Alternatives · Team Chat
Gather alternatives
Gather compared with 5 alternatives: Roam, Tandem, Discord, Zoom and Slack.
Gather is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $12 per member / month, billed yearly. 4 of the 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan. One more offers a free trial.
5 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 6, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| GatherThis tool | Free trial · from $12/mo | Trial only | Web, macOS, Windows, Browser extension |
| Roam | Free trial · from $19.50/mo | Trial only | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Tandem | Free plan · from $64/mo | Yes | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Discord | Free plan · from $2.99/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Zoom | Free plan · from $14.16/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Slack | Free plan · from $7.25/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
How each one differs from Gather
- Free trial · from $19.50/mo
Roam
Virtual office with drop-in meetings, chat and AI meeting notes
- Roam starts at $19.50 per active member / month, billed monthly. Gather starts at $12 per member / month, billed yearly.
- Only Roam lists Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Gather lists a browser extension.
- Roam also covers booking links and screen recording.
- Gather also covers whiteboard.
Suits: Remote and hybrid companies that want meetings, chat and presence in one tool
- Free plan · from $64/mo
Tandem
Virtual office with one-click calls and shared-cursor screen sharing
- Tandem starts at $64 per month for a 10-member team, or $599 billed yearly. Gather starts at $12 per member / month, billed yearly.
- Tandem has a free plan. Gather does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Tandem lists Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Gather lists a web app.
- Gather also covers meeting notes, transcription, whiteboard and team chat.
Suits: Remote teams that prefer quick spoken conversations to scheduled meetings
- Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Discord
Free text, voice and video chat built around servers
- Discord starts at $2.99 per month. Gather starts at $12 per member / month, billed yearly.
- Discord has a free plan. Gather does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Discord lists Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Gather lists a browser extension.
- Discord also covers file sharing.
Suits: Gaming groups and friends who want always-open voice chats
- Free plan · from $14.16/mo
Zoom
Video meetings bundled with team chat, phone and AI notes
- Zoom starts at $14.16 per user / month, billed annually ($169.90 a year). Gather starts at $12 per member / month, billed yearly.
- Zoom has a free plan. Gather does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Zoom lists Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Zoom also covers booking links.
- Gather also covers transcription.
Suits: Teams whose main need is video meetings with chat alongside
- Free plan · from $7.25/mo
Slack
Channel-based team messaging with huddles, workflows and AI
- Slack starts at $7.25 per user / month, billed annually. Gather starts at $12 per member / month, billed yearly.
- Slack has a free plan. Gather does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Slack lists Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Gather lists a browser extension.
- Slack also covers workflow automation, documents and file sharing.
Suits: Teams that want conversations organized by channel rather than email threads
Limits worth knowing in Gather
- There is no free plan: after the 30-day trial only one admin can enter the workspace until a subscription starts.
- Gather 2.0 has no mobile app and does not support Linux; its desktop apps are for Mac and Windows.
- Recording, transcription and guest time are monthly allowances tied to member count, with minimums of 20, 30 and 30 hours.
- Gather recommends 2.0 for offices of up to 100 people; single sign-on for 2.0 is in beta and listed under the Custom Plan.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Gather?
The alternatives to Gather in this directory are Roam, Tandem, Discord, Zoom and Slack. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Gather.
Is there a free alternative to Gather?
Yes. Tandem, Discord, Zoom and Slack have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Gather alternatives work on Linux?
The Gather listing does not include a Linux app. Roam, Tandem, Discord, Zoom and Slack list one.
Which Gather alternatives work on Android?
The Gather listing does not include an Android app. Roam, Tandem, Discord, Zoom and Slack list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Oct 6, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.