Team chat.
Choose what fits.

Keep decisions easy to find. Test how conversations, guests and shared files work before moving your team.

Explore documented products Your buying checklist

Set your priorities
Compare the evidence
Try your workflow

How will your team work together?

01A small team

Try channels, threads and search with one project. Check how much message history remains available on the intended plan.

02External collaboration

Invite a test guest and share a file. Check which conversations and member details the guest can see.

03Your own infrastructure

Assign responsibility for updates, backups and mobile notifications. Test recovery before inviting the team.

Build your shortlist

Browse the category

A focused selection, ordered by documented guide criteria. Features may depend on the plan; open the evidence for scope. Missing data is a research gap, not a missing feature.

Kandra Labs, Inc.

Zulip

Free tier: Yes Verified Source · Checked 2026-10-03
Scope and evidence
Zulip Cloud Free includes a limited searchable history of 10,000 messages and 5 GB total file storage. Paid plans and self-hosted notification terms differ.
On-premises or self-hosted option: Yes Verified Source · Checked 2026-10-03
Scope and evidence
Zulip documents a self-hosted deployment. Operators are responsible for their infrastructure; support and mobile notification plans have separate terms.
Data export: Yes Verified Source · Checked 2026-10-03
Scope and evidence
Zulip documents export and import tools for moving between cloud hosting and an own-server deployment. Check permissions and included content before migration.

3 more documented criteria

Single sign-on: Yes Verified Source · Checked 2026-10-03
Scope and evidence
The Cloud Plus plan lists SAML SSO and has a 10-user minimum. This is not a statement that Cloud Free includes SAML.
SCIM user provisioning: Yes Verified Source · Checked 2026-10-03
Scope and evidence
The Cloud Plus plan lists SCIM user and group synchronisation, with a 10-user minimum.
Public API: Yes Verified Source · Checked 2026-10-03
Scope and evidence
Zulip documents a REST API for integrations, including message operations. Authentication and endpoint permissions apply.

All documented facts

Slack

Free tier: Yes Verified Source · Checked 2026-10-03
Scope and evidence
Slack Free provides access to the most recent 90 days of message and file history. The documentation says data older than one year is deleted; free and paid retention differ.
Data export: Yes Verified Source · Checked 2026-10-03
Scope and evidence
Standard exports include public-channel messages and file links in JSON. Private conversations need additional eligibility or approval; Free exports only include file links from the last 90 days.
Single sign-on: Yes Verified Source · Checked 2026-10-03
Scope and evidence
SAML SSO is documented for Business+ and Enterprise, and for Free and Pro when a Salesforce organisation is connected. Check account eligibility.

2 more documented criteria

SCIM user provisioning: Yes Verified Source · Checked 2026-10-03
Scope and evidence
Slack documents SCIM provisioning alongside SSO setup. Availability and identity-provider configuration must be checked for the intended plan.
Public API: Yes Verified Source · Checked 2026-10-03
Scope and evidence
Slack documents a Web API. Each method has its own scopes, token requirements and rate limits; API access does not imply unrestricted access to workspace content.

All documented facts

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Your buying checklist

Four checks before you commit

Find a decisionPost a decision in a thread, attach a file and ask someone else to find both using search.Check the historySeparate searchable history from retained history. Confirm what is removed and what an export includes.Remove a guestRevoke a test guest’s access and check shared links, files and connected applications.Take a copyExport a sample conversation with attachments. Confirm who can export private content and on which plan.

Use this as a working checklist. Checkmarks are not saved.

Common questions

Is self-hosting cheaper than a hosted plan?

Include server costs, updates, backups, monitoring and the time someone spends operating the service. Check mobile notification and support terms separately.

What should a pilot include?

Use a public channel, a private channel, a guest and a threaded decision. Search for that decision, export it and test offboarding before expanding the pilot.

Work through the trade-offs

Decision guide

Software security review checklist

What evidence do you need before trusting a new service?

Read the guide Decision guide

How to compare software alternatives

Would a different tool solve the problem that made you look?

Read the guide

Ready to evaluate your shortlist?

Test the same tasks in each product, then compare the full cost.

Build your evaluation scorecard Compare software costs

Keep exploring

All guides

Buying guide

Project management

How does your team organise work?

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Buying guide

Video conferencing

What kind of meeting do you run?

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Buying guide

Scheduling software

Who needs to be at the meeting?

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