
Open Source
Yes, fully open-source
No, proprietary
Enterprise AI Features
Basic automation and workflows
Advanced AI assistant, smart summaries, automation
Maximum Video Conference Participants(participants)
Up to 1,000 (with Jitsi)
—
Third-Party Integrations(integrations)
500+
2,000+
Message History Search (Self-Hosted)(messages)
Unlimited
10,000 (free), unlimited (paid)
File Storage (Free Plan)(GB)
10GB (self-hosted unlimited)
5GB
Show 32 more attributes
App Integrations(count)
2,600+
—
Third-Party App Integrations(integrations)
2,400+
—
Video Meeting Capacity(participants)
Up to 2,000 (with paid plan)
—
Native Office Integration
Limited (third-party connectors)
—
AI Copilot Features
Slack AI (summarization, search, assisted writing)
—
Message History Retention on Free Plan(count)
10,000 most recent
—
Free Tier Meeting Participant Limit(participants)
Unlimited (Slack Huddles for video limited to 50 participants)
—
Native Video Conferencing
Huddles for brief video, limited to 50 participants; requires external tool for full conferencing
—
Meeting Recording & Auto-Transcription
Not native; requires integration with Otter.ai or similar third-party services
—
Asynchronous Communication Strength(scale 1-5)
5 out of 5 (core feature with channels, threads, and history)
—
Third-Party Integrations Available(count)
2,000+
—
Native Integrations Available(count)
2200+
—
Free Message History(days)
90 days maximum
—
Free Plan Message History Retention(days)
90 days
—
Free Plan External Guest Collaboration(capacity)
Unlimited external guests via workspace invite
—
Email Service Included
No
—
Message History Searchable(years)
10 years standard
—
Workflow Automation Steps(built-in steps)
50+
—
Message History on Free Plan(days)
90-day limited access
—
Message History Retention(status)
10,000 messages (free); unlimited (paid)
—
Built-in Project Management(status)
No (requires integrations)
—
Max Video Conference Participants(people)
1000
—
Video Conference Max Participants(participants)
150
—
Message Search History (Free Tier)(days)
90 days
—
Message Search Speed (Free Tier)(indexing scope)
All messages indexed instantly
—
Message History Retention (Free Tier)(days)
90 days
—
Video Meeting Participant Limit(participants)
2000
—
Free Group Video Call Duration Limit(minutes)
40
—
Self-Hosting Capability
Not available
—
Cloud Storage Included Per User(GB)
0 GB (integrations only)
—
Maximum Video Conference Participants (Standard Plan)(participants)
2
—
Native Integrations(count)
2,000+
—
Monthly Active Users (2024)(millions)
~0.3 million
—
Global Active Users(millions)
750+ million messages daily across 750k+ organizations
—
Daily Active Users(millions)
21 million
—
Starting Price (Monthly)(USD)
$0 (self-hosted) or $10 (cloud)
—
Native Third-Party Integrations(integrations)
400+ plugins
100+
Enterprise app marketplace size(applications)
2,000+ apps (Slack App Directory)
—
Source Code Availability
Open-source (Apache 2.0)
Proprietary/closed
AI Assistant Integration
Limited AI features, plugin-based integration possible
—
AI Assistant Capability
Slack AI (optional on paid plans)
—
AI Transcription Languages Supported(languages)
0 (not native feature)
—
AI Meeting Assistant
Slack AI (search, summarization, drafting)
—
Data Residency Control(null)
Full control with self-hosted deployment
—
FedRAMP Authorization(boolean)
No
—
HIPAA Compliance Certified
Yes (Business+ plan required)
—
Active Monthly Users(millions)
500,000+ deployments
—
Active Organizational Users(organizations)
50,000+
750,000+ workspaces
Active Workspaces(workspaces)
750,000+
—
Monthly Active Users(billions)
0.75 million
—
Active Workspaces/Deployments(count)
750,000
—
Maximum File Upload Size(GB)
100+ GB (configurable)
—
Open Source Availability
AGPL v3 open-source
—
Self-Hosted Deployment Option
Full self-hosted + cloud managed options
—
Self-Hosted/On-Premises Option
No (cloud-only)
—
Message Search Speed(seconds)
0.5-1 second average
Excellent - optimized search indexing
Voice Audio Codec Quality(kHz)
16 kHz
—
Maximum Video Call Participants(people)
15 participants
—
Real-time Messaging Speed(ms (message delivery latency))
50-100ms (instant)
—
Desktop App Memory Usage(MB)
280 MB
—
Show 2 more attributes
Message Search Response Time(seconds)
2-4 seconds
—
Message Delivery Latency(milliseconds)
<100ms
—
Annual TCO (1,000 users, 3-year average)(USD)
$0 (self-hosted) or $39,000 (managed cloud)
—
Deployment Options(deployment models)
Self-hosted, Cloud, Docker, Kubernetes
Cloud-only SaaS
Threading Model
Channel-based threads (contextual loss in active channels)
—
Open Source(boolean)
Yes (AGPL license)
No (proprietary)
Enterprise Support SLA(hours)
Varies by provider (24-48h)
1-4 hours (Enterprise Grid)
Paid Starting Price(USD/user/mo)
$7.25
—
Mobile App Feature Parity(%)
95%
—
Mobile App Type
Native iOS/Android with feature-parity
—
Global Market Share(%)
65%
—
Free Trial Duration(days)
7 days
—
Daily Active Users Worldwide(millions)
20+ million
—
Self-Hosting Available(boolean)
No
—
Google Workspace Integration Level
2 out of 5 (available via integration, not native)
—
AI Features Count (2026)(features)
