Here are the best team messaging apps for remote work right now, with a short "who it’s best for" and the main pros/cons so you can pick quickly.

Top picks

• Slack — Best overall for integrations, channels + AI features. Pros: mature app ecosystem (~2,600+ apps), strong search, Slack AI features and thread/channel summaries available on paid plans. Cons: can get noisy and costs add up for large teams. (slack.com)

• Microsoft Teams — Best if your org uses Microsoft 365. Pros: native Office/Outlook/OneDrive integration, built-in meeting/webinar features and growing AI/agent features (Teams Premium add‑on). Cons: heavier UI for small teams; licensing varies with Microsoft 365 plans. (support.microsoft.com)

• Google Chat (part of Google Workspace) — Best if you already use Google Workspace. Pros: tight integration with Gmail/Drive/Meet, Gemini-powered summaries and huddles; included with Workspace plans. Cons: advanced admin controls need Workspace paid tiers. (workspace.google.com)

• Mattermost — Best for self-hosting, privacy, and regulated industries. Pros: open-source option, strong security controls, on‑prem & cloud options, extensible and good for DevOps workflows. Cons: requires more ops effort if self-hosted; enterprise features cost extra. (mattermost.com)

• Rocket.Chat — Best open-source alternative for full data control / government or highly regulated orgs. Pros: self-hosted/community edition, E2E options, flexible hosting and compliance features. Cons: setup/maintenance overhead for self-hosting. (rocket.chat)

• Zulip — Best for teams that need persistent, well-organized threaded discussions (good for async-heavy and engineering teams). Pros: unique topic/stream+thread model, lightweight, open-source/self-host options. Cons: different mental model than Slack (learning curve). (chat.zulip.com)

• Twist — Best for async-first teams (designed to reduce chat noise and preserve focus). Pros: thread-first design, calmer notifications and prioritization for deep work. Cons: fewer real‑time features than Slack/Teams. (store.twist.com)

• Discord — Best for voice-first or very informal teams (startups, communities, product teams that rely on persistent voice channels). Pros: excellent low-latency voice channels, always-on voice rooms, free tier strong for small groups. Cons: consumer-oriented, fewer enterprise controls/compliance than Teams/Slack. (hp.com)

• Chanty / other lightweight apps (Chanty, Flock, etc.) — Best for small teams on a budget that want simple chat + task features. Pros: lower price, easy setup. Cons: fewer integrations and enterprise features. (connecteam.com)

How to choose (quick checklist)

• If you already use Microsoft 365 → Microsoft Teams. (support.microsoft.com)
• If you’re deep in Google Workspace → Google Chat. (workspace.google.com)
• If you want the biggest app ecosystem & lots of integrations → Slack. (slack.com)
• If you need to self-host or meet strict compliance/data residency → Mattermost or Rocket.Chat. (mattermost.com)
• If your team is async-first / needs calm deep-work time → Twist or Zulip. (store.twist.com)
• If voice channels and low-latency audio are central → Discord. (hp.com)

Pricing snapshot (very high level)

• Slack, Teams, and Google Chat are included in their platform pricing; paid tiers add advanced security/AI features (see vendor pricing pages for exact plans). (slack.com)
• Mattermost and Rocket.Chat offer free/community editions plus paid/pro/enterprise plans for hosted or advanced features. (mattermost.com)
• Zulip and Twist have modest per‑user prices and hosted + self‑host options. (chat.zulip.com)

If you want, I can:

• recommend 2–3 options tuned to your company size, security needs, and current toolset (Microsoft/Google/etc.), or
• create a 30–60 day rollout checklist for one app (permission settings, integrations, channels, onboarding tips).

Which would you like next?