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20 self-hosted Slack alternatives

Cloud-based team messaging and collaboration platform providing channels, direct messages, audio/video huddles, file sharing, searchable message history, app integrations, bots, and APIs for notifications and automation.

Alternatives to Slack

Rocket.Chat is an open-source communications platform for secure team messaging, channels, DMs, voice/video, integrations, and customer omnichannel support.

Rocket.Chat screenshot

46k stars13.8k forkslast commit Actively maintained

Open-source, self-hosted messaging platform for secure team collaboration with real-time chat, audio calls, screen sharing, and integrations.

Mattermost screenshot

38.9k stars8.9k forkslast commit Actively maintained

Huly is an open-source all-in-one platform combining project management, team chat, and collaborative documentation as an alternative to tools like Jira, Linear, Slack, and Notion.

Huly screenshot

27.5k stars2.1k forksEPL-2.0last commit Actively maintained

Open-source team chat server with topic-based threading for focused, asynchronous, and real-time communication in distributed teams.

Zulip screenshot

25.8k stars10.1k forksApache-2.0last commit Actively maintained

Open-source, decentralized messaging network built on a Haskell core with Kotlin Multiplatform and native iOS clients; end-to-end encrypted messaging without user IDs.

SimpleX Chat screenshot

19.3k stars1.4k forksAGPL-3.0last commit Actively maintained

Element is a Matrix client for secure team messaging and collaboration, offering end-to-end encrypted chats and calls with interoperability across the Matrix network.

Element screenshot

13.4k stars2.7k forksAGPL-3.0last commit Actively maintained

Spacebar is an open source, self-hostable Discord-compatible communication platform with text chat, voice, and video, designed to work with existing clients and bots.

Spacebar screenshot

6.7k stars222 forksAGPL-3.0last commit Actively maintained

Open-source, local-first Slack and Notion alternative combining team chat, rich docs, databases, and file management with offline-first sync and self-hosting.

Colanode screenshot

5k stars314 forksApache-2.0last commit Actively maintained

Synapse is a Matrix homeserver implementation for running federated, secure real-time chat and collaboration on your own infrastructure.

Synapse screenshot

4.6k stars587 forksAGPL-3.0last commit Actively maintained

Tailchat is an open source team chat and collaboration platform with a strong plugin system, bot integrations, multi-group workspaces, and RBAC permissions.

Tailchat screenshot

3.6k stars397 forksApache-2.0last commit Actively maintained

#11

Ergo is a modern IRC server (ircd) written in Go, with integrated account management, history storage, bouncer-like features, and strong IRCv3 support.

Ergo screenshot

3.3k stars242 forksMITlast commit Actively maintained

Converse.js is an open-source, client-side web XMPP/Jabber chat app that can run standalone or be embedded into sites, with group chat and OMEMO encryption.

Converse.js screenshot

3.3k stars832 forksMPL-2.0last commit Actively maintained

#13

Stoat is an open-source, self-hostable chat platform for communities and teams, offering text channels, permissions, moderation tools, and a web app.

Stoat screenshot

3.3k stars383 forkslast commit Actively maintained

Openfire is an open source XMPP (Jabber) server for real-time messaging and collaboration, with a web admin console and a plugin ecosystem.

Openfire screenshot

3.1k stars1.4k forksApache-2.0last commit Actively maintained

#15

Tox is a decentralized, peer-to-peer communication system for encrypted messaging, voice/video calls, screen sharing, and file transfers without central servers.

Tox screenshot

2.7k stars311 forksGPL-3.0last commit Actively maintained

Open-source browser-based peer-to-peer chat with E2E encryption, ephemeral messages, video/audio, screen sharing, direct file transfer, and iframe embedding.

Chitchatter screenshot

2.3k stars430 forksGPL-2.0last commit Actively maintained

Movim is a federated social platform and web-based XMPP client for blogging, chat, communities, and real-time messaging with a responsive cross‑platform interface.

Movim screenshot

2k stars281 forksAGPL-3.0last commit Actively maintained

RetroShare is a decentralized friend-to-friend platform for encrypted chat, mail, forums, channels and secure file sharing, with optional Tor/I2P support.

RetroShare screenshot

2k stars323 forkslast commit Actively maintained

Self-hostable community discussion platform combining Q&A, forums, team chat, ideation/upvoting, and Disqus-style embedded blog comments.

Talkyard screenshot

1.8k stars129 forksAGPL-3.0last commit Actively maintained

What replacing Slack actually involves

Every option on this page is open source and free to run on your own hardware, so you own the data and there is no subscription to cancel. 20 of 20 shipped a commit in the last six months. Licences in this list: EPL-2.0, Apache-2.0, AGPL-3.0, MIT, MPL-2.0. In exchange you take on hosting, backups and updates yourself.

Browse everything in Team Chat & Messaging.

Other tools people replace alongside Slack