MattermostvsSlack
Unbiased side-by-side comparison of verified reviews, user ratings, features, and pros/cons to help you decide which software fits your business needs.
Quick answer: Mattermost vs Slack
In our 2026 comparison of Mattermost and Slack, Slack comes out ahead overall (weighted score 93% vs 80% for Mattermost). Mattermost is rated 4.5/5 from 4 user reviews; Slack is rated 4.7/5 from 46 user reviews. Mattermost has a free plan; Slack has a free plan.
Last updated
| At a glance | Mattermost | Slack |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Team Chat & Messaging | Team Chat & Messaging |
| User rating | 4.5/5 (4 reviews) | 4.7/5 (46 reviews) |
| Starting price | Free plan | Free plan |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Listed features | 19 | 30 |
| Integrations | 6 | 8 |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| Ease of use | 4.5/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Customer support | 5.0/5 | 4.7/5 |
Mattermost
Starting Price
Free self-hosted edition available; Professional and Enterprise plans available through annual subscriptions
Community Pulse
Advanced Ratings
Pros
- Self-hosted, open-source messaging platform offering true data sovereignty through air-gapped deployment with no internet connectivity or vendor telemetry .
- Community Edition is completely free with unlimited message history, file sharing, and comprehensive audit logging for compliance.
- Strong security architecture with open-source code allowing independent security verification and penetration testing by government agencies .
Cons
- Recent versions have removed some features and introduced confusing licensing changes, alienating parts of the community.
- Lacks native end-to-end encryption without requiring plugins or workarounds, unlike some competitors like Rocket.Chat .
- Setup and ongoing maintenance require technical expertise for self-hosted deployment, including server management and updates.
Slack
Starting Price
Free version, paid starts at $7.25/month
Community Pulse
Advanced Ratings
Pros
- Channel-based messaging with one of the deepest integration ecosystems, becoming the communication hub for fast-moving teams.
- Huddles enable quick voice collaboration without scheduling another meeting, reducing formal meeting fatigue.
- Searchable history helps teams find decisions, files, and context quickly, even days or weeks after conversations.
Cons
- Channel sprawl is common; teams without governance end up with fragmented conversations and scattered information.
- Notifications can get very noisy; review patterns consistently mention overload, distraction, and notification fatigue.
- Higher-value features like advanced AI and stronger admin controls sit higher in the pricing ladder (Business+ and Enterprise).
Product Overview
What each platform does and who it's for
Primary Category
The main classification for each product
Editorial Quality Rating
Independent expert panel ratings and quality validations
Mattermost
Expert Score
Slack
Expert Score
Integration Ecosystem
Compare supported third-party apps and services
Mattermost Integrations
Slack Integrations
Platform Support
Supported platforms across each product
Mattermost
Slack
Sentiment & Feedback
Real-world pros and cons from verified users
Mattermost Feedback
User sentiment analysis
- Self-hosted, open-source messaging platform offering true data sovereignty through air-gapped deployment with no internet connectivity or vendor telemetry .
- Community Edition is completely free with unlimited message history, file sharing, and comprehensive audit logging for compliance.
- Strong security architecture with open-source code allowing independent security verification and penetration testing by government agencies .
- Transparent per-user licensing model avoids vendor lock-in and unexpected price escalations common with proprietary platforms.
- Recent versions have removed some features and introduced confusing licensing changes, alienating parts of the community.
- Lacks native end-to-end encryption without requiring plugins or workarounds, unlike some competitors like Rocket.Chat .
- Setup and ongoing maintenance require technical expertise for self-hosted deployment, including server management and updates.
Slack Feedback
User sentiment analysis
- Channel-based messaging with one of the deepest integration ecosystems, becoming the communication hub for fast-moving teams.
- Huddles enable quick voice collaboration without scheduling another meeting, reducing formal meeting fatigue.
- Searchable history helps teams find decisions, files, and context quickly, even days or weeks after conversations.
- Extensive app ecosystem connects to Google Drive, Trello, Zoom, and thousands of other tools, centralizing notifications.
- Strong collaboration features
- Channel sprawl is common; teams without governance end up with fragmented conversations and scattered information.
- Notifications can get very noisy; review patterns consistently mention overload, distraction, and notification fatigue.
- Higher-value features like advanced AI and stronger admin controls sit higher in the pricing ladder (Business+ and Enterprise).
