Team chat for small business (2026)
Start with what you already pay for: if your email is Google Workspace, Google Chat is included; if it's Microsoft 365, Teams is. Want a dedicated app with the most integrations? Slack. Pumble is free for the whole staff, and Chanty is free for up to 5. If your business already hands work to AI agents, Ando makes them members of the team.
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.
Leaving Slack over price? See Slack alternatives for small teams. This guide is for businesses choosing a first team chat, usually to move off texts, WhatsApp groups and email threads.
Signs it is time to move off the group text
- Schedules, orders and customer questions are mixed in one thread.
- A new hire can’t see what was decided before they joined.
- Someone leaves and takes the chat history with their phone.
- Work messages arrive on personal numbers at all hours.
Team chat fixes this with channels per topic, accounts the business controls, and history that stays when people leave.
At a glance
| App | Best for | Free plan | Agents | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Chat | Businesses on Google Workspace | 14-day Workspace trial | Gemini in Chat on Business Standard and up | Business Starter $7/user/mo (list) | workspace.google.com/pricing |
| Microsoft Teams | Businesses on Microsoft 365 | Teams Free is separate; Essentials trial requires a credit card | Copilot and Copilot agents | Teams Essentials $4.00/user/mo paid yearly | Teams Essentials |
| Slack | A dedicated app with the most integrations | 90 days of history, 10 apps | Slackbot, AI assistant apps | Free (90-day history); Pro $7.25/user/mo annually | slack.com/pricing |
| Pumble | The whole staff for free | Unlimited users and history | Integrations (3 on Free) | Free; Pro $2.49/seat/mo annually | pumble.com/pricing |
| Chanty | Teams of 5 or fewer | Up to 5 members, unlimited history | Not compared here | Free up to 5 members; Business $3/user/mo annually | chanty.com/pricing |
| Ando | Businesses that work with AI agents | No free plan | 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.
What 10 people pay in a year
Entry paid plan, billed annually, at regular prices. Google Workspace includes email and files; the Microsoft row prices standalone Teams Essentials.
| App (plan) | Per user/mo (annual) | 10 people, per year |
|---|---|---|
| Pumble Pro | $2.49 | $298.80 |
| Chanty Business | $3 | $360 |
| Teams Essentials | $4.00 | $480 |
| Google Workspace Business Starter | $7 | $840 |
| Slack Pro | $7.25 | $870 |
| Ando | Per human seat; rates not published yet | — |
Google Chat
Best for: businesses that already use Gmail through Google Workspace.
Where it wins: chat comes with the email, calendar and Drive you already pay for, on the same phones and logins.
Watch-outs: there is no standalone free plan, and Gemini in Chat is not in Business Starter.
Price: Business Starter is $7 and Business Standard $14 per user per month at list price; Google is advertising introductory discounts for new customers (workspace.google.com/pricing).
Microsoft Teams
Best for: businesses that already use Outlook and Microsoft 365.
Where it wins: chat, meetings and calling in one app, alongside Outlook and OneDrive.
Watch-outs: Teams Free is a separate plan. Teams Essentials is built around meetings and has a one-month trial that requires a credit card.
Price: Teams Essentials is $4.00 per user per month, paid yearly (Teams Essentials).
Slack
Best for: businesses that want a dedicated chat app with the most integrations.
Where it wins: channels most new hires already know, Huddles, and 2,600+ apps for bookkeeping, scheduling and sales tools.
Watch-outs: the free plan shows 90 days of history, and it is a second subscription on top of your email suite.
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).
Pumble
Best for: businesses that want chat for the whole staff at no cost.
Where it wins: unlimited users and message history on the free plan, so part-time and seasonal staff cost nothing.
Watch-outs: the free plan has 10 GB per workspace, 3 apps and 1:1 meetings, with guests only on paid plans.
Price: Free for unlimited users; Pro is $2.49 per seat per month billed annually ($2.99 monthly) (pumble.com/pricing).
Chanty
Best for: teams of 5 or fewer, and teams that want tasks in the chat.
Where it wins: free for up to 5 members with unlimited searchable history, and built-in tasks.
Watch-outs: the free plan stops at 5 members.
Price: Free for up to 5 members; Business is $3 per user per month billed annually ($4 monthly) (chanty.com/pricing).
Ando
Best for: small businesses that already hand bookkeeping, research or follow-ups to AI agents.
Where it wins: 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). Agents can work with tools like Stripe, HubSpot and Notion where you connect them, and a channel can have its own email address so supplier and customer emails land in the thread (email to channel). There are apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
Watch-outs: Ando isn't free and isn't the cheapest option here, it's team chat rather than an email suite, and access is by request. If nobody on your team works with AI agents yet, one of the options above is the simpler choice.
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).
Which one should your business pick?
- Your email is Google Workspace → Google Chat.
- Your email is Microsoft 365 → Teams.
- You want a dedicated app with the most integrations → Slack.
- You want the whole staff on it for free → Pumble.
- 5 people or fewer → Chanty.
- You already hand work to AI agents → Ando.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best team chat app for a small business?
Usually the one that comes with your email: Google Chat with Google Workspace, Teams with Microsoft 365. For a dedicated app, Slack has the most integrations, and Pumble is free for unlimited users.
Is there a free team chat app for small businesses?
Yes. Pumble is free for unlimited users and history, Chanty for up to 5 members, and Slack has a free plan with 90 days of history.
Should a small business use WhatsApp for team chat?
It works for a few people, but the history lives on personal phones and leaves with them, and work and personal messages mix. A team chat app gives the business control of accounts and history.
Is Ando a good fit for a small business?
If your business already hands work to AI agents, yes: they join as members with their own inbox. If not, a cheaper option above is simpler. Ando isn't free.
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. Access is by request, and new companies moving off iMessage get fast-tracked.