Google Chat alternatives: where to go and how to keep your conversations
Eight destinations, one for each reason to leave, plus a seven-step migration plan.
The short answer: Slack if you're keeping Google Workspace and want a real team chat, Microsoft Teams if you're moving to Microsoft 365, Pumble if you're leaving Google and want the lowest bill. For tidy threads, Zulip. For self-hosting, Mattermost or Rocket.Chat. Either way, none of them imports Google Chat: you archive, then start fresh.
Our ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Why teams leave Google Chat, even though it's included
Google Chat has one huge argument going for it: it costs nothing extra if you already pay for Workspace. Plenty of teams stay for that reason, and it handles the basics fine. People leave over small daily frictions that add up once a team runs on chat.
Notifications that go missing
The top complaint on Google's own help forums: a message arrives with no alert, especially on mobile, and you only spot it in an email hours later. For a team handling customer requests in Chat, that's a deal breaker.
Search you can't rely on
Users report searches that miss messages, choke on special characters, or conversations that drop out of the list after an update. Finding a decision from three months ago turns into guesswork.
Clumsy external access
You can't add an outside guest to a group chat. A space is open or closed to outsiders from the moment it's created, and you can't change it later. People whose organization hasn't enabled Chat can't be reached at all.
No real desktop app
Google dropped its desktop app in 2020. What's left is a web app installed from Chrome, which many Mac users find far less pleasant than Slack.
Thin integrations
The app catalog is much smaller than Slack's, and notification controls are more basic. Teams that want CRM or help desk alerts piped into channels quickly hit the ceiling.
History that can disappear
If an admin turns history off, DMs and group messages are deleted after 24 hours, and Vault can't hold them. Spaces aren't affected. Most teams discover this setting the day they go looking for an old message.
You're leaving because… go to…
The right Google Chat alternative hinges on one question: are you keeping Google Workspace? After that, one card usually fits, and it links to the full review below.
Plays well with Workspace, much better notifications and integrations.
Your company is moving to Microsoft 365Microsoft TeamsIncluded in business plans, the only target with migration tools.
Chat threads drive you crazyZulipEvery message lives in a topic you can read start to finish.
You're leaving Google and want the lowest billPumbleFree with no user or history limit, paid from $2.49.
Your data has to stay on your serversMattermost or Rocket.ChatSelf-hosted; Rocket.Chat is free up to 50 users.
You're a team of five or fewerChantyFree for 5 members with 20 GB of storage.
Google Chat alternatives, one by one
For each tool: why switch to it, who it's for, its catch, how to move from Google Chat, and what it costs. Prices are what vendors list in 2026, in US dollars, before tax. We compared these eight tools on what actually drives people off Chat: notifications, threads, guests, integrations and price.
Slack: the strongest replacement if you keep Google Workspace
Most completeWhy switch to it. Slack beats Google Chat on the two complaints you hear most: notifications and integrations. You control exactly who can ping you and when, and the app directory is in another league. It also sits comfortably next to Google Workspace. Keep Gmail, Drive and Calendar, swap only the chat layer.
Who it's for. Teams that live in chat all day, work with clients and contractors outside the company, and want their CRM, help desk and project alerts flowing into channels.
Who it's not for. Anyone hoping to spend nothing extra. Chat is already part of your Google license; Slack is a second bill on top, per person.
The catch. The free plan shows 90 days of history, allows 10 apps and keeps calls to two people. A real team ends up paying.
Moving from Google Chat. There's no official Google Chat import. You archive Chat with Vault or Takeout (see the migration plan below), rebuild your spaces as channels, and start with a clean history.
Price. Pro is $7.25 per user per month billed yearly ($8.75 monthly), Business+ is $15 ($18 monthly), Enterprise+ is quote-based. Slack sometimes runs 50% off the first three months on monthly billing.
