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Head-to-head · Team Chat Apps

Rocket.Chat vs Lark

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Rocket.Chat #5 in Team Chat Apps 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 2 features Visit Rocket.Chat
Lark #7 in Team Chat Apps 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Lark

Rocket.Chat leads on 0 checks, Lark on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreRocket.Chat · 8.8/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresRocket.Chat · 2 of 2

Rocket.Chat scores higher on our rubric for team chat apps: 8.8 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #7.

On message history, Rocket.Chat gives you Unlimited where Lark offers Limited.

Rocket.Chat is the better fit for organizations needing controlled deployments. Lark is the better fit for teams needing an all-in-one workspace.

  • Rocket.Chat fits best

    Organizations needing controlled deployments

  • Lark fits best

    Teams needing an all-in-one workspace

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Rocket.Chat 8.8/10 Visit ↗ Lark 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.8 8.6
Ranking #5 in Team Chat Apps #7 in Team Chat Apps
Best for Organizations needing controlled deployments Teams needing an all-in-one workspace
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price — —
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support Community, Docs Email, Docs
Compliance SOC 2, GDPR, SSO/SAML, 2FA SOC 2
Integrations 5,000+ integrations 7 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Rocket.Chat 2/2 · Lark 1/2
Channels ✓ ✓
Guest access ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Message history Unlimited Limited
Integrations GitHub, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Meet, Jira Cloud, Microsoft Teams, Pexip, Telegram, Trello, WhatsApp, Zapier, Zoom Exchange, Outlook, Google Calendar, Gmail, AnyCross, Lark Developer, Lark Base
Supported platforms web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, API, self-hosted web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Maximum members 50 users Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Self-hosted and air-gapped deployment options
  • Channels, threads, search, calls, guests, and file sharing
  • Role-based access, SSO, MFA, encryption, and retention policies
  • Combines chat, meetings, documents, calendars, tasks, and approvals
  • Supports web, desktop, and mobile platforms, including Linux
  • Includes translation, automation, APIs, and app integrations
Cons
  • Commercial, Government, and Defense plans are quote-based
  • Community is self-hosted only and limited to core messaging
  • Community push notifications are capped at 10,000 per month
  • Starter is limited to 20 users and 18 months of message history
  • Paid plans are billed annually at their listed per-user rates
  • Advanced security and compliance controls are limited to Enterprise
Our verdict

Rocket.Chat is an open-source communications platform for organizations that need controlled collaboration and data ownership. It brings together public and private channels, direct messages, groups, threaded discussions, searchable…

Read the review →

Lark brings team messaging, video meetings, email, calendars, documents, cloud storage, approvals, knowledge management, and no-code workflows into one workspace. Its chat features include group conversations, threaded discussions, chat…

Read the review →
  1. Rocket.ChatTeam Chat Apps 8.8Free plan
  2. LarkTeam Chat Apps 8.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Rocket.Chat — where it wins

    • Self-hosted and air-gapped deployment options
    • Channels, threads, search, calls, guests, and file sharing
    • Role-based access, SSO, MFA, encryption, and retention policies

    Where it doesn't

    • Commercial, Government, and Defense plans are quote-based
    • Community is self-hosted only and limited to core messaging
    • Community push notifications are capped at 10,000 per month

  • Lark — where it wins

    • Combines chat, meetings, documents, calendars, tasks, and approvals
    • Supports web, desktop, and mobile platforms, including Linux
    • Includes translation, automation, APIs, and app integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • Starter is limited to 20 users and 18 months of message history
    • Paid plans are billed annually at their listed per-user rates
    • Advanced security and compliance controls are limited to Enterprise

More comparisons

All team chat apps comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update