Best Self-Hosted Team Chat & Messaging Tools in 2026

Real-time messaging platforms for team communication, group chats, and workplace collaboration.

The top-rated pick is Discourse with 47,333 GitHub stars.

10 self-hosted team chat & messaging tools — ranked by GitHub stars. Browse all

Discourse

A platform for community discussion. Free, open, simple.

Alternative to:

Discord

Rocket.Chat

The communications platform that puts data protection first.

Alternative to:

Skype

Huly

All-in-one open source platform that combines project management, CRM, chat, HR, and wiki as an alternative to Linear, Jira, Slack, and Notion.

Alternative to:

Notion

Zulip

Open-source team chat with a unique topic-based threading model that makes it easy to follow multiple conversations.

Alternative to:

Slack

Tinode

Instant messaging platform with self-hosted backend in Go and clients for iOS, Android, web, and command line.

Alternative to:

Element

Open-source Matrix client for secure, decentralized messaging, voice, and video — runs on your own server.

Alternative to:

Discord

Mumble

Low-latency, open-source voice chat built for gaming — self-host your own server with no subscription required.

Alternative to:

Discord

Colanode

Open source, local-first Slack and Notion alternative that puts you in control of your data with offline support and end-to-end encryption.

Alternative to:

Notion

Linen

Lightweight, Google-searchable open source Slack and Discord alternative designed for online communities.

Alternative to:

Slack

Bytedesk

Open source AI-powered omnichannel customer service platform that combines live chat, ticketing, and team collaboration as an alternative to Slack, Zendesk, Intercom, and HubSpot.

Alternative to:

Slack

Why self-host?

Self-hosting puts you in control. You own your data, avoid vendor lock-in, and eliminate recurring subscription costs. For teams handling sensitive data or operating under strict compliance requirements, running your own infrastructure is often the only viable option.