The Top 15 Team Chat Apps For Your Business In 2023

What’s the best way to communicate with your colleagues? We looked at the best options out there and brought you the verdict. Here are the best and brightest team communication apps.

Whether it’s at work or at home, using live chat for instant communication has become the main way people interact on a daily basis, and it makes perfect sense. Chat is immediate, quick to send, mobile-friendly (unlike emails), supports all media types, is easy to operate, and usually requires no training to start using.

When it comes to frontline workers who don’t necessarily have a desk, not just any solution will do.

Recent research shows that just 56% of deskless workers in the United States feel connected and engaged with their employers
Job dissatisfaction could drive many younger deskless workers to seek more fulfilling positions elsewhere
84% of deskless workers say they don’t get enough direct communication from top management, and only 10% feel strongly connected to their companies.

Effective and quick communication in the workplace is critical for any business to succeed in the future. Investing in a team chat app will improve your company’s internal communication, streamline daily operations, boost employee productivity, and increase employee engagement.

We’ve done some extensive research and put together a list of the top 15 team chat apps in the market today.

So without further ado, here they are.

If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.

Our Top Picks

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Good for secure communication
Good for maintaining employee productivity

What to Look For in a Team Chat App

Here are some important things to look for when choosing the best business chat apps:

Ease of use: An app with a visually pleasing user interface that is easy to use for employees who may not be so tech-savvy can save a lot of time.
Multiple types of communication: The more modes of communication an employee chat app includes, the more dynamic and streamlined communication in your company will be. These can include instant messaging, employee alerts, video conferencing, and more.
Administrative Features: Managers should be able to use their enterprise chat app to efficiently manage teams, share information, and easily decide who does and who doesn’t have access to the app while maintaining data security.
Group Capabilities: Business chat apps should allow managers to organize conversations into groups. Teams can then have specific conversations based on projects, topics, events, etc.
Workflow Integrations: 3rd-party integrations to payroll systems, file storage systems (like Google Drive), content management tools, and project management tools can ensure that all work-related tasks are conducted on one team communication app, as opposed to multiple ones.

The 15 Best Team Chat Apps of 2023

Connecteam — Best for: Connecteam is an ideal fit for any industry with frontline workers, deskless teams, or a remote staff.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
With Connecteam, internal communication is a breeze. It’s really easy for managers and employees to search through the employee directory and contact whoever they need. Not to mention that upper management can send targeted messages to specific departments or teams, or send private messages to a single employee.

Make work communication fun and engaging by including videos, images, GIFs, links, files and more. In addition, a social feed allows managers to send company-wide updates, post events, or even recognize employees who have performed above and beyond.

A digital suggestion box, survey, or live poll enhance communication while also providing managers with valuable real-time feedback on how to improve the company. Connecteam provides businesses with real-time oversight and management over every aspect of internal communication.

Connecteam also offers a free for life plan – Try Connecteam here!
Key Features
- Employee directory
- In-app chat (1-on-1/group)
- Attach images, videos, GIFs, links, and more
- Notifications and alerts
- Surveys and live polls
- Social feed for updates, announcements, events
- Real-time oversight and management
- Audio calls
Pros
- Easy to use and implement
- Top-notch customer service
- Mobile, desktop, and kiosk access
- Affordably priced
Cons
- Does not provide integrations as it’s an all-in-one solution
Pricing

Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
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Top Picks
Connecteam Troop Messenger Slack Microsoft Teams Beekeeper Rocket.Chat Google Chat Whatsapp Flock RingCentral Wire Twist Redbooth Mattermost Discord
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Troop Messenger — Good For: small businesses to large enterprises.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
A feature-rich business chat app for remote teams, enabling communication and collaboration both internally and client-facing. Troop Messenger covers the basics such as audio & video calling and conferencing, instant messaging and chat, and of course file and screen sharing. One of the cooler functions we loved is the emphasis on data security with a feature called ‘Burnout’ that allows the self-destructible exchange of confidential information without any chat backup.
Learn more about Troop Messenger
Key Features
- Alerts and notifications
- Discussion threads
- Real-time chat
- File sharing
- Video conferencing
- Contact management
Pros
- Easy to use
- Appealing user interface
Cons
- Not many integrations
Pricing

Starts at $2.5/user/month Trial: Yes — 1 month for Enterprise only Free Plan: No
Slack — Good For: Large businesses and organizations.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Teams that work in hi-tech and need a team chat app for collaboration on projects can greatly benefit from Slack. It is an enterprise messaging chat solution and team collaboration platform. Slack features incredible integration capabilities and bots to set automatic actions and notifications.

