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Alternatives · Team Chat

ejabberd alternatives

As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded ejabberd alternative is Matrix (3.0 GPA). It's also the best free one.

ejabberd compared with 7 alternatives: Openfire, Matrix, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, Zulip and 2 more.

ejabberd has a free plan. Paid plans start at €200 per month (Fluux managed cloud). All 7 alternatives are free or have a free plan.

Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from

Black Friday: is there a ejabberd sale?

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
ejabberdThis toolFree plan · from €200/moYesmacOS, Windows, Linux
OpenfireFreeFreemacOS, Windows, Linux
MatrixFreeFreeWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
MattermostFree planYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Rocket.ChatFree planYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
ZulipFree plan · from $3.50/moYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
OpenIMFree planYesWeb, iOS, Android
PidginFreeFreeWindows, Linux

Price against what you get

ejabberd starts at about $223.44 a month and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. 3 of the 4 alternatives on this chart score higher and start lower: Matrix, Zulip and Pidgin.

Openfire starts lower without scoring higher.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$1$2$5$10$20$50$100$200$500More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessejabberdOpenfireMatrixZulipPidgin

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
The full chart of team communication apps, and the best at every price

How each one differs from ejabberd

  1. Openfire

    Open-source XMPP chat server you run on your own hardware

    • Openfire is free.

    Suits: IT teams that want to host their own chat server

    Openfire vs ejabberdOpenfire pricing and details

  2. Matrix

    Open, decentralized network for chat and calls

    • Matrix is free.
    • Matrix also lists a web app and iOS and Android apps.
    • Matrix is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.

    Suits: Organizations that want to own their chat data on their own domain

    Matrix vs ejabberdMatrix pricing and details

  3. Mattermost

    Self-hosted team messaging with playbooks, calls and boards

    • Mattermost also lists a web app and 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

    Mattermost vs ejabberdMattermost pricing and details

  4. Rocket.Chat

    Open-source, self-managed chat for security-focused teams

    • Rocket.Chat also lists a web app and iOS and Android apps.
    • Rocket.Chat is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Rocket.Chat also covers file sharing.

    Suits: Organizations that must host chat themselves for data sovereignty

    Rocket.Chat vs ejabberdRocket.Chat pricing and details

  5. 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 a web app and iOS and Android apps.
    • Zulip also covers file sharing.

    Suits: Distributed teams that prefer asynchronous, topic-organized conversations

    Zulip vs ejabberdZulip pricing and details

  6. OpenIM

    Open-source chat, voice and video infrastructure for apps

    • OpenIM also lists a web app and iOS and Android apps.
    • OpenIM lists no Windows, macOS and Linux apps, which ejabberd has.
    • OpenIM also covers video calls.

    Suits: Developers adding chat to their own product

    OpenIM vs ejabberdOpenIM pricing and details

  7. Pidgin

    Desktop chat client that connects to many chat networks at once

    • Pidgin is free.
    • Pidgin lists no macOS app, which ejabberd has.
    • Pidgin also covers file sharing.

    Suits: People who already use XMPP or IRC and want one client

    Pidgin vs ejabberdPidgin pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in ejabberd

  • It is a server, not a chat app: users need a separate XMPP client, and you run it yourself unless you pay for Fluux.
  • Fluux is priced in euros and by traffic (Jabs) rather than per user; the first step is €200 a month, and the Growing and Established networks start at €1,400 and €6,000 a month.
  • The Business Edition price of €16,000 a year is for a 2-node cluster, and its TURN/ICE relay and push features are not in the Community Server.
  • Support on the Community Server is community forums and documentation only.
ejabberd pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to ejabberd?

The alternatives to ejabberd in this directory are Openfire, Matrix, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, Zulip, OpenIM and Pidgin. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with ejabberd.

Is there a free alternative to ejabberd?

Yes. Openfire, Matrix and Pidgin are free to use. Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, Zulip and OpenIM have a free plan alongside paid ones.

Which ejabberd alternatives work on Android?

The ejabberd listing does not include an Android app. Matrix, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, Zulip and OpenIM list one.

Which ejabberd alternatives work on iOS?

The ejabberd listing does not include an iOS app. Matrix, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, Zulip and OpenIM 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.