The OpenIM Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about OpenIM in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
OpenIM
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source chat, voice and video infrastructure for apps
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among team communication apps, read from OpenIM’s own pages.
Made by OpenIM · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from OpenIM’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on OpenIM’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 9 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade
OpenIM is open-source communication infrastructure for building chat, messaging, voice calls and video meetings into an app or an existing system. It supplies a server, client SDKs, server APIs and webhooks, and you can deploy it on your own infrastructure. It is not a finished chat app on its own, though Business and Enterprise editions add production-ready client apps.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about OpenIM, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The open-source edition is free to host yourself and meant for development.
- 1
Best for building chat and calls into your own app
OpenIM is open-source chat, voice and video infrastructure for apps, not a chat app you install and use.
- 2
There is a free plan
The Open Source edition (server, IM SDK and demo apps) is listed as free.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 4
Chat and messaging
One-to-one chat, groups, large groups, message history, offline messages, receipts, search and multi-device sync.
- 5
Voice and video
Voice calls, video calls, group calls, video meetings and screen sharing, sold as separate modules for the commercial editions.
- 6
Client SDKs
SDKs for iOS, Android, web (JavaScript), Flutter and React Native, and the site says it covers 10+ client platforms.
- 7
A 2.2 GPA, above 9 of 75
That is against the other team communication apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace OpenIM you would be making chat that a whole team counts on staying up. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
OpenIM at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Trials of the commercial editions are available by request.
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- OpenIM
- Category
- Team Communication
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for building chat and calls into your own app
OpenIM is open-source chat, voice and video infrastructure for apps, not a chat app you install and use. The open-source edition is free to host yourself and meant for development. Production-ready clients sit on Business and Enterprise plans with no published price.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | The open-source edition is free but you host it. Business and Enterprise have no published price. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Open source is free to download, with no cap, for developers who host it. |
| Features | C | Chat, voice and video, SDKs and webhooks. Voice, video and meetings are separate paid modules. |
| Ease of use | D | No rating on record. It is an SDK and server that developers build on and host. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone and Android SDKs and a server API. Desktop is shown only as a demo app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who OpenIM is for
- Fits if you are a developer who wants chat inside your own product
- Works for companies that will host their own messaging server
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want a ready chat app, as the open-source part is for building one
- Watch out: Business and Enterprise prices are not published
- Watch out: voice and video are separate modules bought as needed
- Skip it if you do not want to self-host, since Kubernetes deployment is an Enterprise feature
- Too light for production without the commercial clients, as the site says Enterprise is for that
Good to know
Good for
- Developers adding chat to their own product
- Companies that must host messaging in their own environment
- Teams that want an open-source base and an optional commercial edition
Worth knowing
- OpenIM is not a single chat app. Open Source is meant for development and custom clients, and the site says Enterprise is for production.
- Business and Enterprise have no published prices; they are bought through a request-a-trial and contract process.
- Voice and video and video meetings are separate modules purchased as needed on the commercial editions.
- The open-source GitHub page lists an Electron demo app for Windows, Mac and Linux, but the site presents these as demos.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
3
plans to choose from
OpenIM has a free plan.
The open-source edition is free but you host it.
Open Source
$0
OpenIM Server and IM SDK for development and custom client integration; you host it yourself.
Business
Custom
Production-ready client UI on multiple platforms under a commercial license. No price is published.
Enterprise
Custom
Everything in Business plus advanced messaging, Kubernetes deployment and high availability. No price is published.
The free plan
The Open Source edition (server, IM SDK and demo apps) is listed as free.
Trying it first
Trials of the commercial editions are available by request.
Read from openim.io on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Open-source chat, voice and video infrastructure for apps. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, team chat, video calls.
Chat, voice and video, SDKs and webhooks.
- Chat and messaging
- One-to-one chat, groups, large groups, message history, offline messages, receipts, search and multi-device sync.
- Voice and video
- Voice calls, video calls, group calls, video meetings and screen sharing, sold as separate modules for the commercial editions.
- Client SDKs
- SDKs for iOS, Android, web (JavaScript), Flutter and React Native, and the site says it covers 10+ client platforms.
- Server API and webhooks
- Server APIs and webhook callbacks connect accounts, permissions and events to your own backend.
- Self-hosted deployment
- OpenIM Server runs in your own cloud or private network, and Enterprise adds Kubernetes and a high-availability cluster.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
OpenIM is made by OpenIM.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
9/75
Other team communication apps it is graded above
OpenIM's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 9 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 19.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 41 of 75) and worst on ease of use (D, above 1).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 76 team communication apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. OpenIM’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 7 of 75
- BFree plan and trialAbove 41 of 75
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 75
- DEase of useAbove 1 of 75
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 9 of 75
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace OpenIM you would be making chat that a whole team counts on staying up. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 47 of the 75 other team communication apps grade higher. OpenIM is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- Chat that a whole team counts on staying up.
- Video calls.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- An API that other software can build on.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
What this rests on. OpenIM’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
ejabberd, Matrix, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat and Tinode
The 5 tools OpenIM is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
ejabberd
Free plan · from €200/mo
Erlang messaging server for XMPP, MQTT, SIP and Matrix.
- Only OpenIM lists a web app.
- Only OpenIM lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only ejabberd lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- 3.0GPA
Matrix
Free
Open, decentralized network for chat and calls.
- Only Matrix lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Matrix is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- OpenIM also covers video calls.
- 2.4GPA
Mattermost
Free plan
Self-hosted team messaging with playbooks, calls and boards.
- Only Mattermost lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- OpenIM also covers video calls.
- Mattermost also covers kanban boards, workflow automation and AI agents.
- 2.4GPA
Rocket.Chat
Free plan
Open-source, self-managed chat for security-focused teams.
- Only Rocket.Chat lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Rocket.Chat is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- OpenIM also covers video calls.
- 2.2GPA
Tinode
Free plan · from $1.50/mo
Open-source instant messaging server you host or rent.
- OpenIM also covers video calls.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is OpenIM free?
OpenIM has a free plan. The Open Source edition (server, IM SDK and demo apps) is listed as free.
How much does OpenIM cost?
OpenIM lists 3 plans. Open Source: $0.
What platforms does OpenIM work on?
OpenIM is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does OpenIM have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. OpenIM is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does OpenIM have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. OpenIM is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is OpenIM open source?
Yes. OpenIM is open source, according to its own site.
Does OpenIM have an API?
Yes. OpenIM offers a public API, according to its own site.
Does OpenIM have a free trial?
Yes. Trials of the commercial editions are available by request.
Who makes OpenIM?
OpenIM is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to OpenIM?
The closest alternatives to OpenIM in our directory are ejabberd, Matrix, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat and Tinode.
How does OpenIM compare with other team communication apps?
OpenIM's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 9 of the 75 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 19.
Could I make my own version of OpenIM?
To replace OpenIM you would be making chat that a whole team counts on staying up.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from OpenIM’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from OpenIM's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by OpenIM. Prices change, so check openim.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- OpenIM, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/openim
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "OpenIM: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/openim
Know someone choosing between team communication apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/openim/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded team communication apps after OpenIM, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Team Communication Insider's GuideEvery one of the 76 team communication apps we grade, compared
- Discord Insider's GuideFree text, voice and video chat built around servers3.6 GPA
- Pumble Insider's GuideTeam chat with unlimited message history on the free plan3.6 GPA
- Zoho Cliq Insider's GuideTeam chat, calls and meetings from the Zoho suite3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what OpenIM’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. OpenIM is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by OpenIM. Prices and plans change: check openim.io before you buy.