Communication is a vital element in a team. When you work with a distributed team, you need an appropriate tool to keep in touch with your team members and coordinate everything related to your business. Microsoft Teams is one of the most popular team communication tools. You can use it to create a virtual workplace where you can chat with your team members, conduct a video conference, exchange work documents, and so on.

Despite its popularity, you might find Microsoft Teams doesn’t fit the needs of your team. Here are some of the best alternative professional chat apps you can use to replace Microsoft Teams.

1. Slack

Slack is one of the most popular professional chat app other than Microsoft Teams. You can use Slack to communicate with your team members regardless of the operating system they use as Slack is a cross-platform app. You can install Slack whether on Windows, macOS, or Linux. Mobile apps are also available for iOS and Android. Slack is a great solution for small teams looking for a free professional chat app. The free version of Slack supports integrations with popular tools like Google Drive to share work-related files, Microsoft 365 to share work documents, and so on. Slack supports both video and voice calls. However, you can only make a video/audio call with a single user with the free version of Slack. Video and voice conferences are only available on the paid version of Slack.

If you already use Slack, you can download this PDF cheat sheet to learn the keyboard shortcuts you can use in Slack.

2. Flock

Flock is a team messaging app another great alternative to Microsoft Teams. You can use it for free to communicate with your small team. The free version of Flock comes with a 5GB file sharing capacity to make it easy for you and your team members to exchange work files. The built-in to-do list feature allows you to list priority tasks and share them with your team. The free version of Flock allows you to create up to 10 public channels.

You can also use Flock to make a video call with your team members. The free version only allows you to make a video call with one team member. To make a group video call, you need to upgrade to the pro version. Flock is available for all major operating systems (Windows, macOS, and Linux).

3. Troop Messenger

Troop Messenger is a bit different from Slack and Flock. You can’t use it for free. Troop Messenger charges $1 per user for the cheapest plan. You have a chance to try Troop Messenger for free for 7 days during the trial period. Troop Messenger is superior in terms of features. The cheapest plan of Troop Messenger offers 150GB file storage to allow you to share files with your teammates without needing to integrate with third-party storage services. Features like read indicator, typing indicator, and live tracking are available. You can also use Troop Messenger to make a video and voice call with your team members. Be it one on one call or group call.

The self-hosted version of Troop Messenger is also available in case you have a large team and need a dedicated team communication tool. The Troop Messenger app itself is available for Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.

4. ChatWork

ChatWork is a team communication another great alternative to Microsoft Teams. You can use it for free to communicate with your small team. With ChatWork, you don’t need to make an integration with Trello or other task management tools as it comes with a built-in task management feature to organize your tasks. The free version of ChartWork allows you to join to 14 group chats. Video conference feature is also available on ChatWork but you need to use the paid version. ChatWork gives you a 5GB storage space to allow you to share work files with your teammates. The app of ChatWork itself is available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

5. Office Chat

Office Chat doesn’t offer a free version so you need to spend money to use it. But you have a chance to try it for free for 7 days during the trial period. Office Chat is a great app to communicate with your team. Common features like chat history, group chat, video, and voice calls are available. You can also share your screen when conducting a video chat thanks to the screen sharing feature. The cheapest plan of Office Chat — which costs $25 per month — comes with a 25GB storage for file sharing. The app of Office Chat is available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

6. Fleep

Fleep is a great option if you are looking for a cross-platform team messaging app. Fleep offers native apps for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS. The team communication app combines messaging with file sharing and tasks to make it easy for you to coordinate with your teammates. The native conversation type supported by Fleep is text-based only, but you can also make both video and voice calls thanks to the Fleep integration with Whereby.

You can use Fleep if you need a team communication tool that has a built-in task management feature. Your team members will be able to manage the tasks assigned to them right from the Fleep app. No need to make an integration with Trello or Asana. The free version of Fleep also offers 10GB storage capacity for file sharing. Another feature offered by Fleep is account management where the manager can create, suspend, and delete accounts.

7. Ryver

Same as Office Chat, Ryver doesn’t offer a free version. To use it, you need to spend at least 49 per month. You can use your account to add 12 users and communicate with them. There is a 14-day trial period in case you want to try the features offered by Ryver first. Three key features offered by the cheapest plan of Ryver are:

• Unlimited chat
• Unlimited file sharing
• Task management

Video and voice call features are also available, but they are still in a beta phase. The app of Ryver is available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.