- Google Chat import
- none, archive and start fresh
- Free plan
- 90 days of history, 10 apps
- Best for
- notifications and integrations
- Paid
- from $7.25/month yearly
Microsoft Teams: when the whole company moves to Microsoft 365
If you go MicrosoftWhy switch to it. Teams makes sense in one situation, and it's a common one: your company is leaving Google Workspace for Microsoft 365. Teams comes with the business plans, so you stop paying for two chat tools. It's also the only destination with actual Google Chat migration tools on the market.
Who it's for. Companies moving mail, files and calendars to Microsoft, or already running Outlook and Excel everywhere.
Who it's not for. Teams staying on Gmail and Drive. Paying for Microsoft 365 on top of Workspace just to get chat is expensive, and people end up juggling two worlds.
The catch. Neither Microsoft nor Google offers a tool to move Chat into Teams. You'll go through a paid third-party service, and history often arrives incomplete.
Moving from Google Chat. Paid third-party tools (Cloudiway, CloudFuze, Kernel) turn your spaces into Teams channels. Cloudiway recreates the latest 1,000 messages per space by default and attaches the rest as an HTML archive. Before you commit, read our guide on leaving Microsoft Teams for the other side of the story.
Price. Comes with the Microsoft 365 business plans you may already pay for. Ask IT what your current license covers before you sign anything.
- Google Chat import
- paid third-party tools only
- Included in
- Microsoft 365 business plans
- Best for
- a full move to Microsoft
- Paid
- with Microsoft 365
Zulip: for people who can't stand Google Chat threads
Best threadingWhy switch to it. Zulip files every conversation into structured, topic-based threads. Google Chat mixes replies together and caps a thread at 500 replies; Zulip lets you read a topic start to finish three days later. Distributed teams across time zones feel the difference in the first week.
Who it's for. Engineering teams, remote-first companies and anyone who writes a lot and needs to find a decision without scrolling through hundreds of messages.
Who it's not for. Teams used to Slack's or Chat's endless stream who won't bother naming topics. Zulip asks for a bit of discipline up front.
The catch. Free Cloud keeps 10,000 searchable messages and 5 GB of files. The Plus plan requires at least 10 users.
Moving from Google Chat. Zulip imports from Slack, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat and Teams, but not Google Chat. You follow its general guide: set up channels, invite people, start fresh.
Price. Cloud Standard is $6.67 per user per month billed yearly ($8 monthly), Plus is $10 ($12 monthly). Self-hosting is free, and Basic with support starts at $3.50.
- Google Chat import
- none, general guide
- Free plan
- 10,000 searchable messages, 5 GB
- Best for
- readable threads
- Paid
- from $6.67/month yearly
Pumble: the cheapest option, with no cap on free history
CheapestWhy switch to it. Pumble looks and feels a lot like Slack (channels, threads, DMs, calls) for a fraction of the price. The free plan has no user limit and no history limit. If you're leaving Google Workspace altogether and want chat that costs next to nothing, start here.
Who it's for. Small businesses leaving Google Workspace, nonprofits and clubs that want a free team tool without watching old messages vanish.
Who it's not for. Teams that plug a lot of software into their chat. The free plan allows only 3 integrations.
The catch. Free storage tops out at 10 GB for the whole workspace, and the currency shown depends on your region.
Moving from Google Chat. Pumble only imports from Slack. Coming from Google Chat, you recreate channels by hand and keep your Takeout or Vault export as the archive.
Price. Free with unlimited users and history. Pro is $2.49 per user per month billed yearly ($2.99 monthly), Business $3.99 ($4.99), Enterprise $6.99 ($7.99).
- Google Chat import
- none, Slack import only
- Free plan
- unlimited users and history
- Best for
- lowest possible bill
- Paid
- from $2.49/month yearly
Mattermost: run your chat on your own servers
Self-hosted, larger teamsWhy switch to it. Mattermost runs on your own infrastructure, so conversations no longer go through Google. That matters in regulated industries, or when a client wants to know exactly where its data lives. Basic search holds up to 3 million messages.
