Best chat platforms for business communication and collaboration in 2025

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Slack

Slack dominates the workplace chat market as the most recognized collaboration platform. It successfully established itself as a new standard for workplace communication, though numerous alternatives now offer comparable functionality at lower costs.

As security becomes increasingly important, many organizations explore alternatives that provide organizational security features better suited to privacy-conscious businesses.

Chanty

Chanty combines messaging with simple task management, making it useful for teams that want integrated collaboration platforms without complex features. The platform includes chat, calls, video conferencing, and basic project tracking in a single interface.

Ryver

Ryver blends team chat with project management features, positioning itself as a hybrid between Slack and Trello. This instant messaging platform helps teams collaborate without switching between multiple tools, potentially increasing productivity.

Flock

Flock provides encrypted communication through instant messaging, video calls, and voice notes. The platform includes productivity features like to-dos, polls, and reminders, making it suitable for privacy-oriented organizations prioritizing communication security.

Additional resources:

• Team communication apps for hybrid teams
• Workplace team communication best practices

Best chat platforms for customer service

Customer support has evolved beyond phone and email. Chat has become essential for modern customer service, enabling quick resolution and meeting consumer expectations for instant communication.

Benefits of customer support chat platforms:

• Instant response capabilities
• Automation through chatbots
• Multi-channel support consolidation
• Reduced support costs
• Improved customer satisfaction

Here are five leading platforms for customer support:

Intercom

Intercom is the industry standard for live chat interaction with customers. Features include live chat, shared inbox, product tours, chatbots, and email marketing, supporting customers throughout their journey.

While popular and reliable, many businesses don't utilize all features, leading them to explore open-source alternatives offering focused functionality at lower costs.

Freshchat

Freshchat provides conversational messaging for customer service across multiple channels. Customers can reach support agents via WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and other platforms. Chatbots and self-service capabilities enable instant feedback while allowing agents to proactively build customer trust.

Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk streamlines customer interactions from multiple channels into a single inbox. Social media integration allows customer service agents to respond to social posts and improve customer experience. The platform includes standard live chat functionality with embeddable widgets for proactive engagement.

Tidio

Tidio offers an all-in-one customer service solution combining live chat and AI chatbots. It's ideal for small and medium businesses wanting organized, automated communication in one place.

Genesys DX

Genesys DX uses AI-powered features to revolutionize customer engagement. The platform includes AI chatbots and proactive conversational AI across multiple channels, enabling quick issue resolution through advanced chat experiences.

LiveChat

LiveChat supports customer service, sales, and marketing teams through live chat functionality. The platform handles conversations from Apple Messages, WhatsApp, SMS, and other channels, making it easy to engage website visitors proactively.

Best consumer-oriented chat platforms

You’re probably using at least one of these chat platforms in your everyday life. These chat apps allow all of us to get in touch with their friends and family. These apps differ in functionalities but also in their approach to securing their users’ communication.

Read on to find out what makes these popular chat apps stand out from the rest.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp probably doesn’t need a lot of introduction. Since it’s the most used instant messaging app in the world, chances are you already use it.

While encrypted, it shouldn't be used for team chat without additional security measures, as businesses need extra protection for communication.

➡️ Read our quick guide for secure messaging and learn if WhatsApp is secure enough for businesses.

Telegram

Telegram is a cloud-based group chat platform with over 500 million monthly active users. Unlike WhatsApp, it stores media in the cloud rather than on devices, enabling larger file exchanges. Telegram offers enhanced security measures including secret chats and self-destruct messages.

Threema

Threema deserves recognition for its strong privacy focus. This highly secure platform doesn't collect user data and doesn't require phone numbers for registration. It works for both private communication and secure collaboration tools for workplace use.

Signal

Signal is renowned for secure communication. This nonprofit platform offers texting, voice messages, and video/voice calls while preventing third-party eavesdropping. It's free to use and provides exceptional security for privacy-minded users.

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger remains popular, second only to WhatsApp and WeChat in user numbers. It allows messaging without phone numbers but requires more bandwidth and configuration. Messenger shares metadata with Meta, making it less secure for privacy-conscious users.

What makes the best chat platforms?

