Alternatives · Team Chat
Roam alternatives
Roam compared with 5 alternatives: Gather, Tandem, Slack, Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
Roam is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $19.50 per active member / month, billed monthly. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| RoamThis tool | Free trial · from $19.50/mo | Trial only | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Gather | Free trial · from $12/mo | Trial only | Web, macOS, Windows, Browser extension |
| Tandem | Free plan · from $64/mo | Yes | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Slack | Free plan · from $7.25/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Zoom | Free plan · from $14.16/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Microsoft Teams | Free plan · from $4.00/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
How each one differs from Roam
- Free trial · from $12/mo
Gather
Virtual office with presence, meetings and chat for remote teams
- Gather starts at $12 per member / month, billed yearly. Roam starts at $19.50 per active member / month, billed monthly.
- Only Gather lists a browser extension.
- Only Roam lists Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Gather also covers whiteboard.
- Roam also covers booking links and screen recording.
Suits: Remote teams that want quick conversations without scheduling a call
- 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. Roam starts at $19.50 per active member / month, billed monthly.
- Tandem has a free plan. Roam does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Tandem lists a browser extension.
- Only Roam lists a web app.
- Roam also covers meeting notes, transcription, booking links, screen recording and team chat.
Suits: Remote teams that prefer quick spoken conversations to scheduled meetings
- 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. Roam starts at $19.50 per active member / month, billed monthly.
- Slack has a free plan. Roam does not, though it has a free trial.
- Slack also covers workflow automation, documents and file sharing.
- Roam also covers meeting notes, transcription, booking links and screen recording.
Suits: Teams that want conversations organized by channel rather than email threads
- 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). Roam starts at $19.50 per active member / month, billed monthly.
- Zoom has a free plan. Roam does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Zoom lists a browser extension.
- Zoom also covers whiteboard.
- Roam also covers transcription and screen recording.
Suits: Teams whose main need is video meetings with chat alongside
- Free plan · from $4.00/mo
Microsoft Teams
Chat, video meetings and calling tied into Microsoft 365
- Microsoft Teams starts at $4.00 per user / month, paid yearly. Roam starts at $19.50 per active member / month, billed monthly.
- Microsoft Teams has a free plan. Roam does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Roam lists a Linux app.
- Microsoft Teams also covers noise cancellation, whiteboard and file sharing.
- Roam also covers meeting notes, booking links and screen recording.
Suits: Organizations that already pay for Microsoft 365
Limits worth knowing in Roam
- There is no free plan; each new member gets a 14-day trial before appearing on the bill.
- Roam states it offers no discounts and no annual plans, so the per-member price is the same for every customer.
- The rate rises on a published schedule: $19.50 per active member a month in 2026 and $20.88 in 2027.
- Billing follows the number of active members each month, so the total can change from one bill to the next.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Roam?
The alternatives to Roam in this directory are Gather, Tandem, Slack, Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Roam.
Is there a free alternative to Roam?
Yes. Tandem, Slack, Zoom and Microsoft Teams have a free plan alongside paid ones.
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.