- Premium pricing for large teams
- Can become noisy with many channels,Message history limits on free plan,Premium pricing for large teams
Feature Comparison
Detailed side-by-side capability checklist
Mattermost
19/41 features
- AI integration
- App Integrations
- Automation
- Custom Workflows
- Integrations
- No-code Workflow Builder
- Workflow Automation
- Workflow management
- Brand mention tracking across LLMs
- Communication
- Custom Status and Presence Settings
- Message Search & Archiving
- Screen Sharing
- Team collaboration
- Team messaging
- Threaded conversations
- Huddles
- Voice calls
- Security
- Security controls
- Meetings
- Resource Workload View
- Work order management
- Content Marketing Strategy
- SEO tools
- Audio clips
- Canvas
- Video meetings
- Voice and video calls
- Chat features
- Direct messaging and group chats
- Group chat
- Live Chat
- Real-time Chat
- Team chat
- Hosting
- Self-hosting
- Channel messaging
- Collaboration
- Direct messaging
- File sharing
Slack
29/41 features
- AI integration
- App Integrations
- Automation
- Custom Workflows
- Integrations
- No-code Workflow Builder
- Workflow Automation
- Workflow management
- Brand mention tracking across LLMs
- Communication
- Custom Status and Presence Settings
- Message Search & Archiving
- Screen Sharing
- Team collaboration
- Team messaging
- Threaded conversations
- Huddles
- Voice calls
- Security
- Security controls
- Meetings
- Resource Workload View
- Work order management
- Content Marketing Strategy
- SEO tools
- Audio clips
- Canvas
- Video meetings
- Voice and video calls
- Chat features
- Direct messaging and group chats
- Group chat
- Live Chat
- Real-time Chat
- Team chat
- Hosting
- Self-hosting
- Channel messaging
- Collaboration
- Direct messaging
- File sharing
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Pricing & Plans
Compare plans, features, and starting points side-by-side
Mattermost Pricing
PaidPer user per month.
Slack Pricing
FREEMIUMLogin to see detailed pricing plans & tiers
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Community Intelligence
Real-time crowdsourced comparison feedback and buyer signals.
Community Matchup Voting
Real-time crowdsourced buyer signals
Community vs. Editorial Alignment
Agreement between algorithmic rating & user voting
Slack
Calculated by features, pricing, support & ratings.
Awaiting Votes
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Head-to-Head Winner Analysis
Data-backed performance comparisons across pricing, features, usability, and support
Matchup Scoreboard
At-a-glance scorecard results
Weighted Overall Scorecard
Normalized composite performance scores
Smart Recommendation Matrix
Head-to-head decision matrix based on your business workflow
- Organizations requiring enterprise SLA support, governance, and custom security
- Users wanting a streamlined, user-friendly workspace interface
- Teams looking for native integration with core workflow tools
- Budget-conscious teams seeking competitive entry pricing ($7.25/mo)
- Teams prioritizing intuitive, zero-learning-curve UX and fast onboarding
- Teams looking for native integration with core workflow tools
Mattermost
Dimension scorecard
Multi-Dimension Performance
Winner Breakdown & Analysis
Mattermost is a runner-up with a composite score of 80%.
Pricing: $10/mo (Free Trial), a less accessible entry point than the leader.
Offers 19 features (fewer than the category leader).
Strong usability with a user rating of 4.5/5 stars.
Ranked #1 for support with a user rating of 5.0/5 stars.
Tied on platform availability (6 Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux +2 more).
Slack
Dimension scorecard
Multi-Dimension Performance
Winner Breakdown & Analysis
Slack wins overall with a weighted score of 93% based on user rating, pricing, features, usability, and support.
Slack has the most accessible pricing ($7.25/mo (Free Trial)).
Slack lists the most features (30 features).
Strong usability with a user rating of 4.7/5 stars.
Decent support with a user rating of 4.7/5 stars.
Tied on platform availability (6 Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux +2 more).
Final Verdict:Slack
Slack scores higher across 5 of 11 key dimensions with a 13-point lead in our weighted analysis.
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Frequently asked questions: Mattermost vs Slack
Which is better: Mattermost or Slack?
Slack scores higher across 5 of 11 key dimensions with a 13-point lead in our weighted analysis. The best choice still depends on your team's workflow, budget and required integrations — use the side-by-side sections above to check the details that matter to you.
How do users rate Mattermost and Slack?
Mattermost is rated 4.5/5 from 4 user reviews. Slack is rated 4.7/5 from 46 user reviews. Ratings come from approved user reviews on SoftwareHope.
How much do Mattermost and Slack cost?
Mattermost has a free plan. Slack has a free plan. Slack has the lower entry price. Always confirm current pricing on the vendor's site, as plans change.
Do Mattermost and Slack offer a free plan or free trial?
Mattermost offers a free plan and a free trial; Slack offers a free plan and a free trial.
Which platforms do Mattermost and Slack support?
Mattermost supports Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android; Slack supports Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Which is easier to use, Mattermost or Slack?
Mattermost has an ease-of-use rating of 4.5/5, Slack has an ease-of-use rating of 4.7/5. The difference is small, so both are similarly easy to adopt.
Most Helpful Reviews
Community-voted helpful feedback from verified users
Mattermost provides a straightforward, dependable solution that integrated smoothly into our operational stack. Uptime is consistent and user adoption across the team was immediate.
We have been using Mattermost across our departments and appreciate the simplicity and stability of the system. It handles core workflows without unnecessary bloat.
The platform has streamlined our daily operations, providing reliable tools and responsive support. Configuration was quick and the feature set aligns well with our requirements.
A well-built tool that delivers consistent value. The interface is clean, performance is snappy, and our operational workflows run smoothly.
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