Head-to-head · Business Instant Messaging - Midmarket Software
Lark vs Nextcloud Talk
Lark leads on 0 checks, Nextcloud Talk on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreLark · 9.1/10
- Free planonly Lark
- Free trialonly Nextcloud Talk
- Most featuresNextcloud Talk · 1 of 4
Lark scores higher on our rubric for business instant messaging - midmarket software: 9.1 against 8.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #8.
Lark is the better fit for teams seeking chat alongside a broad work suite. Nextcloud Talk is the better fit for teams needing self-hosted, federated collaboration.
- Lark fits best
Teams seeking chat alongside a broad work suite
- Nextcloud Talk fits best
Teams needing self-hosted, federated collaboration
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Side by side
| Feature | Lark 9.1/10 Visit ↗ | Nextcloud Talk 8.5/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.1 | 8.5 |
| Ranking | #3 in Business Instant Messaging - Midmarket Software | #8 in Business Instant Messaging - Midmarket Software |
| Best for | Teams seeking chat alongside a broad work suite | Teams needing self-hosted, federated collaboration |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Starting price | — | €71.29/user/yr |
| Free plan | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Free trial | — | 30 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Desktop, Mobile | Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Support | Email, Docs | Email, Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs |
| Compliance | SOC 2 | GDPR |
| Integrations | 7 integrations | 15 integrations |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Lark 0/4 · Nextcloud Talk 1/4 | ||
| Guest access | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Self-hosted option | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Single sign-on | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Retention controls | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Specs | ||
| Message history | Limited | Not checked yet |
| Max file size | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Our review | ||
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Lark brings team messaging into a wider cloud collaboration workspace for organizations ranging from small teams to enterprise. Alongside group conversations and organized channels, it includes video meetings, email, collaborative… Read the review → |
Nextcloud Talk brings text chat, audio and video calls, meetings and webinars into a self-hosted collaboration platform. It is suited to teams that want control over deployment and need conversations with both colleagues and external… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Lark — where it wins
- Combines channels and group chat with meetings and shared documents.
- Includes email, calendar, approvals, wiki, and no-code workflow tools.
- Offers plans from a 20-user Starter tier to unlimited Enterprise users.
Where it doesn't
- Chat is part of a broad workspace, not a standalone messaging product.
- Starter limits message history to 18 months and users to 20.
- Plan limits and monthly pricing vary by regional pricing page.
Nextcloud Talk — where it wins
- Federated chat and video calls, plus end-to-end encrypted calls
- Guest rooms, screen sharing, webinars and breakout rooms
- Chat integrates file and document collaboration with Nextcloud apps
Where it doesn't
- Talk is optional at extra cost on the listed Enterprise tiers
- The listed category specs do not include channels
- Talk-specific pricing is not published with the listed tier prices
- Lark9.1/10 · Free plan
A broad work suite that pairs organized team chat with meetings and collaboration tools.
Visit LarkFull verdict → - Nextcloud Talk8.5/10 · Open source · 30-day trial
Open-source team chat with guest access, federation and collaboration tools for self-hosted teams.
Visit NextcloudFull verdict →
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All business instant messaging - midmarket software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
Last updated · How we research and update