Lark
by LarkLark may suit teams looking to combine messaging, calendars, documents, and cloud storage.
Free plan Free trial From $6 a month, billed yearly AndroidiPhone & iPadWebWindowsMacLinux+1
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Best Business Instant Messaging - Midmarket Software 2026
Facts read 20 Sep 2026 – 20 Oct 2026
For midmarket teams, business instant-messaging software supports exchanging messages and files across work devices. This list includes tools with web, mobile and desktop access, plus options with open-source code or self-hosting.
The standings: top 10
| Name | In a line | Record score | Price from | Try it free | Runs on | Facts read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Lark | Lark may suit teams looking to combine messaging, calendars, documents, and cloud storage. | 6.6 | $6 a month, billed yearly | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 20 Oct 2026 |
| 02 Rocket.Chat | 6.6 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 15 Oct 2026 | |
| 03 Zulip | Zulip suits teams that want channel-based chat, guest access and a choice between cloud and self-hosted plans. | 6.6 | $3.50 a month | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 04 Nextcloud Talk | It suits organizations wanting self-hosted meetings and chat connected to Nextcloud collaboration tools. | 6.5 | €71.29 a year | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 8 Oct 2026 |
| 05 Pumble | Pumble may suit businesses that want team messaging and meetings in one app, including startups and nonprofit organizations considering its free plan. | 6.5 | $2.49 a month, billed yearly | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 2 Oct 2026 |
| 06 Ryver | 6.5 | $4 a month | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 11 Oct 2026 | |
| 07 Microsoft Teams | Teams suits people who need chat, calls, meetings, and screen sharing across desktop, mobile, or web. | 6.2 | $4 a month, billed yearly | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 27 Sep 2026 |
| 08 Chanty | Chanty may suit small and medium teams that want chat, calls, and task coordination in one tool. | 5.9 | $36 a year | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 28 Sep 2026 |
| 09 Google Chat | It suits individuals and organizations wanting chat across major desktop and mobile platforms, especially Workspace users and teams needing integrations or large… | 5.9 | $7 a month, billed yearly | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 28 Sep 2026 |
| 10 Slack | Slack suits teams that coordinate through channels and messages and want connected apps or workflow automation. | 5.9 | $8.75 a month | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 27 Sep 2026 |
Compare free plans, paid starting prices and trial periods. Before selecting a service, review message history, guest access, single sign-on, file-size limits and retention controls.
02
Rocket.Chat
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+5 Record6.6 Visit
03
Zulip
Zulip suits teams that want channel-based chat, guest access and a choice between cloud and self-hosted plans.
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+5 Record6.6 Visit
04
Nextcloud Talk
It suits organizations wanting self-hosted meetings and chat connected to Nextcloud collaboration tools.
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+5 Record6.5 Visit
05
Pumble
Pumble may suit businesses that want team messaging and meetings in one app, including startups and nonprofit organizations considering its free plan.
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+4 Record6.5 Visit
7
Microsoft Teams
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 $4 a month, billed yearly Record6.2 Visit Teams suits people who need chat, calls, meetings, and screen sharing across desktop, mobile, or web.
8
Chanty
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+5 $36 a year Record5.9 Visit Chanty may suit small and medium teams that want chat, calls, and task coordination in one tool.
9
Google Chat
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 $7 a month, billed yearly Record5.9 Visit It suits individuals and organizations wanting chat across major desktop and mobile platforms, especially Workspace users and teams needing integrations or large…
10
Slack
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 $8.75 a month Record5.9 Visit Slack suits teams that coordinate through channels and messages and want connected apps or workflow automation.
12
Wire
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 €7.45 a month, billed yearly Record5.7 Visit Wire may suit organizations that need encrypted communication and collaboration across devices.
13
Zoho Cliq
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 Free plan Record5.7 Visit It suits businesses that need team chat across desktop and mobile platforms, with administration and workflow tools.
14
eXpress
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+5 Free plan Record5.4 Visit eXpress suits organizations seeking a combined messaging, meeting, and employee-process platform across desktop and mobile systems.
15
Twist
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+3 $6 a month, billed yearly Record5.0 Visit Twist suits teams that need channel-based messaging across desktop and mobile platforms.
17
Flock
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+4 Free plan Record4.7 Visit Flock suits teams wanting channels, guest access, cross-platform clients, and many listed integrations.
18
Element
AndroidiPhone & iPadWeb+4 Free plan Record4.5 Visit Element may suit individuals or organizations looking for messaging across mobile and desktop platforms, guest access, and unlimited message history.
Before you choose
Compare free plans and paid starts
A free plan is available from entries in this list. Examples of listed starting prices are $2.49 per user per month for Pumble, $7 per user per month for Google Chat and €5 per user per month for Prose.
Check the billing period and currency shown for a plan. With annual billing, HansaChat lists a €39 monthly price.
Use a trial when available
The listed trial periods range from 7 to 30 days: eXpress lists 30 days, Google Chat and HansaChat list 14 days, and Pumble lists 7 days.
Treat a free plan and a trial as different offers, and review each one before committing.
Match your work devices
Web, Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux all appear among the supported platforms in the list. Check that the services you shortlist support the devices your team uses.
Review guests and sign-on
Guest access can affect how outside partners join conversations. Single sign-on can affect how staff authenticate. Compare these fields for the access model you need.
Check history, files and retention
Limits on message history, maximum file size and retention controls influence how teams locate and preserve work conversations. Review these fields alongside your storage and record-keeping needs.
Consider code and hosting
Some entries provide open-source code. If your organisation needs control over where a service runs, compare the self-hosted option field before choosing.
Questions
What device platforms are supported by these messaging tools?
The entries list support for web, Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux. Check the platform coverage of the service you are considering.
Do any of these tools have free plans?
The entries for eXpress, Google Chat, HansaChat, Prose and Pumble each indicate a free plan.
Which tools list free trials?
The listed trial durations are 30 days for eXpress, 14 days for Google Chat and HansaChat, and 7 days for Pumble.
What pricing examples are listed?
Listed examples put Pumble at $2.49 per user per month and Google Chat at $7 on annual billing, while Prose starts at €5 per user per month.
Are open-source or self-hosted choices included?
The comparison includes fields for open-source code and self-hosting. Review the entries for the hosting model that fits your organisation.
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