Who it's for. Companies with an IT team, compliance requirements, or developers who want chat they can control end to end.
Who it's not for. A small team with nobody to handle a server, updates and backups. The hidden cost is admin time.
The catch. The free Entry edition caps out at 10,000 messages, and every paid plan goes through an annual per-seat quote. You can't see your price without talking to sales.
Moving from Google Chat. No Google Chat import. Install Mattermost, rebuild your channels, and keep the Vault export separately for compliance.
Price. Entry is free with a message cap; paid plans are quote-based, billed yearly per seat.
- Google Chat import
- none
- Hosting
- your servers
- Best for
- compliance and control
- Paid
- custom quote
Rocket.Chat: free self-hosted chat for up to 50 people
Self-hosted, small teamsWhy switch to it. Rocket.Chat follows the same logic as Mattermost (your servers, your data) with a gentler entry point: Starter is free for up to 50 users. A small business with an IT provider can leave Google Chat without paying for licenses.
Who it's for. Businesses under 50 people that want to host chat themselves or hand it to their managed service provider.
Who it's not for. Teams about to grow fast: past 50 users on Starter, adding new members is blocked and you're into a quote.
The catch. Every paid plan is quote-based, and hosting is on you. Count maintenance time in your math.
Moving from Google Chat. No Google Chat import. Install, create channels, invite people, and keep the Chat archive on the side.
Price. Starter is free for up to 50 users, self-hosted; paid plans are quote-based.
- Google Chat import
- none
- Free plan
- up to 50 users
- Best for
- small teams with an IT provider
- Paid
- custom quote
Element: open, encrypted chat built on Matrix
Data sovereigntyWhy switch to it. Element runs on Matrix, an open protocol: your server can talk to other organizations without routing everything through a big US platform. It's as much a policy choice as a technical one, often made by public bodies and privacy-sensitive organizations.
Who it's for. Organizations that want encrypted, open, self-hosted chat and have the skills to run it.
Who it's not for. A business that wants chat working in ten minutes. Element needs setup and some know-how.
The catch. Free Community (AGPL license) covers 1 to 100 users, but Element positions it for non-professional deployments and evaluation, so a business realistically lands on Enterprise. Beyond that, Enterprise is priced per seat on quote.
Moving from Google Chat. No Google Chat import. Recreate your rooms and keep the Chat archive yourself.
Price. Community is free for 1 to 100 users, for evaluation and non-professional use; Enterprise is per seat, on quote.
- Google Chat import
- none
- Protocol
- Matrix, open
- Best for
- data sovereignty
- Paid
- custom quote
Chanty: simple and free for a very small team
Teams of fiveWhy switch to it. Chanty keeps things simple: channels, DMs, a task board, and a free plan that covers a team of five. For a freelancer with two or three partners, it's nicer than Google Chat and costs nothing.
Who it's for. Tiny teams, three-person agencies and projects just getting started.
Who it's not for. A team of more than five that wants to stay free, or a company that needs serious admin controls.
The catch. The free plan stops at 5 members, and the pricing page shows inconsistent amounts in different places. Check the total at checkout.
Moving from Google Chat. Chanty imports from Slack, not Google Chat. You recreate a handful of channels by hand, about an hour for a small team.
Price. Free for up to 5 members, with 20 GB and 10 integrations. Business is $3 per user per month billed yearly, $4 monthly.
- Google Chat import
- none, Slack import only
- Free plan
- 5 members, 20 GB
- Best for
- teams under 5
- Paid
- from $3/month yearly
All 8 alternatives side by side
The math that matters: Chat is already paid for. Take a 20-person team keeping Workspace, on annual billing. Moving to Slack Pro adds about $145 a month, Zulip Cloud Standard about $133, Chanty $60 and Pumble Pro about $50. If you're leaving Workspace entirely, compare those figures to your current Google bill instead.
