// TEAM CHAT
Slack
vs Mattermost
Slack charges per active user and hides your own history behind paid tiers. Mattermost is self-hosted team chat — unlimited users, full history, all on your server.
RENTED
Slack
From ~$8.75/user/mo
OWNED
Mattermost
Free + your hosting
// AT A GLANCE
How they compare
Slack
Mattermost
Pricing model
Per-active-user subscription
Free, open-source license
Message history
Limited on lower tiers
Full history retained
Who owns the site
Slack cloud
Your server, your messages
Integrations
Yes (app limits on free)
Unlimited, self-hosted
Lock-in
Proprietary workspace
Open data, leave anytime
* Pricing is illustrative of published list rates and scales with seats/usage; open-source figures reflect license cost only.
// THE CATCH
Where Slack starts to hurt
X
Per-user pricing
Every active member adds to the monthly bill as the team grows.
X
Hidden history
Your own past messages get locked behind paid tiers.
X
Data in their cloud
Every conversation lives on Slack's servers, under their terms.
// THE ALTERNATIVE
Mattermost does the same job — and you own it
Mattermost is a Slack-style messaging platform — channels, threads, DMs, integrations, and file sharing — self-hosted with unlimited users and complete message history.
Unlimited users and full history
Channels, threads, and direct messages
Integrations and bots, self-hosted
Files and conversations on your server
Open data, exportable anytime
// THE MATH
What it costs over three years
Slack · 3-YEAR LICENSE
$1,575+
Based on 5 users on the Pro plan; the bill grows with every active member you add.
Mattermost · LICENSE FEES
$0
No per-seat or usage fees ever. You pay only for the hosting you already run — plus our flat build & maintenance.
// WHY BUILTSTEAD, NOT DIY
Open-source is only free if your time is.
Mattermost is a strong Slack replacement — but it needs to be hosted, secured, and kept up to date for your whole team to rely on it. We install it, secure it, move your data over, connect it to the rest of your tools, and keep it running — all set up in your name. You get the savings of open-source without becoming your own IT department.
01
We host it for you
Deployed on reliable infrastructure, configured, secured, and monitored — no servers for you to babysit.
02
We migrate your data
Your existing records, contacts, and history moved over cleanly, so nothing is lost in the switch.
03
We connect your stack
Wired into your other tools so data flows automatically instead of being re-entered by hand.
04
We maintain & update
Updates, backups, and security patches handled on an ongoing basis — it just keeps working.
05
Set up in your name
Everything is titled to your company on your domain. No lock-in, no markup — the keys are yours.
06
Real people to call
When something needs attention, you reach us directly — not a ticket queue in another time zone.
Ready to drop Slack?
Get a free audit. We'll price out your switch to Mattermost, map the migration, and show you the three-year savings — no obligation.
// MORE COMPARISONS
// GROWTH
// FINANCE
// OPERATIONS