Exploring the top 7 Slack on-premise alternatives for enterprises

‍

Slack is one of the most popular workplace communication tools for project management and business collaboration. However, as a cloud-based solution, it's currently delivered via a SaaS model.

This means that security-conscious companies and public sector organizations, defense, banking institutions, and so on, do not get to choose the suitable deployment option. To compound the problem, these organizations often remain the primary target for cybersecurity attacks. 

In 2022, federal agencies reported 30,659 security incidents. Therefore, if your organization seeks to enforce airtight security and complete data ownership, on-premise deployment of communication platforms is a dependable choice.

The good news is that several Slack on-premise alternatives offer equal or surpassing features for business communication.  In this blog post, we explore the key features and benefits of the top 7 such alternatives you can start using. 

The case for on-premise solutions: key advantages 

On-premise deployment offers several advantages, including:

Complete control over data 

Organizations can deploy on-premise solutions on their own servers. They offer the highest control over data as it never moves beyond the organization’s premises, unlike cloud solutions. 

High degree of customization 

The on-premise chat solutions can be customized to meet the organization-specific hardware and software requirements. The security features and workflows can also be tailored to meet the industry's definitive compliance norms.

Cost savings in the long-run

As organizations scale up, the cost of on-premises solutions decreases when compared to cloud-based solutions. Though their initial cost is high, their maintenance and upgrade needs are lower than the subscription costs associated with cloud-based solutions. 

Seamless integration with existing infrastructure

Organizations with an established IT ecosystem can easily integrate on-premise solutions with existing applications and databases. As the entire ecosystem is managed on-premises, it is easy to integrate the chat solution with legacy software and hardware. 

Improved performance and lower latency 

As on-premise solutions are hosted on the local server, the organizational users can access the application without any latency. This is crucial for organizations in defense, healthcare, finance, and so on. where speed is essential and delays can lead to hefty financial and reputation costs. 

Implement robust access controls and audit trails

With on-premise chat solutions, the IT team manages the entire application and associated data. They can build access control policies tailored to meet the specific roles and responsibilities within the organization.  

Top 7 on-premise alternatives to slack

Here are the top 7 Slack competitors for on-premise chat: 

1. Rocket.Chat

Rocket.Chat is a popular live chat application that offers air-gapped, on-premises, or self-managed deployment. 

Unlike Slack, it is an open-source software and so can be customized to a greater degree. It allows business teams to build online chat rooms and manage omnichannel communication requests across SMS, WhatsApp, email, and so on. 

The platform has advanced security features like end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and role-based user access controls. These features help prevent unauthorized access while making it a secure collaboration tool for businesses. 

Key features

• Supports deployment in air-gapped and high-security environments
• High degree of scalability and customizability
• Seamless integration with existing hardware and software
• Robust security features like end-to-end encryption and custom user access control
• Secure file, link, and image sharing 
• One-one chat and threaded conversations 
• Supports text, voice, and video communication

2. Mattermost

Mattermost is a popular Slack on-premise alternative with powerful workflow automation. Unlike Slack, it is open-source and can be deployed on-premises enabling organizations to exercise complete control over their data. It allows businesses to define granular access controls to ensure that the data is safely stored and accessed.  

Key features 

• Supports on-premise and cloud deployment
• Workflow and toolchain automation
• Facilitates open-source customizations
• Access to unlimited conversation history

3. Zulip

Zulip is an open-source communication tool built with contributions from 1000+ developers across the world. Unlike Slack, Zulip can be deployed on-premises and the application can be customized to the organization’s authentication controls. Its innovative features in grouping conversations allow users to participate in multiple discussion groups without feeling overwhelmed. 

Key features

• Threaded conversation
• 90+ native integrations
• Flexible authentication options
• Open-source and community-driven

4. Element (formerly Riot.im)

Element is an open-source application built on the matrix protocol and can be installed on an organization’s private server. It supports video, voice, and text communication, threaded conversations, and poll sharing.  The tool has a user-friendly, intuitive interface and offers several customization options. 

Key features

• Fully encrypted messaging
• Can be white-labeled
• Channel-based and threaded conversations
• Advanced message searching 

5. Messagenius

Messagenius is a popular Slack on-premise alternative with advanced security features to protect business conversations and data. With private encryption keys that are handed over to the organizational stakeholders, they can exercise complete control over their data and prevent leakage. It allows users to set up a timer and self-destruct the message from the server. 

Key features

• White-label messaging app
• Self-destructing black hole chats
• Smart filters and tailored workflows
• Customizable encryption settings