| Free plan | First paid plan and Google Chat import | |
|---|---|---|
| Google ChatWhere you're starting | No business free plan: comes with Google Workspace | Business Starter $7 yearly ($8.40 flexible), up to 300 users |
| Slack | 90 days of history, 10 apps, 1:1 calls | Pro $7.25 yearly ($8.75 monthly); no Google Chat import |
| Microsoft Teams | Included in Microsoft 365 | With Microsoft 365; migration via paid third-party tools |
| Zulip | 10,000 searchable messages, 5 GB (Cloud), free self-hosted | Standard $6.67 yearly ($8 monthly); no Google Chat import |
| Pumble | Unlimited users and history, 10 GB, 3 integrations | Pro $2.49 yearly ($2.99 monthly); Slack import only |
| Mattermost | Entry capped at 10,000 messages | Custom quote; no Google Chat import |
| Rocket.Chat | Starter up to 50 users, self-hosted | Custom quote; no Google Chat import |
| Element | Community for 1 to 100 users, non-professional use | Enterprise on quote; no import |
| Chanty | 5 members, 20 GB, 10 integrations | Business $3 yearly ($4 monthly); Slack import only |
Starting price per user per month, before tax, subject to change. Always check against your actual team size.
Leave Google Chat in seven steps
Because no tool imports Google Chat, this is less a move than an archive followed by a fresh start. Order matters: each step protects something, whether it's your history, your outside guests or your team's buy-in.
Decide whether you're leaving Chat or all of Google Workspace
FirstThis one question sets the whole budget. Keep Gmail and Drive, and Chat stays paid inside your license: the new tool is an extra line item. Leave Workspace entirely, and chat is one piece of a bigger move.
In that second case, start with our guide to leaving Google Workspace, because the export order is different. If your meetings run on Google too, our Google Meet alternatives guide covers video.
- Time
- one meeting
- Who
- leadership and admin
Map your spaces and external guests
Day 1List active spaces, group conversations, connected apps and spaces open to outside people. Note who created each one: a space created by another organization won't show up in your export.
Flag every client and contractor you've invited. They'll need a fresh invite in the new tool, and that's usually the slowest part.
- Time
- half a day
- Output
- a space-by-space sheet
Check chat history settings and Takeout access
Day 1In the Admin console, check whether Chat history is on. If it was off, DMs and group messages were deleted after 24 hours. They aren't anywhere, not even in Vault.
Then confirm Google Takeout isn't blocked for your users. Admins can turn it off, and plenty of teams find out on export day.
- Where
- Google Admin console
- Trap
- 24-hour deletion when history is off
Archive with Vault for the company, Takeout for individuals
Week 1For compliance, a super admin exports Chat through Vault as mbox or PST, grouped by conversation and space, with a metadata file. That's the company's official record.
Each user can also download their own messages and attachments with Takeout. You get JSON, one folder per conversation, and the folder names don't include the person or space name, so budget some time to sort it out.
- Vault
- mbox or PST
- Takeout
- JSON, one folder per conversation
Launch the new tool with a single team
Week 2Since nothing imports Google Chat, you're not moving history, you're opening a fresh workspace. Start with one willing team, rebuild its channels and tune notifications together.
Use the clean slate to prune. Spaces that have been dead for months don't need a second life.
- Time
- one to two weeks
- Goal
- validate channels and settings
Move everyone on the same day
Week 3Pick a date, tell your external guests, and reconnect automations that same day. Two active chat tools in parallel guarantees the important message lands in the wrong one.
Pin a note in every Chat space: we've moved, here's where to find us.
- Time
- one day
- Key
- a date announced in advance
Keep Chat read-only for a few weeks
AfterDon't switch Chat off on cutover day. For a few weeks, people will go back to find a decision or a file. Only then turn the service off in the Admin console.
If you're cancelling all of Workspace, finish every export first. Google doesn't keep your data around indefinitely after cancellation.
- Time
- a few weeks
- Then
- turn off Chat in the Admin console
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
What makes a Google Chat exit go wrong
Workspace admins trip over the same things again and again. None of them is technical. They're settings nobody checks until it's too late.