Whether selecting chat apps for team collaboration, customer support, or personal use, certain universal criteria ensure optimal performance:

• ‍User friendliness: Intuitive design is crucial for adoption. The more user-friendly the platform, the higher the likelihood of consistent use by team members and colleagues.‍
• Uptime and reliability: Business operations depend on reliable communication tools. Uptime and availability directly influence customer success and daily operations. Choose vendors with proven reliability.‍
• Multiple communication methods: Modern users expect more than text messaging. Essential features include voice messages, video calls, image sharing, and GIF support. Without these capabilities, you'll likely need complementary solutions.‍
• Security: Data breaches occur daily, requiring extra precautions to protect conversations. This is especially critical when communicating with customers or exchanging business data. Organizations handling sensitive information should consider encrypted messaging solutions.‍
• Flexibility and scalability: Business chat platforms must adapt as organizations grow. At some point, you may need to expand users, integrate with other applications, or customize functionality. Flexibility and scalability are essential for long-term success.

How to choose your chat platform

The Digital Markets Act from the EU requires large messaging services to enable interoperability. This means you can choose platforms based on your preferences rather than being limited by others' choices. Even if you prefer Signal while a friend uses WhatsApp, you'll be able to message each other.

This will also impact workplace communication, making it easier for employees to connect with external partners and vendors. Rocket.Chat already enables this through federation capabilities while maintaining high security standards for organizations handling sensitive data.

Selection criteria to prioritize:

• Security and compliance requirements
• User experience and adoption potential
• Integration capabilities with existing tools
• Scalability for future growth
• Total cost of ownership

For mission-critical communications, organizations should evaluate platforms that support out-of-band communication and align with frameworks like the NIST cybersecurity framework.

Industry-specific considerations:

Government and defense: Organizations requiring government chat solutions should prioritize platforms supporting air-gapped collaboration and defense communication systems. Military organizations need military messaging and military chat solutions that meet stringent security requirements.

Federal and state agencies: Government messaging apps must support government communication protocols and compliance standards.

DevOps teams: Technical teams benefit from ChatOps tools that integrate with development workflows.

Distributed teams: Organizations with remote work tools should consider platforms supporting asynchronous messaging for teams across time zones.

Contact Rocket.Chat's sales team to discover how our platform meets security and user-friendliness requirements for your organization.

Frequently asked questions about chat platforms

What are chat platforms?

Chat platforms are software applications that enable real-time communication through messaging, voice calls, and video conferencing. They serve different purposes including workplace collaboration, customer support, and personal communication. Modern chat platforms offer features like file sharing, screen sharing, integrations, and security controls.

What is the best chat platform for business?

The best chat platform for business depends on your organization's specific needs. Rocket.Chat excels for organizations prioritizing security, customization, and compliance. Slack works well for teams seeking widespread adoption. Evaluate platforms based on security requirements, scalability, integration capabilities, and total cost of ownership.

What are the most popular chat platforms?

The most popular chat platforms globally include WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat for personal use. For business communication, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Rocket.Chat lead the market. Customer support platforms like Intercom, Zendesk, and Freshchat dominate the customer service category.

What is the most secure chat platform?

The most secure chat platforms offer end-to-end encryption, on-premises deployment options, and compliance certifications. Signal and Threema provide exceptional security for personal use. For business, Rocket.Chat offers enterprise-grade security with encryption, data sovereignty, and compliance support for HIPAA, GDPR, and other regulations.

Which chat platform is best for remote teams?

Remote teams benefit from platforms offering video conferencing, screen sharing, file collaboration, and asynchronous messaging. Rocket.Chat, Slack, and Microsoft Teams all support remote work effectively. Choose platforms that integrate with your existing tools and provide reliable uptime for distributed teams.

What chat platform do most companies use?

Most companies use Slack or Microsoft Teams for internal communication. However, many organizations are adopting Rocket.Chat for its superior security, customization options, and lower total cost of ownership. Government agencies and regulated industries often prefer Rocket.Chat for its compliance capabilities and deployment flexibility.

Are free chat platforms secure for business use?

Free chat platforms often lack enterprise-grade security features and may monetize user data. Consumer platforms like WhatsApp are encrypted but don't provide the administrative controls, compliance features, or data sovereignty needed for business use. Organizations should invest in business-grade platforms with appropriate security certifications.

What is the difference between chat platforms and messaging apps?

Chat platforms typically refer to business or team collaboration tools with features like channels, integrations, and administrative controls. Messaging apps usually mean consumer-focused tools for personal communication. However, the terms are increasingly used interchangeably as platforms serve multiple purposes.

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