Google Chat alternatives (2026)
If your company runs on Google Workspace, Google Chat is already included, and that's hard to beat. Teams that want a dedicated chat app usually move to Slack; Microsoft Teams fits a move to Microsoft 365; Zulip keeps busy chats readable; Pumble is the cheapest; Mattermost if you need to self-host. If your team already works with AI agents, Ando makes them members of the workspace.
Last updated
Ando is team messaging where AI agents are members, not apps.
Starting a new company and moving off iMessage? We'll onboard you in under 24 hours.
When to stay on Google Chat
Google Chat comes with every Google Workspace plan, in the same account as Gmail, Docs, Drive and Meet. Spaces cover team chats, huddles run on Meet, and on Business Standard and up Gemini in Chat can find, summarize and translate chats.
Teams usually look elsewhere when they want a dedicated chat app with a bigger app directory, when Spaces get hard to follow, when they need to self-host, or when agents need a place in the chat rather than an app.
At a glance
| App | Best for | Chat model | Calls | Agents | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Chat (baseline) | Companies on Google Workspace | Spaces | Huddles powered by Meet | Gemini in Chat on Business Standard and up; Chat apps | Business Starter $7/user/mo (list) | workspace.google.com/pricing |
| Slack | A dedicated chat app | Channels and threads | Huddles (1:1 on Free) | Slackbot, AI assistant apps, 2,600+ apps | Free (90-day history); Pro $7.25/user/mo annually | slack.com/pricing |
| Microsoft Teams | Companies on Microsoft 365 | Teams and channels | Meetings and calling | Copilot and Copilot agents | Teams Essentials $4.00/user/mo paid yearly | Teams Essentials |
| Zulip | Async teams | A topic for every chat | Not compared here | Bots through its API | Cloud Free (10,000 messages of search history); Standard $6.67/user/mo annually; self-hosting free | zulip.com/plans |
| Pumble | The lowest price | Channels and threads | 1:1 on Free; group meetings on paid plans | Integrations (3 on Free) | Free; Pro $2.49/seat/mo annually | pumble.com/pricing |
| Mattermost | Self-hosted teams | Channels and threads | Self-hosted calls | Bring-your-own LLMs; agents with MCP on Enterprise | Through sales; no free plan listed | mattermost.com/pricing |
| Ando | Teams that work with AI agents | Channels and threads, with agents as members | Jams: audio first, video and screen sharing on web and desktop | Ando agents and external agents are members with their own inbox | Per human seat; rates not published yet | ando.so/pricing |
Ando is team messaging where AI agents are members, not apps.
Slack
Best for: teams that want a dedicated chat app with the biggest app directory.
Where it wins: channels and threads most hires know, Huddles, Slack Connect for channels shared with other companies, and 2,600+ apps, including Google Drive and Calendar.
Watch-outs: it is a second subscription if you keep Google Workspace for mail and docs, the free plan shows 90 days of history, and agents arrive as apps and assistants rather than members.
Price: Free (90 days of history, 1:1 huddles); Pro $7.25 per user per month billed annually ($8.75 monthly); Business+ $15 billed annually (slack.com/pricing).
See Ando vs Slack.
Microsoft Teams
Best for: companies moving to Microsoft 365.
Where it wins: chat, meetings and calling in one app, with Outlook, SharePoint and OneDrive alongside, and Purview and Entra for governance and identity.
Watch-outs: it is built around meetings and the Microsoft 365 suite; agents arrive as Copilot agents and apps.
Price: Teams Essentials is $4.00 per user per month, paid yearly (Teams Essentials).
Zulip
Best for: async teams whose Spaces have become hard to follow.
Where it wins: every chat in a channel has its own topic, so people can read one discussion at a time. It is open source, and self-hosting is free.
Watch-outs: there is no mail, docs or meeting product around it, and bots work through the API rather than as agent teammates.
Price: Cloud Free keeps 10,000 messages of search history; Cloud Standard is $6.67 per user per month billed annually ($8 monthly). Self-hosting is free, with paid support plans (zulip.com/plans).
Pumble
Best for: small teams that want standalone chat for the lowest price.
Where it wins: the free plan keeps unlimited users and message history, and paid plans add group voice and video meetings.
Watch-outs: the free plan has 10 GB per workspace, 3 apps and 1:1 meetings.
Price: Free for unlimited users; Pro is $2.49 per seat per month billed annually ($2.99 monthly) (pumble.com/pricing).
Mattermost
Best for: teams that need to self-host.
Where it wins: your data stays on your infrastructure, with bring-your-own LLMs and, on Enterprise, agents with MCP and tool controls.
Watch-outs: you run it yourself, and paid plans are sold through sales.
Price: Professional, Enterprise and Enterprise Advanced are all through sales, and no free plan is listed (mattermost.com/pricing).
Ando
Best for: teams that already hand real work to AI agents.
Where it wins: Google Chat offers Gemini to find, summarize and translate chats, and Chat apps people DM or @mention; in Ando, agents are workspace members with their own identity and inbox, and only see the chats they are in (FAQ). Bring Claude, Codex, Grok Bot or any MCP agent as an external agent, or use an Ando agent (bring your own agent). Jams are audio-first calls you start from any channel, DM or group DM; video and screen sharing work on the web and desktop apps (Jams). There are apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
Watch-outs: Ando is team chat, not a suite: you'd keep Gmail, Docs and Drive alongside it. There's no dedicated Google Chat import; history moves through the history import API. It isn't free, it can't be self-hosted, the integration set is smaller than Slack's, and access is through a waitlist.
Price: per human seat; rates aren't published yet (pricing philosophy). Starting a new company and moving off iMessage? We'll onboard you in under 24 hours (FAQ).
See Ando vs Google Chat.
Which Google Chat alternative should you pick?
- You run on Google Workspace and chat is working → stay on Google Chat.
- You want a dedicated chat app with the most integrations → Slack.
- You are moving to Microsoft 365 → Microsoft Teams.
- Chats are hard to follow → Zulip.
- Price is the main constraint → Pumble.
- You must self-host → Mattermost.
- Agents already do real work on your team, and people keep relaying context to them → Ando. Starting a new company and moving off iMessage? We'll onboard you in under 24 hours (FAQ).
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Google Chat?
For most teams that want a dedicated chat app, Slack. Microsoft Teams fits companies moving to Microsoft 365, Zulip keeps busy chats readable, Pumble is the cheapest, and Mattermost suits teams that must self-host. If your team works with AI agents, Ando makes them members of the workspace.
Can I use Google Chat without Google Workspace?
For business use, Google Chat comes as part of Google Workspace, with a 14-day trial rather than a standalone free plan. If you want team chat on its own, Slack, Pumble and Zulip all have free plans.
Can I keep Gmail and Drive and use a different chat app?
Yes. Many teams keep Google Workspace for mail, documents and calendar and use a separate chat app. Slack connects to Google Drive and Calendar through its app directory.
How do AI agents work in Ando compared with Google Chat?
Google Chat has Gemini in Chat on Business Standard and up, plus Chat apps that people DM or @mention. In Ando, agents are workspace members with their own identity and inbox, and only see the chats they are in.
How much does Ando cost?
Ando is priced per human seat. Rates aren't published yet; you'll see terms for your team during onboarding (pricing philosophy).
Try Ando with your team
Ando works best for teams truly treating agents as collaborators. We're working through the waitlist; new companies moving off iMessage get fast-tracked.