The Stoat Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Stoat 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.
Stoat
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source group chat for friends and communities
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among team communication apps, read from Stoat’s own pages.
Made by Revolt Platforms Ltd · checked Nov 12, 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 Stoat’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Stoat’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.2
GPA, above 45 of the 50 other team communication apps we grade
Stoat is an open-source group chat app organized around servers, channels and voice chat, aimed at friends and online communities. Its site says it has no ads and does not sell user data, and that the company is built in Europe. Role-based permissions and moderation tools handle community management, and the server software can be self-hosted.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Stoat, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You make an account and join or create a server, so there is some learning.
- 1
Best for a free group chat for friends and communities
It has no admin console, SSO or compliance features, and iPhone use is through a home-screen web app.
- 2
It is free
Stoat has no paid plan at all. Stoat is free, with custom emojis, a 20MB file upload limit and server-specific profile pictures included and no subscription required.
- 3
It runs on 6 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 4
Servers and channels
Communities are organized into servers with text channels and voice chat, plus file sharing and markdown formatting in messages.
- 5
Roles and moderation
A role-based permissions system and moderation tools manage who can do what, and moderation bots work with it.
- 6
Group DMs
Group direct messages hold up to 50 members, and bots work inside them as well.
- 7
A 3.2 GPA, above 45 of 50
That is against the other team communication apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Stoat is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Stoat at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Revolt Platforms Ltd, since 2021
- Category
- Team Communication
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for a free group chat for friends and communities
Stoat is a free, open-source group chat built around servers, channels and voice, aimed at friends and online communities rather than workplaces. It has no admin console, SSO or compliance features, and iPhone use is through a home-screen web app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Everything is free, with no subscription, and the server software is open source. Free software anyone can use counts as free and substantial. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Servers, channels, voice chat, custom emojis, 20MB uploads and group DMs of up to 50 are all free. The caps are small for a community. |
| Features | C | Servers, channels, roles, moderation and a public API for bots. The site lists no admin console, SSO or compliance features, so it isn't built for work. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You make an account and join or create a server, so there is some learning. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, with a public API. The Android app is labelled Early Access and iPhone use is through the web 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 Stoat is for
- Fits if you run a hobby or gaming community and want it free
- Works for people who want an open-source alternative to Discord-style servers
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you need workplace controls, as there is no admin console, SSO or compliance features
- Tight if you share big files, as uploads stop at 20MB and group DMs at 50 members
- Watch out: the Android app is Early Access, and iPhone and iPad use is through the web app
- Watch out: the legal entity is Revolt Platforms Ltd, and the product appears to have been called Revolt before
Good to know
Good for
- Friend groups and hobby communities leaving ad-supported chat apps
- Community managers who want roles and moderation without a subscription
- Developers who want to build bots or custom clients
Worth knowing
- The Android app is labeled Early Access, and iPhone and iPad use is through installing the web app to the home screen.
- Built for communities rather than workplaces: the site lists no admin console, SSO or compliance features.
- Uploads are capped at 20MB per file, and group DMs at 50 members.
- The site and legal entity (Revolt Platforms Ltd) suggest this product was formerly called Revolt.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Stoat is free to use.
Everything is free, with no subscription, and the server software is open source.
Free
$0
Everything is free: servers, channels, voice chat, custom emojis, 20MB uploads and group DMs of up to 50 members.
The free plan
Stoat is free, with custom emojis, a 20MB file upload limit and server-specific profile pictures included and no subscription required.
Read from stoat.chat on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
6
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Open-source group chat for friends and communities. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, team chat, file sharing.
Servers, channels, roles, moderation and a public API for bots.
- Servers and channels
- Communities are organized into servers with text channels and voice chat, plus file sharing and markdown formatting in messages.
- Roles and moderation
- A role-based permissions system and moderation tools manage who can do what, and moderation bots work with it.
- Group DMs
- Group direct messages hold up to 50 members, and bots work inside them as well.
- Themes and profile options
- Built-in themes can be swapped for ones from the Discover section or your own, and profile banners and animated avatars need no subscription.
- Public API for bots and clients
- The company says its official apps use the same public API that developers get, for building bots or custom clients.
- Self-hosting
- You can run your own server if you prefer; the site describes this as free and open.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Stoat is made by Revolt Platforms Ltd, and has been around since 2021.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
45/50
Other team communication apps it is graded above
Stoat's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 45 of the 50 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 43 of 50) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Stoat has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 51 team communication apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Stoat’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 41 of 50
- AFree plan and trialAbove 43 of 50
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 50
- CEase of useAbove 7 of 50
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 28 of 50
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 45 team communication apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Stoat is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
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
Stoat is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 45 of the 50 other team communication apps we grade.
What you could not
- Chat that a whole team counts on staying up.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- 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. Stoat’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
Discord, Element, Zulip, Mattermost and Rocket.Chat
The 5 tools Stoat is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.6GPA
Discord
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Free text, voice and video chat built around servers.
- Stoat is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Discord also covers video calls.
- 2.8GPA
Element
Free plan
End-to-end encrypted chat and calls on the Matrix standard.
- Element is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Element also covers video calls.
- 2.8GPA
Zulip
Free plan · from $3.50/mo
- 2.4GPA
Mattermost
Free plan
Self-hosted team messaging with playbooks, calls and boards.
- Stoat also covers file sharing.
- 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.
- Rocket.Chat is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
10
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 Stoat free?
Yes. Stoat is free to use.
How much does Stoat cost?
Stoat lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Stoat work on?
Stoat is available on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
Is Stoat open source?
Yes. Stoat is open source, according to its own site.
Does Stoat have an API?
Yes. Stoat offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes Stoat?
Stoat is made by Revolt Platforms Ltd. It dates from 2021.
What are the alternatives to Stoat?
The closest alternatives to Stoat in our directory are Discord, Element, Zulip, Mattermost and Rocket.Chat.
How does Stoat compare with other team communication apps?
Stoat's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 45 of the 50 other team communication apps we grade, and level with 2.
Is Stoat good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Stoat A for value for money. Stoat has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Stoat?
Stoat is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Stoat’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Stoat's own pages on 12 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 Revolt Platforms Ltd. Prices change, so check stoat.chat before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
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.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Stoat, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/stoat
- 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, "Stoat: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/stoat
Know someone choosing between team communication apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/stoat/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded team communication apps after Stoat, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Team Communication Insider's GuideEvery one of the 51 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 Stoat’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. Stoat is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Revolt Platforms Ltd. Prices and plans change: check stoat.chat before you buy.