Gather vs Roam

Gather

• Remote teams that want quick conversations without scheduling a call
• Teams that want availability and status visible at a glance
• Teams that want meetings, chat and presence in one workspace

Roam

• Remote and hybrid companies that want meetings, chat and presence in one tool
• Teams that prefer short drop-in conversations to scheduled calls
• Companies that want month-to-month billing with no annual contract
• All-hands presentations held in the same workspace as daily work

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.

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.

Gather

Virtual office and presence

See who is available, busy or in a meeting, hear nearby conversations if you choose, and wave a teammate over or join a conversation in one click.

Meetings

Unlimited scheduled meetings with simultaneous screen sharing, Google Calendar sync, coworking sessions and interactive whiteboards.

Team chat

Permanent chat with public and private channels, DMs and group chats, thread replies and file uploads, plus meeting chat and nearby chat.

Recording and AI meeting notes

Meetings can be recorded and summarized as AI notes with a transcript. Paid plans include 2 recording hours and 3 transcription hours per member a month.

Guest hours

Clients and candidates join as guests after checking in with a member. Paid plans include 3 guest hours per member each month, with a minimum of 30.

Office customization

Start from a template, choose open, private or hybrid floor plans, edit rooms, walls and floors, and place more than 200 objects.

Roam

Virtual office map

A live view of who is in the office, who is meeting with whom and who is talking. Click a person to chat with them or an empty seat to enter their room.

Drop-in meetings and meeting rooms

Knock on a seat in someone's office to start an audio-only drop-in meeting, or use a meeting room for video with screen sharing and a whiteboard.

AInbox group chat

Direct messages, group chats and confidential chats with custom folders, pinned chats, bookmarks, scheduled messages and search across the full history.

Magic Minutes

Turns on a transcription and AI summary that every participant receives in a group chat, where they can ask questions about the meeting.

Theater and On-Air

Theater seats an all-hands audience in rows with a backstage, a Q&A microphone and a stadium mode for 100 or more people. On-Air hosts virtual events.

Lobby, Magicast and On-It

Lobby links let guests book time or drop in, Magicast records the screen with a transcript, and On-It is an AI assistant that schedules and follows up.

Gather

• Essential Plan$12

  per member / month, billed yearly ($15 billed monthly)

  Every feature: custom virtual office, unlimited meetings and chat, and monthly recording, transcription and guest hours that grow with team size.

• Custom PlanCustom

  For large teams: custom pricing and onboarding, larger offices, hybrid solutions, single sign-on and an extended trial.

Roam

• Virtual Office Super Bundle$19.50

  per active member / month, billed monthly (2026 rate)

  All nine Roam products at one price, charged only for members active that month. Guests are free. The published 2027 rate is $20.88.

Gather

• Annual discount

  20% less with yearly billing

  The Essential Plan costs $12 per member / month billed yearly against $15 billed monthly.

• Nonprofit

  30% off monthly plans for nonprofits and schools

  Gather's Classic (1.0) help center says spaces for nonprofits and educational institutions may be eligible for 30% off a monthly subscription, arranged through its sales team.

Roam

No public discounts listed.