Prose
Prose: Encrypted team chat with self-hosting, but a narrower feature set than broad collaboration suites. Ranked #23 of 24 in Business Instant Messaging - Midmarket Software by our editors (6.6/10); pricing: Free plan; best for privacy-minded small teams wanting encrypted chat.
At a glance
- Editor score6.6 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forPrivacy-minded small teams wanting encrypted chat
- Free planYes
- Paid from€5/user/mo
- Facts checked24 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- End-to-end encryption covers messages and chat history.
- Self-hosted Community plan is free for up to 20 users.
- Business adds guided setup, support, and configurable message removal.
Where it doesn't
- Community has a 20-user limit and no support or updates.
- Threads, search, integrations, calls, and SSO are planned, not current.
- Workspace-to-workspace messaging is available only when enabled.
Our verdict on Prose
Prose is a workplace messaging product for teams that want encrypted conversations and the option to run the server on their own premises. Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android apps connect to a Prose server. Its core toolkit includes direct messages, private and public groups, voice messages, and image and file sharing. The combination of encryption and self-hosting will appeal to privacy-minded small teams; organizations looking for a broad collaboration hub may find its current scope too narrow.
The two plans separate self-management from vendor-supported deployment. Community is free and self-hosted, with a maximum of 20 users and no support or updates. Business costs €5 per user per month, with monthly payment available; annual billing saves 20%. It can be hosted on your premises and adds guided setup, dedicated technical support, unlimited users, and volume discounts. This makes Business the more suitable option for larger teams or those that want assistance, while Community fits teams prepared to manage their own server and updates.
Prose puts message privacy and administration ahead of breadth. Messages and chat history are end-to-end encrypted, and Business includes configurable message auto-removal policies. A workspace administration dashboard supports management, while workspace-to-workspace messaging is available when enabled. Threads, search, integrations, audio/video calls, and SSO are shown as planned rather than current features, so teams that depend on those capabilities should consider a messaging product with them already in place. Choose Prose for encrypted, self-hostable team chat; look elsewhere if broad integrations or built-in calling are central to your workflow.
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Prose pricing
All 2 Prose plans and prices →
Prose fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | €5/user/mo |
| Message history | Unlimited |
| Guest access | Not verified |
| Self-hosted option | Yes |
| Single sign-on | No |
| Max file size | Not verified |
| Retention controls | Yes |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Compliance & security | 2FA |
| Support | |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | prose.org |
| Facts checked | 24 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Prose
- Microsoft TeamsA broad collaboration hub for teams already working in Microsoft 365.9.4
- SlackA channel-based work hub with broad integrations, huddles, and workflow automation.9.3
- LarkA broad work suite that pairs organized team chat with meetings and collaboration tools.9.1
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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