It also allows 1-on-1 and group messaging, individual and team audio calls, and video conferencing. All you need is an email to invite an employee to join Slack.
Learn more about Slack
Key Features
- Activity/news feed
- Alerts and notifications
- Audio calls
- Discussion threads
- Real-time chat
- Video conferencing
Pros
- Mobile access
- Easy to use
Cons
- Specially made for hi-tech and fortune 500 companies
- Lack of vital integrations
Pricing

Starts at $7.25/user/month Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
Microsoft Teams — Good For: small to large businesses.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Microsoft Teams team chat and collaboration app is made to integrate with other Microsoft products or Skype. If audio and video calls are what you’re looking for, Microsoft Teams could be a great solution for you. Plus, if you already paid for Microsoft Office 365 Essentials or a Business account, integrating this enterprise chat app is simple. Keep in mind that Teams does require all users to have a Microsoft account.
Learn more about Microsoft Teams
Key Features
- Alerts and notifications
- Discussion threads
- Real-time chat
- Video conferencing
- Surveys & feedback
Pros
- Desktop and mobile access
- Easy to use
Cons
- Poor customer service
Pricing

Starts at $4/user/month Trial: Yes — For specific plans Free Plan: Yes
Beekeeper — Good For: frontline workers.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Beekeeper prides itself on being a “workforce idea-sharing and voting app” that is supposed to make communication with your team easier. Users can receive company notifications and send instant messages to other employees with encrypted data security for keeping company data safe and secure.
Learn more about Beekeeper
Key Features
- Activity/news feed
- Alerts and notifications
- Audio calls
- Discussion threads
- File sharing
- Real-time chat
- Surveys & feedback
Pros
- Easy to use
- Desktop and mobile access
Cons
- No image attachment capabilities
Pricing

Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
Rocket.Chat — Good For: companies with high regulations or with sensitive business or client information.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Rocket.Chat is not just a team chat app, but rather a “communication hub” designed for team communication and collaboration.

Managers and employees can share files, chat in real-time, or switch to video/audio conferencing. A unique aspect is that they offer complete access to the source code, so you can fully customize, extend, or add new functionality to meet your requirements.
Learn more about Rocket.Chat
Key Features
- Real-time team chat
- Audio and video calls
- Screen sharing
- Share files
- SSO
Pros
- Desktop and mobile access
Cons
- Users report poor customer service
Pricing

Starts at $7/user/month, for min of 25 users Trial: Yes — 30-day Free Plan: Yes — For self-managed deployment
Google Chat — Good For: small to large businesses.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Google Hangouts is what some users refer to as Google’s version of Slack” for team messaging and workplace collaboration.

The employee chat app helps teams collaborate easily and efficiently with direct messages and group chats. You can set dedicated virtual rooms to house projects over time, plus threaded conversations is a feature we love. As it integrates with Google’s other software,it makes this business chat tool convenient to track progress and follow up on tasks.
Learn more about Google Chat
Key Features
- Screen sharing
- Messaging, voice, and video calls
- Virtual rooms
Pros
- Easy to use
- Mobile access
Cons
- Poor customer service
Pricing

Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
Whatsapp — Good For: small businesses.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Apart from the regular popular chat services that most people are familiar with, this provider offers a separate business chat app called WhatsApp Business, aiming to make it easier for businesses & their customers to interact with each other.

Although we couldn’t ignore this team chat app, considering its popularity, we think it’s far from ideal for work-related communication. In fact, a lot of managers and employees were raising concerns about using the app for organizational purposes, such as overflow of irrelevant and distracting information and even shaming and fights between employees.
Learn more about Whatsapp
Key Features
- Personal & business profiles
- Voice messaging & calls
- Messaging tools with auto-replies (WhatsApp Business only)
- Messaging statistics (WhatsApp Business only)
- WhatsApp Web desktop version
- WhatsApp Business APIs for medium and large businesses (WhatsApp Business only)
Pros
- Easy to use
- Mobile access
Cons
- Poor customer service
- No oversight or management
Pricing

Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
Flock — Good for teams of all sizes.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
With the Flock team chat app you can send instant messages or start group channels to message your teams. Additionally, employees can share to-do lists, reminders, polls, and notes to keep everyone in the loop and up to date. Flock works seamlessly with other apps as well, such as Google, MailChimp, Dropbox, Jira, Trello, and more.
Learn more about Flock
Key Features
- Activity news feed
- Alerts and notifications
- Audio/video conferencing
- Chat and messaging
Pros
- Desktop and mobile access
- Easy to use
Cons
- Poor customer service
Pricing

Starts at $4.5/user/month Trial: Yes — 30-day Free Plan: Yes — Up to 20 users
RingCentral — Good For: businesses of all sizes.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
RingCentral allows companies to send direct messages, set video chat meetings, and conduct phone calls if needed. RingCentral integrates with over 100 different software services such as Salesforce and Google Workspace. Beyond the enterprise chat app function, RingCentral also provides real-time insights on how your team uses the messaging, video, and phone tools provided.
Learn more about RingCentral
Key Features
- Audio and video conferencing
- Messaging
- Call logging and monitoring
- Contact management
- Employee directory
Pros
- Desktop and mobile access
- Easy to set up
Cons
- Poor customer service
- Users report some features are difficult to use
Pricing

Starts at $19.99/month + $19.99 per user Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
Wire — Good For: businesses looking for secure communications.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Wire boasts that they are the most secure conferencing software available on the market. Their team chat app provides video conferencing, chat and messaging, file sharing, and screen sharing.
Learn more about Wire
Key Features
- Forums and discussions
- Live chat and messaging
- Screen sharing
- Audio and video conferencing
Pros
- Desktop, mobile, and kiosk access
- Secure messaging
Cons
- Users report some glitches
Pricing

Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
Twist — Ideal For: Remote teams looking to limit interruptions
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Twist provides a messaging solution for remote and distributed teams that prefer productivity over presence. The app relies on asynchronous chat as well as threads for organizing conversations. These encourage focused work by limiting interruptions caused by constant meetings, emails, and messages.
Learn more about Twist
Key Features
- Live chat & messaging
- Collaboration tools
- Meeting management
- Remote access
Pros
- Less distractions
- Good UX
Cons
- Confusing threads
- Limited integrations
Pricing

Starts at $6/user/month Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
Redbooth — Ideal For: Anyone that works collaboratively as a team
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Redbooth is a modern platform for managing projects and tasks in a single space. The app allows for team collaboration, discussions, and file sharing, enabling teams and departments from a wide range of industries to get work done.
Learn more about Redbooth
Key Features
- Project planning
- HD video meetings
- Threaded conversations
- Task management
Pros
- Tagging & notifications
- Intuitive design
Cons
- Limited features on mobile app
- Lacking in capabilities
Pricing

Starts at $9/user/month Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes — Up to 2 workspaces
Mattermost — Ideal For: R&D teams
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Mattermost’s enterprise-grade collaboration platform is used by some of the world’s leading organizations. The function-rich open source software allows for secure, configurable, and highly scalable messaging across web, mobile, and PC with archiving. Designed with developers in mind, Mattermost allows devs to interface directly with third-party developer tools and other technical features help keep them in the flow.
Learn more about Mattermost
Key Features
- 1-on-1 & group messaging
- Secure audio calls
- Real-time chat
- Chat history
Pros
- Unlimited teams and channels
- Automation & bot integrations
Cons
- High price tag
- Sub-par mobile app
Pricing

Starts at $10/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
Discord — Ideal For: The gaming community
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Discord is a communication platform that enables users from either public or private communities to chat by video, audio, and text. The communities are sorted by channels and roles, thus allowing the user to moderate conversations and grant differentiated access to certain users.
Learn more about Discord
Key Features
- Video conferencing
- Group management
- 1-on-1 messaging
- Discussions & forums
Pros
- Great layout
- Customizability
Cons
- Lacks business features
- Limited file sharing
Pricing

Starts at $9.99/user/month Trial: No Free Plan: No

Compare the Best Team Chat Apps

Topic
Reviews	4.8	4.8	4.7	4.5	4.6	4.3	4.5	4.7	4.5	4.3	4.5	4.4	4.4	4.4	4.7
Pricing	Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users	Starts at $2.5/user/month	Starts at $7.25/user/month	Starts at $4/user/month	Contact vendor for price	Starts at $7/user/month, for min of 25 users	Contact vendor for price	Contact vendor for price	Starts at $4.5/user/month	Starts at $19.99/month + $19.99 per user	Contact vendor for price	Starts at $6/user/month	Starts at $9/user/month	Starts at $10/user/month	Starts at $9.99/user/month
Free Trial	yes 14-day	yes 1 month for Enterprise only	no	yes For specific plans	no	yes 30-day	no	no	yes 30-day	yes	no	no	yes 14-day	yes	no
Free Plan	yes Free Up to 10 users	no	yes	yes	no	yes For self-managed deployment	no	yes	yes Up to 20 users	no	no	yes	yes Up to 2 workspaces	yes	no

What Are Team Chat Apps?

