Mattermost review (2026): features, pros and cons, pricing
Self-hostable team chat and collaboration platform sold in Professional, Enterprise and Enterprise Advanced editions, aimed at security-sensitive organizations.
Verdict at a glance
Mattermost is a self-hostable collaboration platform sold in Professional, Enterprise and Enterprise Advanced editions. It stands out for data ownership, air-gapped deployment, audit logs and a strong fit for security-sensitive and DevOps teams.
Pros
- Strong security and data ownership.
- User-friendly interface and integrations.
Cons
- Interface not intuitive to some users.
What is Mattermost?
Self-hostable team chat and collaboration platform sold in Professional, Enterprise and Enterprise Advanced editions, aimed at security-sensitive organizations. It is built for organizations that must self-host or run air-gapped chat and technical and DevOps teams wanting data under their own control.
Category: Team Chat and Messaging Software
Mattermost key features
| Feature | What we found |
|---|---|
| Channels and threading | Channel-centric with threads. |
| Built-in video and huddles | Calls built in; Entry (free) edition limited to 40-minute calls. |
| Search and message history limits | Entry edition 10,000 channel messages; unlimited searchable history on Professional. |
| Guest and external access | Guest accounts on Professional with custom user groups. |
| Security and admin controls | SSO (SAML) from Professional; AD/LDAP sync; advanced logging, audit logs with export and compliance export on Enterprise. |
| Mobile app and frontline fit | Native iOS and Android apps; Enterprise MDM/EMM support; Entry push notifications capped at 10,000 per month. |
Mattermost pricing
Mattermost sells prepaid annual subscriptions by seat; there is no monthly billing. Professional is for up to 250 users with business-hours support, Enterprise adds advanced logging, compliance export and 24x7 support, and Enterprise Advanced covers multi-domain, air-gapped and sovereign deployments, all by quote. Seats added mid-term are bought quarterly and prorated to the annual cost. Each server needs its own license, including staging, and extra non-production licenses are an add-on with Premier Support, as are the Premier Support tiers themselves.
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional | Contact sales | per seat per year, prepaid | Up to 250 users per docs; business-hours support |
| Enterprise | Get pricing | per seat per year, prepaid | Advanced logging, compliance export, 24x7 support |
| Enterprise Advanced | Request quote | Multi-domain, air-gapped and sovereign deployments |
The vendor publishes no dollar prices. A forum post cites $10 per user per month for Professional (not confirmed by the vendor, anecdotal); this is not treated as a list price. Free Entry edition and a limited Enterprise Advanced evaluation edition exist.
Who Mattermost is best for
Best for
- Organizations that must self-host or run air-gapped chat.
- Technical and DevOps teams wanting data under their own control.
Not ideal for
- Buyers wanting a public price list or self-serve checkout.
- Small teams wanting a polished hosted free tier (free edition caps history at 10,000 messages)
Mattermost alternatives
SlackTeams wanting channel-based chat with a large app ecosystem.
Microsoft TeamsOrganizations already on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID.
Rocket.ChatRegulated or public-sector organizations that need on-premises, air-gapped or sovereign-cloud chat.
Zoho CliqTeams already on Zoho apps (CRM, Projects, Workplace) that want chat inside that suite.
FlockSmall teams (up to about 100 members) wanting low-cost chat with a free tier.
ChantySmall teams wanting cheap per-user chat with tasks.
What Mattermost really costs
- Billing
- Annual only.
- Minimum seats
- More than 10 users (per Mattermost docs)
Add-ons and extras to budget for
- Premier Support.
- U.S.-Based Premier Support.
- Extra non-production server licenses (up to four with Premier)
Questions to ask about price
- What is the price per user or per unit, and what is the pricing basis (seats, employees, usage)?
- What is the discount for annual billing, and can we start monthly?
- How much can the price rise at renewal, and is the increase capped in the contract?
- Are there one-time costs for implementation, onboarding or data migration?
Is Mattermost worth the price?
Good value for organizations that must self-host or run air-gapped chat and want data under their own control, and for technical or DevOps teams comfortable with the license-per-server model. It is awkward for small teams that want a polished hosted free tier or a public price list, since the free edition limits history and the paid editions need a sales conversation. Plan for the multi-server license count before you compare it with per-user chat tools.
Worth it if
- Organizations that must self-host or run air-gapped chat.
- Technical and DevOps teams wanting data under their own control.
Look elsewhere if
- Buyers wanting a public price list or self-serve checkout.
- Small teams wanting a polished hosted free tier (free edition caps history at 10,000 messages)
Pricing details most reviews leave out
- Licenses are prepaid annual seats and every server (including staging) needs its own license key.
- Seats above purchase are added quarterly, prorated to annual cost.
- Support tiers: Professional business hours next-business-day, Enterprise 24x7 with 4-hour target, Premier is a paid add-on.
- Supports air-gapped and DDIL deployments.
- Mattermost docs indicate the minimum purchase is more than 10 users.
Our verdict on Mattermost
Mattermost is a self-hostable team chat platform sold in Professional, Enterprise and Enterprise Advanced editions, and the vendor publishes no dollar prices. A free Entry edition exists, but it caps searchable history at 10,000 channel messages and calls at 40 minutes, so it works more as a trial than a long-term plan. Compare the total with per-user chat tools only after you count servers.
The cost story is mostly about structure. Licenses are prepaid annual seats, every server (including staging) needs its own license key, and Mattermost docs indicate the minimum purchase is more than 10 users. One forum post cites $10 per user per month for Professional, but that is anecdotal and not a list price. Treat it as a number to confirm in a quote.
Mattermost FAQ
What is Mattermost used for?
Mattermost is a self-hostable collaboration platform sold in Professional, Enterprise and Enterprise Advanced editions. It stands out for data ownership, air-gapped deployment, audit logs and a strong fit for security-sensitive and DevOps teams. It suits organizations that must self-host or run air-gapped chat.
Does Mattermost have a free plan?
Yes, a free Entry edition exists, limited to 10,000 channel messages of history, 40-minute calls and 10,000 push notifications per month. A limited Enterprise Advanced evaluation edition is also available.
Does Mattermost publish its prices?
No. The vendor publishes no dollar prices, and Professional, Enterprise and Enterprise Advanced are sold by quote. A forum post cites $10 per user per month for Professional, but that is anecdotal.
How are extra Mattermost seats and servers billed?
Licenses are prepaid annual seats. Seats above your purchase are added quarterly and prorated, and every server, including staging, needs its own license key.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Mattermost's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.