Rocket.Chat vs Slack: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Rocket.Chat and Slack side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Rocket.Chat leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Rocket.Chat
Open-source team communication platform
Best for you if:
- • You want open source team chat
Slack
Central hub for workplace communication and collaboration
Best for you if:
- • You want intuitive interface with low learning curve, most teams adopt it within days
| At a Glance | Rocket.Chat | Slack |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $8/user/mo, billed yearly Pro plan | Free plan, paid from $8.75/user/mo, billed yearly Pro plan |
Category | Communication Team Chat | Communication Team Chat |
Rating | 4.2/5 G2 4.2 · Capterra 4.3 530 reviews | 4.2/5 G2 4.5 · Capterra 4.7 · TrustRadius 4.5 64,990 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | Support limited to 50 users on Starter | 90-day message history on Free: after 90 days, old messages become invisible (not deleted, they return if you upgrade). This is the most common upgrade trigger and feels coercive for teams that relied on older unlimited history |
Choose Rocket.Chat or Slack?
Choose Rocket.Chat if
- You want open source team chat
- You want self-hostable
- Budget matters ($8/user/mo, billed yearly vs $8.75/user/mo, billed yearly)
Choose Slack if
- You want intuitive interface with low learning curve, most teams adopt it within days
- You want deepest third-party integration ecosystem of any team chat tool (2,600+ apps)
In-Depth Analysis
Rocket.Chat
Open-source team communication platform
Rocket.Chat's pricing is quite fair, especially for its open-source nature.
Watch out
Support limited to 50 users on Starter
Strengths
- Pro: Open source team chat
- Pro: Self-hostable
- Pro: Customizable
- Pro: Federation support
- Pro: Free for self-hosted
Weaknesses
- Con: Less polished
- Con: Setup complex
- Con: Smaller community
- Con: Limited integrations
- Con: Performance varies
Key features
Slack
Central hub for workplace communication and collaboration
Slack is the default team messaging tool, and its pricing reflects that dominance.
Watch out
90-day message history on Free: after 90 days, old messages become invisible (not deleted, they return if you upgrade). This is the most common upgrade trigger and feels coercive for teams that relied on older unlimited history
Strengths
- Pro: Intuitive interface with low learning curve, most teams adopt it within days
- Pro: Deepest third-party integration ecosystem of any team chat tool (2,600+ apps)
- Pro: Slack Connect eliminates email chains with external partners via shared channels
- Pro: Powerful search across all messages, files, and connected apps from one bar
- Pro: Workflow Builder lets non-technical users automate routine processes
Weaknesses
- Con: Free plan limits message history and allows only a limited number of app integrations
- Con: Notification overload in large workspaces, channels can become noisy without discipline
- Con: Pricing adds up quickly for large teams
- Con: No built-in project management, still requires separate tools like Asana or Jira
- Con: Slack AI features require higher-tier plans, not available on all plans
Key features
Plans and prices: Rocket.Chat vs Slack
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rocket.Chat |
| rocket.chat/pricing read Oct 3, 2026 |
| Slack |
| slack.com/pricing read Oct 11, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Rocket.Chat pricing and Slack pricing.
Key Takeaways
Rocket.Chat
- Lower entry price: $8/user/mo, billed yearly vs $8.75/user/mo, billed yearly
Slack
- Choose if you want central hub for workplace communication and collaboration
What the data shows
On the data below, Rocket.Chat leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.2/5 from 530 reviews for Rocket.Chat, 4.2/5 from 64,990 reviews for Slack).
- Rocket.Chat has the lower entry price: $8/user/mo, billed yearly (Pro) against $8.75/user/mo, billed yearly (Pro) for Slack.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Rocket.Chat and Slack compare in 2026?
On the data below, Rocket.Chat leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.2/5 from 530 reviews for Rocket.Chat, 4.2/5 from 64,990 reviews for Slack). Rocket.Chat has the lower entry price: $8/user/mo, billed yearly (Pro) against $8.75/user/mo, billed yearly (Pro) for Slack. Both have a free plan.
What are Rocket.Chat and Slack used for?
Rocket.Chat: Open-source team communication platform. Slack: Central hub for workplace communication and collaboration.
What does Rocket.Chat cost vs Slack?
Rocket.Chat's cheapest paid plan is Pro at $8/user/mo, billed yearly; it also has a free plan. Slack's cheapest paid plan is Pro at $8.75/user/mo, billed yearly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 11, 2026.
What's the main difference between Rocket.Chat and Slack?
Rocket.Chat's main strength: open source team chat. Slack's main strength: intuitive interface with low learning curve, most teams adopt it within days.