Introduction

In the ever-evolving landscape of communication and collaboration tools, businesses and organizations seek efficient and secure platforms to streamline their internal and external communications. Rocket.Chat and Mattermost are two popular contenders in this arena, both offering open-source, self-hosted solutions designed to facilitate team collaboration. In this comprehensive comparison, we’ll dive into the pros and cons of Rocket.Chat and Mattermost to help you make an informed choice that aligns with your unique needs.

Rocket.Chat: A Closer Look

Rocket.Chat is an open-source team collaboration platform that combines messaging, file sharing, video conferencing, and other features into a single platform. Launched in 2015, it has gained popularity for its flexibility and robust customization options.

Pros of Rocket.Chat

Excellent UI

Rocket.Chat’s user interface is great, you can fall in love with the platform at first sight.

End to End-to-end encryption

The communication is end-to-end encrypted, this is one of the reasons many public sector and organizations with strict compliance requirements use Rocket.Chat.

Open-Source and Self-Hosted

Rocket.Chat’s open-source nature allows organizations to have complete control over their data and infrastructure. This level of control is ideal for businesses with strict security and compliance requirements.

High Customizability

Users can customize Rocket.Chat extensively to tailor it to their specific needs. This includes themes, plugins, and the ability to modify the source code to implement custom features.

Video and Audio Conferencing

Rocket.Chat provides built-in video and audio conferencing capabilities, reducing the need for external solutions like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

Roles and Permissions

Rocket.Chat has extensive roles and permissions options which can be further customized. It also allows guest users to participate in conversations, making it easier to collaborate with external partners and clients without the need for them to create accounts.

Cons of Rocket.Chat

Steep Learning Curve

Due to its extensive customization options, Rocket.Chat may have a steeper learning curve for administrators and users who are new to the platform.

Limited Integrations

There are very limited Integration options with other applications as Rocket.Chat’s ecosystem is not as vast as some of the larger competitors, which may limit its compatibility with certain niche applications.

Mattermost: A Closer Look

Mattermost, like Rocket.Chat, is an open-source team messaging platform designed to offer secure and customizable communication solutions for businesses. Launched in 2015, it has quickly grown in popularity among organizations seeking alternatives to mainstream messaging tools.

Pros of Mattermost

Open-Source and Self-Hosted

Similar to Rocket.Chat, Mattermost allows organizations to self-host, ensuring control over data and infrastructure.

Wide Range of Integrations

Mattermost supports numerous integrations, including those for popular applications like GitLab, Slack, and Trello. This flexibility helps users connect their favorite tools seamlessly.

User-Friendly Interface

Not as good as Rocket.Chat but Mattermost’s interface is user-friendly and resembles popular messaging apps, making it easy for users to adapt quickly. This can reduce training and onboarding time.

Cons of Mattermost

Limited Customization

While Mattermost is customizable, it may not offer the same level of flexibility as Rocket.Chat. Extensive customization may require a deeper understanding of the platform’s architecture.

No Roles and Permissions in Community Edition

There are no roles and permission options in the Community Edition. You can either be a Super Admin or a normal user. There is no guest access and the roles cannot be modified.

Comparative Analysis

Now that we’ve explored the pros and cons of both Rocket. Chat and Mattermost, let’s conduct a comparative analysis to help you make an informed decision.

Customization and Flexibility

Rocket.Chat

Offers extensive customization options, making it suitable for organizations with unique requirements.

Mattermost

Provides customization options but may not be as flexible as Rocket.Chat.

Integration Ecosystem

Rocket.Chat

Offers a wide range of integrations but may not be as extensive as some larger competitors.

Mattermost

Supports numerous integrations, making it a robust choice for connecting with other tools.

Security

Rocket.Chat

Places a strong emphasis on security and offers features like end-to-end encryption, making it an excellent choice for security-conscious organizations.

Mattermost

Provides security features but may require additional configuration for organizations with stringent security requirements.

Ease of Use

Rocket.Chat

Awesome UI and very user friendly.

Mattermost

The user interface is not good as Rocket.Chat but it is still user friendly.

Mobile Accessibility

Rocket.Chat

Offers mobile apps for iOS and Android.

Mattermost

Provides robust mobile apps for both major mobile platforms.

Conclusion

I would rate Rocket.Chat slightly above Mattermost, due to it’s excellent UI, extensive customization options, access to roles and permissions in the community edition and end to end encryption. The only area where is lacks is the integration with other tools. Rocket.Chat can be a clear winner if they overcome this shortcoming in near future.

If you are looking to implement Rockat.Chat for your company, CollabStack provides managed cloud hosting of Rocket.Chat’s Community Edition. You can deploy your fully managed Rocket.Chat’s instance on any cloud provider like AWS, Google Cloud, Linode, DigitalOcean or Vultr. Feel free to get in touch with us if you have any inquiries.