Assuming you'll save money
As long as you keep Workspace, Chat stays paid. A new tool is extra spend, justified by time saved. Put the number in writing before you pitch it.
Hunting for an import that doesn't exist
Teams lose days looking for a way to load Chat into Slack or Zulip. There's no official import. Decide early that you're archiving, and spend that time on the cutover.
Forgetting history was off
If history was turned off, DMs were wiped after 24 hours. Don't promise everyone that everything will be archived until you've checked that setting.
Missing other people's spaces
Takeout leaves out spaces and groups created by another organization. If a client set up the project space, ask for their export or copy key decisions before you go.
Finding Takeout blocked
Admins can disable Takeout. Check the setting before you ask everyone to export, or you'll get fifty tickets in one morning.
Cancelling Workspace too early
Leaving Google entirely? Run Vault and Takeout before you cancel. Afterward your data won't stick around for long, and nobody will be able to export it.
- Decision made: leave Chat only, or all of Workspace
- Spaces, groups and external guests mapped
- Chat history setting checked
- Takeout allowed for users
- Vault export done as mbox or PST
- Spaces owned by other organizations flagged
- Pilot team live in the new tool
- Outside guests warned and re-invited
- Cutover date announced
- Chat kept read-only for a few weeks
Google Chat alternatives: common questions
What's the best free alternative to Google Chat?
Pumble, for most teams: its free plan keeps unlimited users and unlimited history, with 10 GB of storage and 3 integrations. Chanty works for five people or fewer. If someone can run a server, Rocket.Chat is free for up to 50 users. Just remember Chat is already paid for inside your Workspace license, so a free tool only saves money if you leave Google.
Is Slack better than Google Chat?
For teams that live in chat, yes: finer notifications, far more integrations and better handling of outside guests. Google Chat wins on cost, since it comes with Workspace. For 20 people on annual billing, Slack Pro adds about $145 a month on top of your Google bill. That's the real question: is the comfort worth that amount? If you ever want to leave Slack in turn, our Slack alternatives guide explains what its export keeps.
Can I export my Google Chat messages?
Yes, two ways. Each user can run Google Takeout and get a JSON file with their messages and attachments; an admin can export everything through Vault as mbox or PST. Watch the exclusions: Takeout skips spaces and groups created by work or school accounts from other organizations. And if history was turned off, DMs were deleted after 24 hours.
Can I import Google Chat into Slack or Teams?
Not with an official tool. Slack, Zulip, Mattermost, Pumble and Chanty only import from Slack or other chat apps, never from Google Chat. For Teams, only paid third-party services (Cloudiway, CloudFuze, Kernel) offer a migration, and it's often partial. The realistic path is to archive Chat and start fresh.
Can I use Google Chat without Google Workspace?
With a personal Gmail account, yes, but it isn't a business tool: no admin controls, no Vault. For companies, Chat isn't sold on its own. It comes with Workspace, from Business Starter at $7 per user per month billed yearly ($8.40 flexible). And anyone whose organization hasn't turned Chat on simply can't be reached.
Does Google Chat have a desktop app?
Not a true native one: Google retired its desktop app in 2020. Today you install Chat as a web app from Chrome, and it opens in its own window. That's a common reason Mac users push to switch, since they find it clunkier than Slack's app.
How many people can be in a Google Chat?
A group conversation caps at 400 participants, a space can reach 500,000 members, and a thread tops out at 500 replies. The limit that bites is elsewhere: Workspace Business plans stop at 300 users. And you can't add an external guest to a group chat, only to a space that was opened to outsiders when it was created.
Can I move another chat tool's history into Google Chat instead?
Yes, if you'd rather consolidate on Google than leave it. Google's import tool brings messages from another service into Chat, but only into named spaces, and you get 90 days to finish the import or it's deleted for good. Imported data also stays outside Vault and Takeout, so plan your retention policy before you start.
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