Best Prose Alternatives in 2026
The top Prose alternatives are Microsoft Teams, Slack and Lark: 15 business instant messaging - midmarket software our editors would look at instead of Prose, in our ranking order.
Prose: Encrypted team chat with self-hosting, but a narrower feature set than broad collaboration suites. Where it falls short: community has a 20-user limit and no support or updates..
Switching from Prose? For most business instant messaging - midmarket software buyers the best Prose alternative is Microsoft Teams, built for midmarket teams standardizing on Microsoft 365. On a budget, Pumble starts at $2.49/seat/mo.
Why People Look for a Prose Alternative
- 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
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallMicrosoft Teams9.4
Midmarket teams standardizing on Microsoft 365
Visit Microsoft Teams - Lowest pricePumble8.0
Paid plans from $2.49/seat/mo
Visit Pumble - Best free optionMicrosoft Teams9.4
Has a free plan
Visit Microsoft Teams
All 15 Prose Alternatives, Ranked
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.
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Best forMidmarket teams standardizing on Microsoft 365
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 6.6
A broad collaboration hub for teams already working in Microsoft 365.
- Guest access
9.4/10★★★★★Try Microsoft Teams -
Best forTeams wanting a widely adopted, integration-rich hub
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 9.3 vs 6.6
A channel-based work hub with broad integrations, huddles, and workflow automation.
- Guest access
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Slack -
Best forTeams seeking chat alongside a broad work suite
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 6.6
A broad work suite that pairs organized team chat with meetings and collaboration tools.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Lark -
Best forOrganizations using Zoho or needing flexible chat
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 6.6
A flexible business chat service with searchable history, guest collaboration, and Zoho integrations.
- Guest access
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Zoho Cliq -
Best forTeams wanting messaging plus lightweight work tools
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 6.6
Flock combines team chat, calls, and shared productivity tools, with limited history on Starter.
- Guest access
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Flock -
Best forTeams needing self-hosting and searchable chat history
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 8.7 vs 6.6
A flexible team chat with self-hosting, searchable history, and operational integrations.
- Guest access
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Mattermost -
Best forTeams prioritizing self-hosting and deployment control
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 8.6 vs 6.6
A flexible messaging platform for teams that need control over deployment.
- Guest access
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Rocket.Chat -
Best forTeams needing self-hosted, federated collaboration
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 6.6
Open-source team chat with guest access, federation and collaboration tools for self-hosted teams.
- Guest access
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Nextcloud -
Best forTeams emphasizing meetings alongside messaging
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 6.6
A combined messaging and meetings app for teams that prioritize live collaboration.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Webex -
Best forTeams that prefer topic-threaded, searchable discussion
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 8.3 vs 6.6
Topic-based threads and searchable chat, with cloud and self-hosted options.
- Guest access
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Zulip -
Best forSecurity-focused teams needing encrypted collaboration
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 8.2 vs 6.6
A security-focused collaboration workspace with broad deployment options and a small integration set.
- Guest access
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Wire -
Best forBudget-minded teams wanting chat with task boards
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 8.1 vs 6.6
Chanty pairs searchable team chat with Kanban task boards, with group features on paid plans.
- Guest access
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Chanty -
Best forCost-conscious teams needing full history and channels
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 6.6
A low-cost team messenger with unlimited history, broad integrations, and tiered controls.
- Guest access
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Pumble -
Best forTeams wanting desktop chat and remote-support tools
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 7.9 vs 6.6
Cross-platform team messaging with remote-support tools, but no free plan and limited history.
- Guest access
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Brosix -
Best forRegulated firms needing controlled external messaging
- Better than Prose:
- Editor score 7.8 vs 6.6
A compliance-focused messaging platform for firms coordinating with clients and market participants.
- Guest access
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Symphony
Prose Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Prose?
Microsoft Teams: #1 in our Business Instant Messaging - Midmarket Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A broad collaboration hub for teams already working in Microsoft 365.
Is there a free alternative to Prose?
Yes. Microsoft Teams, Slack, Lark, Zoho Cliq and Flock have a free plan or a free tier (12 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Prose?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Pumble starts lowest, at $2.49/seat/mo.
Why do people look for Prose alternatives?
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.
How do I switch from Prose?
Export your data from Prose (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Prose.
How to Switch from Prose
- Export your data from Prose (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Prose.
Prose vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Message history | Guest access | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Prose | Yes | €5/user/mo | Unlimited | 6.6 | |
| 1 | Microsoft Teams | Yes | Unlimited | Yes | 9.4 | |
| 2 | Slack | Yes | $7.25/user/mo | Limited | Yes | 9.3 |
| 3 | Lark | Yes | Limited | 9.1 | ||
| 4 | Zoho Cliq | Yes | Unlimited | Yes | 8.9 | |
| 5 | Flock | Yes | Limited | Yes | 8.8 | |
| 6 | Mattermost | Yes | Unlimited | Yes | 8.7 | |
| 7 | Rocket.Chat | Yes | Unlimited | Yes | 8.6 | |
| 8 | Nextcloud Talk | €71.29/user/yr | Yes | 8.5 | ||
| 9 | Webex App | Yes | 8.4 | |||
| 10 | Zulip | Yes | $3.50/user/mo | Limited | Yes | 8.3 |
| 11 | Wire | Yes | €7.45/user/mo | Yes | 8.2 | |
| 12 | Chanty | Yes | $3/user/mo | Unlimited | Yes | 8.1 |
| 13 | Pumble | Yes | $2.49/seat/mo | Unlimited | Yes | 8.0 |
| 14 | Brosix | No | $6/user/mo | Limited | Yes | 7.9 |
| 15 | Symphony | No | Yes | 7.8 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
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