Team Chat and Messaging Software
Rocket.Chat: features, pricing and who it fits
Rocket.Chat is open source and can be self-hosted, which attracts public-sector, defense and other regulated buyers. Deployment options include on-premises, a sovereign EU cloud and air-gapped setups, plus federation with Matrix. Pricing is by quote. Reviewers mention setup complexity.
Who Rocket.Chat is for
Best for
- Regulated or public-sector organizations that need on-premises, air-gapped or sovereign-cloud chat
- Teams that want federation with Matrix or XMPP instead of a closed network
- Technical teams that can start on the free self-managed Starter workspace
Look elsewhere if
- Small teams that want a published per-user price and quick self-serve checkout
- Buyers who want a polished consumer-style chat UI, since reviewers cite UI and setup complexity
Fit by company size
| Category | 1-10 people | 11-50 people | 51-500 people | 500+ people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Chat and Messaging Software | Workable | Poor fit | Strong fit | Strong fit |
Strong fitWorkablePoor fitNo data from the vendor
Rocket.Chat features
- Channels and threading
- Channels, teams, discussions, direct messages and threaded replies
- Built-in video and huddles
- Voice, video and screen sharing listed as core features
- App integrations and bots
- Custom apps, workflows, REST APIs, SDKs, and an app marketplace (labeled new)
- Guest and external access
- Not documented on the homepage; partner collaboration is done via federation with Matrix and XMPP
- Security and admin controls
- SAML 2.0, OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, LDAP/AD SSO; audit trails; retention policies; RBAC/ABAC
- Mobile app and frontline fit
- Mobile and desktop apps available; frontline features not documented
- Pricing model and transparency
- Custom quote per tier; free self-managed Starter
- Target company size
- Mid-size to enterprise, government, defense and critical infrastructure
Rocket.Chat pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | Free | self-managed workspace | For technical evaluation, small businesses and non-profits |
| Commercial | Get pricing | No public price | |
| Government | Custom quote | ||
| Defense | Contact us |
No per-user price published on rocket.chat/pricing. Qualifying non-profits can get a reduced-price Commercial subscription. Standard support is included in all plans; mission critical support and professional services are paid add-ons.
Prices as published by Rocket.Chat on the date above. Quotes for larger teams often differ, which is what a request on SaaSBid surfaces.
Pros and cons
What users like
- Flexible and controllable, with strong data control and privacy options
- Reviewers generally find it easy to use and feature-rich
Common complaints
- UI feels less polished than mainstream chat tools
- Setup and customization can be complex
Integrations, security and hosting
- Security and compliance
- ISO/IEC 27001, SOC (report type not specified on the about page), GDPR, HIPAA (badge listed on homepage)
- Data residency
- On-premises, private cloud, sovereign cloud (EU) or air-gapped, per plan
Worth knowing before you buy
- Free self-managed Starter workspace; paid tiers (Commercial, Government, Defense) have no public prices
- Deployment choices include on-premises, private cloud, EU sovereign cloud and air-gapped
- Native server-to-server federation with Matrix and XMPP without a bridge
- Positioned at government, defense and critical infrastructure rather than general SMB chat
- Fully remote company; 2015 origin as a side project of four friends
