Stoat

At a glance

• Editor score
  5.3 / 10
• Pricing
  Free plan
• Best for
  Small communities wanting free, self-hostable chat
• Free plan
  Yes
• Paid from
  Free
• Facts checked
  23 Sep 2026

• Where it wins

  • Organizes text chat into servers and channels, with voice, video, and screen sharing
  • Includes roles, moderation tools, bots, a public API, and webhook support
  • Offers self-hosting, custom emojis, themes, and file uploads up to 20 MB

• Where it doesn't

  • GitHub via webhook is the only named integration
  • The iOS/iPadOS app is labeled early access
  • Linux publishing to Flathub is still in progress

Our verdict on Stoat

Stoat is an open-source group chat app for friends and communities that want organized conversation without a subscription. Servers contain text channels, and members can also use voice chat, video calls, screen sharing, file sharing, and markdown. Role-based permissions and moderation tools give community managers ways to organize access and participation. It is available on web, desktop, and mobile, with a self-hosted option for people who want to run the software themselves.

Customization and community automation are central strengths. Bots and a public API offer ways to extend the app, while webhooks can post messages to channels from external services; GitHub is specifically supported through a webhook. Members can use custom emojis and server-specific profile pictures without a subscription, and themes include user-created CSS. Group direct messages support up to 50 members. File uploads are described as supporting files up to 20 MB. These features make Stoat a fit for communities that value flexible spaces and control over presentation more than a broad catalog of named integrations.

Stoat is described as free, and the published product details include no-cost features rather than paid plan tiers. Deployment options include hosted service and self-hosting, alongside web, desktop, and mobile access. The iOS/iPadOS app is labeled early access, and Linux publishing to Flathub is in progress, so those app routes have a different readiness signal. Support channels listed are community and documentation. Choose Stoat for a free community chat space with moderation and self-hosting; teams that depend on many established business integrations or polished, uniformly mature apps should consider alternatives.

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Stoat pricing

Stoat fact sheet

Stoat integrations

Stoat lists 1 integrations on its own site.

• GitHub (via webhook)

Alternatives to Stoat

• Microsoft TeamsA broad team chat workspace with a free plan and deep Microsoft 365 integration.9.4
• SlackA capable team-chat hub for integration-heavy teams, with limited free history.9.3
• Zoho CliqA broad team chat suite with strong Zoho ecosystem fit and a capable free plan.9.1

See all Stoat alternatives →

Featured on iTechGuides

Stoat is listed in our Team Chat Apps directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update