6 Best AI alternatives to Google Chat

Google Chat provides direct messages, spaces, and huddles integrated with Gmail, Docs, and Meet, with Gemini AI for summarizing conversations. It's aimed at Google Workspace customers.

Freemium · from $6/user/mo

4.0Official site

Side-by-side comparison

Every AI alternative to Google Chat we recommend, at a glance.

Slack4.4

Best for: Teams that live in chat
Pricing: Freemium · $8.75/user/mo

Review Try Slack

Microsoft Teams4.3

Best for: Enterprises already on Microsoft 365
Pricing: Freemium · $4/user/mo

Review Try Microsoft Teams

Discord4.4

Best for: Startups, remote teams, and communities
Pricing: Freemium · Free

Review Try Discord

Mattermost4.0

Best for: Security-conscious and self-hosting teams
Pricing: Freemium · $10/user/mo

Review Try Mattermost

Zoom Team Chat3.9

Best for: Teams already standardized on Zoom
Pricing: Freemium · Free

Review Try Zoom Team Chat

Twist4.1

Best for: Remote teams wanting less real-time chat noise
Pricing: Freemium · $5/user/mo

Review Try Twist

Tool	Best for	Pricing	From	Rating
Slack	Teams that live in chat	Freemium	$8.75/user/mo	4.4	Try Slack
Microsoft Teams	Enterprises already on Microsoft 365	Freemium	$4/user/mo	4.3	Try Microsoft Teams
Discord	Startups, remote teams, and communities	Freemium	Free	4.4	Try Discord
Mattermost	Security-conscious and self-hosting teams	Freemium	$10/user/mo	4.0	Try Mattermost
Zoom Team Chat	Teams already standardized on Zoom	Freemium	Free	3.9	Try Zoom Team Chat
Twist	Remote teams wanting less real-time chat noise	Freemium	$5/user/mo	4.1	Try Twist

The alternatives in detail

Slack

Classic

Team chat and collaboration

4.4

Slack is the default workplace messaging tool with channels, huddles and thousands of integrations. Busy workspaces quickly become hard to keep up with.

Channels

Huddles

Workflow builder

Freemium · from $8.75/user/mo

Review AI alternatives Try Slack

Microsoft Teams

Chat, meetings, and Copilot AI in one hub

4.3

Microsoft Teams combines chat, video calls, and file collaboration with Copilot AI for summarization and meeting notes. It's bundled with Microsoft 365 subscriptions for enterprises.

Team channels/chat

Video meetings

Copilot AI summaries

Freemium · from $4/user/mo

Review Alternatives Try Microsoft Teams

Discord

Chat, voice, and communities for any group

4.4

Discord offers text, voice, and video channels organized into servers, popular with startups, gaming, and online communities as a lighter-weight, often free Slack alternative. AI features include auto-moderation and summaries.

Voice/video channels

Threads and forums

AI-powered summaries/moderation

Freemium · from Free

Review Alternatives Try Discord

Mattermost

Secure, self-hosted team collaboration

4.0

Mattermost is an open-source messaging platform that can be self-hosted for full data control, with AI plugins for summarization and workflow automation. It's popular with government, defense, and dev teams.

Self-hosting option

Channels/threads

AI plugin support

Freemium · from $10/user/mo

Review Alternatives Try Mattermost

Zoom Team Chat

Team chat built into the Zoom platform

3.9

Zoom Team Chat provides messaging and channels tightly integrated with Zoom meetings and its AI Companion for summaries and action items. It suits organizations centered on Zoom for video.

Channels and DMs

AI Companion summaries

Integrated with Zoom Meetings

Freemium · from Free

Review Alternatives Try Zoom Team Chat

Twist

Classic

Calmer, async team communication

4.1

Twist is a threaded, async-first messaging app from Doist designed to reduce real-time chat noise and interruptions. It organizes conversations by topic rather than a constant stream.

Threaded conversations

Async-first design

Channels by topic

Freemium · from $5/user/mo

Review AI alternatives Try Twist

Which Google Chat alternative is right for you?

Most people arrive here asking one of four things. Here's the short answer to each, based on our own testing — read how we review tools if you want the full method.

What's the best overall AI alternative to Google Chat?

Slack scores highest in our testing (4.4/5). Team chat and collaboration.

Is there a free alternative to Google Chat?

Yes — Slack has a freemium option, so you can try the workflow before paying anything.

Which one is easiest to switch to?

Slack is the gentlest landing — best for Teams that live in chat. You can get a usable result on day one.

Which works best for a team?

Slack (best for Teams that live in chat) handles shared work best, starting at $8.75/user/mo.

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