Alternatives · Team Chat
Cinny alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded Cinny alternative is Matrix (3.0 GPA). It's also the best free one.
Cinny compared with 5 alternatives: Element, Matrix, Zulip, Mattermost and Rocket.Chat.
Cinny is free to use. All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| CinnyThis tool | Free | Free | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Element | Free plan | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Matrix | Free | Free | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Zulip | Free plan · from $3.50/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Mattermost | Free plan | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Rocket.Chat | Free plan | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
Price against what you get
Cinny has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 2 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Matrix and Zulip score higher without starting lower.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Cinny
Element
End-to-end encrypted chat and calls on the Matrix standard
- Element also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Element also covers video calls and file sharing.
Suits: Governments and regulated organizations that self-host encrypted chat
Matrix
Open, decentralized network for chat and calls
- Matrix is free.
- Matrix also lists iOS and Android apps.
Suits: Organizations that want to own their chat data on their own domain
Zulip
Open-source team chat that organizes channels by topic
- Zulip starts at $3.50 per user / month self-hosted (billed monthly); Cloud from $6.67 billed annually.
- Zulip also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Zulip also covers file sharing.
Suits: Distributed teams that prefer asynchronous, topic-organized conversations
Mattermost
Self-hosted team messaging with playbooks, calls and boards
- Mattermost also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Mattermost also covers kanban boards, workflow automation and AI agents.
Suits: Organizations that must keep chat on their own servers or air-gapped networks
Rocket.Chat
Open-source, self-managed chat for security-focused teams
- Rocket.Chat also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Rocket.Chat also covers file sharing.
Suits: Organizations that must host chat themselves for data sovereignty
Limits worth knowing in Cinny
- Cinny is a client only; you need an account on a Matrix homeserver, and server limits and features come from that server.
- The project's GitHub page lists desktop installers but no iOS or Android app.
- The source is under the AGPL-3.0 license, and a Dockerfile is in the repository for hosting it yourself.
- The site says more features are still to come, so some Matrix features may be missing.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Cinny?
The alternatives to Cinny in this directory are Element, Matrix, Zulip, Mattermost and Rocket.Chat. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Cinny.
Is there a free alternative to Cinny?
Yes. Matrix is free to use. Element, Zulip, Mattermost and Rocket.Chat have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Cinny alternatives work on Android?
The Cinny listing does not include an Android app. Element, Matrix, Zulip, Mattermost and Rocket.Chat list one.
Which Cinny alternatives work on iOS?
The Cinny listing does not include an iOS app. Element, Matrix, Zulip, Mattermost and Rocket.Chat list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.