30+ (CRM tools, meeting summaries, automation, SlackBot enhancements)
—
Maximum Meeting Participants(participants)
Unlimited group chats
—
Built-in Task Management(features)
No: messaging-only, requires integrations
—
Message History Searchability(months)
90 days (Free/Pro), unlimited with Enterprise
—
Third-party Integrations(integrations)
2000+
—
Third-Party Integrations Available(count)
2,300+ integrations
—
AI Features (2026)
Workflow automation, search enhancement
—
Real-Time Translation
Not available
—
Asynchronous Communication
Optimized with threads and archives
—
Zoom Rooms Cost(USD per room/month)
N/A
—
Google Workspace Native Integration
Limited (requires custom setup)
—
Pre-built Integrations(count)
2,400+ integrations
—
Native Microsoft 365 Integration(integration level)
API-based (basic)
—
Workflow Automation Complexity
Advanced with conditional logic
—
Storage Per User (Standard Plan)(GB)
Variable by plan
—
Cloud Storage (Base Plan)(GB)
10 GB
—
File Storage Included(GB)
5GB (Free), varies by plan
—
Free Tier File Storage(GB per user)
1 GB shared workspace
—
Message history retention (free plan)(days)
90 days searchable
—
Show 2 more attributes
File Upload Limit(GB)
20GB
—
File Storage Per User(GB)
100 (workspace)
—
Maximum Video Length (Free Tier)(minutes)
N/A
—
Maximum Video Resolution(pixels)
Requires 3rd party
—
Free Tier Message History Retention(days)
90 days
—
Enterprise Uptime SLA(percent)
99.99%
—
Uptime SLA Guarantee(%)
99.99%
—
Uptime Guarantee(percent)
99.99%
—
Service uptime SLA guarantee(percent)
99.99%
—
User Workspace Limit (Free Tier)(workspaces)
1 workspace
—
Maximum Meeting Participants (Free)(participants)
3 participants
—
Maximum Meeting Participants (Paid)(participants)
Unlimited (slide deck view only)
—
Free Plan Message History(months)
90 days
—
SOC 2 Type II Certified
Yes
—
Custom Workflow Automation
Advanced (Workflow Builder, automations)
—
Users Per Workspace(count)
Unlimited
—
Total Registered Users(millions)
750 million
—
Daily Posts Published (Organic)(millions)
N/A
—
Native Video/Audio Calls
Yes (Slack Huddles)
—
Native App Integrations Available(count)
2,400+ apps
—
Paid Workspaces/Users (Enterprise Adoption)(workspaces)
750,000+ paid workspaces
—
Active Global Workspaces/Deployments(count)
750,000+ active workspaces
—
Setup Time for New Team(hours)
0.5-1 hour
—
Voice Codec Quality Rating(score (1-10))
7.5
—
Time to Deploy(hours)
3-7
—
Learning Curve(difficulty (1-10))
2
—
User interface satisfaction rating(out of 10)
9.2/10
—
Average User Adoption Time(days)
1-3 days
—
G2 Ease of Use Rating (2024)(stars)
4.5/5
—
G2 User Interface Rating(out of 5)
4.6/5 (12,400 reviews)
—
Maximum video call participants (free tier)(people)
100 participants
—
Maximum Video Conference Participants (Free)(people)
Limited (typically 3-4)
—
Message Search Capability(text)
Full-text indexed across all messages
—
End-to-End Encryption(null)
Partial (DMs only, beta feature)
—
Message History (Free Plan)(days)
90 days
—
Message Search History(messages)
10,000 (free tier); unlimited (paid)
—
Organizations Using Platform(count (thousands))
750,000+
—
GDPR Compliance
Certified (SOC 2 Type II, GDPR)
—
iOS App Rating(stars)
4.7
—
GitHub Stars (Community)(stars)
N/A (proprietary)
—
Pros & Cons
10 pros·6 cons across both
M
S
M
Mattermost
+5-3
Pros
- Self-hosted deployment option provides complete data ownership and compliance control
- Open-source codebase allows custom modifications and security audits
- Costs $4-8 per user monthly (60-70% cheaper than Slack)
- Unlimited message history and search on self-hosted instances
- No vendor lock-in; can migrate data at any time
Cons
- Significantly fewer integrations (500+ vs Slack's 2,000+)
- Requires IT infrastructure expertise for self-hosting and maintenance
- Smaller user community and fewer third-party plugins compared to Slack
S
Slack
+5-3
Pros
- 2,000+ pre-built integrations with enterprise tools (Salesforce, Jira, Google Workspace, Azure AD)
- 750,000+ active workspaces prove market dominance and ecosystem maturity
- Enterprise Grid plan supports unlimited workspaces with centralized governance
- Managed cloud infrastructure eliminates IT overhead and scaling concerns
- Advanced search with AI-powered features (Slack AI assistant available)
Cons
- 10,000-message search limit on free plan restricts discoverability
- 20% higher per-user costs ($8-15/month) than self-hosted Mattermost
- Data resides on Slack's servers; limited compliance options for sensitive industries
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questions
Yes, significantly. Mattermost self-hosted costs $4-8 per user monthly, while Slack's Professional plan starts at $8.75/user and Pro at $12.50/user. For a 100-person team over 3 years, Mattermost saves $14,400-$25,200. However, factor in IT infrastructure costs (server, maintenance, backups), which can offset savings for small teams under 50 users.
Resources & Learn More
Curated sources to dive deeper
Where to Buy
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Wikipedia
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