Team chat apps are software solutions designed to help employees and managers communicate more efficiently and effectively. All users in the same company, as long as permitted by administrators, can communicate with each other, often in a variety of ways. These include direct messaging, group chats, video conferencing, phone calls, and more.

Team chat apps also act as a platform where information is centralized, meaning that users can share work-related data and files with each other. They usually include features that allow teams to digitally collaborate with each other on projects and assign tasks.

How Do Team Chat Apps Work?

More often than not, employee chat apps boast typical communication-oriented features such as video conferencing, the ability to send audio clips, and team chat messaging. While some apps don’t necessarily include all of these features, there tends to be an overlap, and without a doubt, team chatting features seem to be the most prevalent feature throughout.

Business chat apps always provide users with the ability to message one another, directly or in groups. Through this functionality, users can usually share a wide variety of media types, from GIFs and videos to images and files,as well as emojis and audio recordings.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Team Chat App?

Keep Everyone In The Loop

A team chat app is an easy way to make sure all departments and teams are on the same page. Instead of having to pass out loads of paperwork and documents, companies can now go completely digital and streamline their internal communication for more efficiency.

Increase Employee Engagement

A robust team chat app, like Connecteam, provides users with a digital social feed where employees can like and comment on company updates, news, or events. Additionally, managers can set up a digital suggestion box, surveys, or live polls to further increase employee engagement and collect actionable feedback.

Real-Time Oversight

A team chat app provides managers with complete oversight of their internal communication. With alerts and notifications, managers can be sure that every employee has seen and read messages. Gone are the days of emailing; companies are now moving to team chat apps to improve operational efficiency and internal communication.

How Much Do Team Chat Apps Cost?

In terms of paid plans, even the best enterprise chats apps can vary in price drastically depending on the features and capabilities they possess. There are some solutions like Troop Messenger and Google Chat that cost $125 and $120 per month for the first 30 users, respectively. Other solutions like RingCentral can be significantly more expensive, costing $1399.50 per month for 21-50 users.

It’s worth noting though, that many of these business chat apps provide free trials, meaning that you can try out their most basic features to determine which solution is the best fit for your organization before upgrading.

Connecteam’s free trial lets the first 50 users search for fellow contacts, communicate with all team members, receive company updates, and supply feedback via surveys. All of this can be done from one’s mobile device.

Many more advanced sub-features are available if you choose to upgrade to the Basic plan, which costs $29 per month for up to 30 users. Even if you choose not to upgrade, you can remain with the free plan forever, and given their vast features beyond an employee chat app, and the overall user experience, Connecteam’s platform is the best of the bunch.

FAQs

Is a business chat app suitable for all my team members?

This really depends on the app. Some are much easier to use and implement than others. As team chat apps go, Connecteam is a great solution for companies with less tech-savvy employees and requires little to no training to start using.

Can the chat be monitored?

Yes, most apps allow managers to monitor messaging. There are a few tools that do not allow managers to control private messages. With Connecteam, all messages and comments can be monitored and deleted if they are inappropriate in any way. Furthermore, if for any reason you need to offboard an employee, they will not have access to the application or any chat history after leaving the company.

Do team chat apps work on every phone?

No. Before choosing a team chat app, you should ensure that it works on iOS and Android. In addition, some chat apps work better on desktop, and if most of your employees work on-the-go, this may not be a good solution for your company. The Connecteam team chat app is specifically designed for deskless employees, frontline workers, and remote teams who are rarely behind a desk.

The Bottom Line On Team Chat App

Team chat apps are a natural go-to solution for communicating with employees, both for small businesses and big organizations.

It allows for quick interactions and data sharing during the day, and it helps to keep employees engaged and productive. When dealing with remote employees, there’s no better way to effectively manage them than witha team chat app.

The best business chat apps will be affordably priced, provide a free trial, are easy to use, and provide more than just a communication solution.

With the Connecteam all-in-one employee management app, you can easily streamline your internal communication, among many other features that help reduce day-to-day friction and expedite daily operations.