Skip to content
BetterOpenSource

Mattermost vs Zulip

A side-by-side comparison of two open-source tools to help you choose the right one.

Feature
SummarySecure team messaging for technical teams.Threaded team chat that scales with focus.
GitHub stars33K22K
LicenseSource AvailableApache 2.0
LanguageGoPython
PricingFree & Open SourceFree & Open Source
Self-hostable
ReplacesSlack, Microsoft TeamsSlack, Discord
Rating4.5 / 54.5 / 5

Mattermost features

  • Channels, threads, and direct messages
  • Slash commands and integrations
  • Playbooks for incident response
  • SSO, LDAP, and compliance exports
  • Self-hosted with full data control

Zulip features

  • Topic-based threading within channels
  • Powerful search and keyboard navigation
  • Markdown, code blocks, and LaTeX
  • Integrations and incoming webhooks
  • Self-hosted or cloud

Mattermostpros & cons

Pros

  • Strong security and compliance
  • Great for DevOps workflows
  • On-prem or private cloud

Cons

  • Some features are enterprise-tier
  • Setup heavier than hosted chat

Zulippros & cons

Pros

  • Best-in-class for async clarity
  • Excellent for large communities
  • Fully open and self-hostable

Cons

  • Threading model takes adjustment
  • UI is dense for newcomers

Command Palette

Search for a command to run...