Team chat apps with guest access 2026: 5 for working with clients

Team messaging apps from our ranking that let you invite clients, contractors or partners from outside your company, in Score order. Guest rules differ a lot: some apps give a few free guests per paid seat, others bill guests like members or limit them to one channel — check the note under the fact.

Best Team Chat Apps 2026: Slack Alternatives by Facts

  1. 1

    Wire

    77/100
    Price per user per month
    $10.03
    Free plan
    Yes
    Full message history on the free plan
    Not verified
    End-to-end encrypted messages
    Yes
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    • Built-in voice or video calls
    • Has a permanent free plan
    • Messages are end-to-end encrypted
    • Can run on your own server
  2. 2

    Pumble

    77/100
    Price per user per month
    $2.99
    Free plan
    Yes
    Full message history on the free plan
    Yes
    End-to-end encrypted messages
    Not verified
    Self-hosting
    Not verified
    • Low price per user
    • Built-in voice or video calls
    • Has a permanent free plan
    • ISO 27001 certificate or SOC 2 report
  3. 3

    Rocket.Chat

    67/100
    Price per user per month
    Not verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Full message history on the free plan
    Not verified
    End-to-end encrypted messages
    Yes
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    • Built-in voice or video calls
    • Has a permanent free plan
    • Messages are end-to-end encrypted
    • Can run on your own server
  4. 5

    Zoom Workplace

    58/100
    Price per user per month
    $16.99
    Free plan
    Yes
    Full message history on the free plan
    Not verified
    End-to-end encrypted messages
    Not verified
    Self-hosting
    Not verified
    • Built-in voice or video calls
    • Has a permanent free plan
    • ISO 27001 certificate or SOC 2 report
    • Screen sharing
  5. 6

    Zulip

    50/100
    Price per user per month
    $8.00
    Free plan
    Yes
    Full message history on the free plan
    No
    End-to-end encrypted messages
    Not verified
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    • Has a permanent free plan
    • Can run on your own server
    • Threaded replies
    • Guests and external partners can join