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Head-to-head · Team Chat Apps

Zulip vs Lark

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Zulip #6 in Team Chat Apps 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 2 features Visit Zulip
Lark #7 in Team Chat Apps 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Lark

Zulip 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 scoreZulip · 8.7/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresZulip · 2 of 2

Zulip scores higher on our rubric for team chat apps: 8.7 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #7.

Zulip is the better fit for teams that prefer topic-based discussions. Lark is the better fit for teams needing an all-in-one workspace.

  • Zulip fits best

    Teams that prefer topic-based discussions

  • 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 Zulip 8.7/10 Visit ↗ Lark 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 8.6
Ranking #6 in Team Chat Apps #7 in Team Chat Apps
Best for Teams that prefer topic-based discussions Teams needing an all-in-one workspace
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $3.50/user/mo —
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 Email, Live chat, Phone, Community, Docs Email, Docs
Compliance GDPR, SSO/SAML SOC 2
Integrations 130+ integrations 7 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Zulip 2/2 · Lark 1/2
Channels ✓ ✓
Guest access ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Message history Limited Limited
Integrations GitHub, GitLab, Jira, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Calendar, Zoom, Jitsi Meet, Zapier, IFTTT, Sentry, Zendesk Exchange, Outlook, Google Calendar, Gmail, AnyCross, Lark Developer, Lark Base
Supported platforms web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, API web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Maximum members Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Topic-based threads keep discussions organized and searchable
  • 130+ native integrations plus API, webhooks, Zapier and IFTTT
  • Cloud and self-hosted options support varied deployment needs
  • Combines chat, meetings, documents, calendars, tasks, and approvals
  • Supports web, desktop, and mobile platforms, including Linux
  • Includes translation, automation, APIs, and app integrations
Cons
  • Cloud Free limits searchable history to 10,000 messages
  • Cloud Plus requires a 10-user minimum
  • Self-hosted Free has limited mobile notifications for some organizations
  • 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

Zulip is an open-source team chat application for organizations ranging from small teams to thousands of users. Its central design is topic-based threading inside channels, which supports both real-time and asynchronous communication.…

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. ZulipTeam Chat Apps 8.7Free plan
  2. LarkTeam Chat Apps 8.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Zulip — where it wins

    • Topic-based threads keep discussions organized and searchable
    • 130+ native integrations plus API, webhooks, Zapier and IFTTT
    • Cloud and self-hosted options support varied deployment needs

    Where it doesn't

    • Cloud Free limits searchable history to 10,000 messages
    • Cloud Plus requires a 10-user minimum
    • Self-hosted Free has limited mobile notifications for some organizations

  • 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