Communication
Rocket.Chat
Open-source team chat you can host yourself.
What it is
Rocket.Chat is open-source team messaging that can be self-hosted, including in restricted environments. It runs in environments where hosted chat is not allowed at all, including air-gapped networks, which is its clearest reason to exist. In exchange you operate it, and the polish gap against hosted rivals is visible.
Rocket.Chat pricing
Rocket.Chat does not publish a plan ladder we could verify. Free tier available.
Prices read from the vendor's own pricing page on 2026-08-31. Vendors change plans without notice — check the source before you budget.
Key features
Self-hosted messaging
Runs the whole chat platform on your own infrastructure.
Federation and bridges
Connects to other chat networks and protocols.
Compliance controls
Applies retention, audit and data residency policies locally.
Strengths and trade-offs
What works well
- Fully self-hostable and open source
- Omnichannel customer messaging included
- Highly customisable
Where it falls short
- Setup and maintenance are on you
- Interface less refined than commercial rivals
- Mobile apps have rough edges
Who it is for
Organisations that must keep messaging on their own infrastructure.
Our verdict
Strong when self-hosting is required. Otherwise commercial chat is less work.
Closest alternatives we track
Same category, ordered by verified starting price.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Rocket.Chat have a free plan?
- Yes. Rocket.Chat offers a free tier with limits; paid plans unlock higher usage or team features.
- Who is Rocket.Chat best for?
- Organisations that must keep messaging on their own infrastructure.
- What are the main drawbacks of Rocket.Chat?
- The trade-offs we noted: Setup and maintenance are on you; Interface less refined than commercial rivals; Mobile apps have rough edges.
What we checked
- Public APIOffers a documented API you can build against.Yes
- Mobile appHas a native app for iOS or Android, not just a mobile website.Yes
- Open source / self-hostableSource is open and the tool can be run on your own infrastructure.Yes
- SSO (SAML)Supports SAML single sign-on on at least one plan.Yes
“Not checked” means exactly that — we have not verified it, and we do not guess.
Evidence and freshness
Status: Source listed, figures not recordedReviewed: 2026-08-31
- Rocket.Chat — Pricing ↗
Checked 2026-08-31 · Supports: An automated check confirmed this vendor pricing page was reachable on the date shown. No plan name, price or limit was extracted from it.
Limit: This record's price has NOT been verified line by line by an editor: the only evidence is an automated reachability check of the vendor pricing page. Treat the figures as unconfirmed until an editor reviews the page. Automated check: the pricing page was fetched on this date and contained pricing information. An editor has not read it line by line.
Compare Rocket.Chat with alternatives
Tools that do the same job as Rocket.Chat
Same job, different pricing. Verified starting price first.
More Communication tools: see the full Communication category