Mattermost review (2026): features, pros and cons, and what to check before you buy
Self-hostable team chat and collaboration platform sold in Professional, Enterprise and Enterprise Advanced editions, aimed at security-sensitive organizations.
Our take for buyers
Mattermost is a self-hostable chat and collaboration platform aimed at security-sensitive organizations, with deployment options that include self-hosted, single-tenant Enterprise cloud and air-gapped. It earns 4.3 on G2 from 368 reviews, with praise for security and data ownership and a complaint that the interface is not intuitive to some users. It lists channels with threads and built-in calls. Deployment can be self-hosted anywhere.
Shortlist it if you must self-host, run air-gapped or keep chat data under your own control, particularly in technical and DevOps teams. Skip it if you want a public price list, self-serve checkout, or a polished hosted free tier. The free edition caps history at 10,000 messages. Support tiers and logging depth also differ by edition, so match the edition to your compliance needs.
Pros
- Strong security and data ownership.
- User-friendly interface and integrations.
Cons
- Interface not intuitive to some users.
- Best for
- Organizations that must self-host or run air-gapped chat.
- Starting price
- Contact sales
- G2 rating
- 4.3 (368 reviews)
What is Mattermost?
Self-hostable team chat and collaboration platform sold in Professional, Enterprise and Enterprise Advanced editions, aimed at security-sensitive organizations. Aimed at buyers who must keep chat on their own servers or inside an air-gapped network. Editions run from Professional upward, with SAML SSO starting at Professional and audit log export on Enterprise. Expect a sales conversation for pricing, and note each server needs its own license.
Category: Team Chat and Messaging Software
Mattermost key features
| Criterion | 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. |
| Pricing model and transparency | Prepaid annual seat licenses; extra seats bought quarterly true-forward; each server needs its own license. |
| Target company size | Professional up to 250 users; Enterprise scales to tens of thousands. |
Mattermost plans and pricing
| 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 should shortlist Mattermost
A strong fit for
- Organizations that must self-host or run air-gapped chat.
- Technical and DevOps teams wanting data under their own control.
A weak fit 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.
Security, admin and compliance
SAML SSO is available from Professional, with AD or LDAP sync, and audit logs with export and compliance export arrive on Enterprise. Enterprise MDM and EMM support is also listed. SCIM, a data processing agreement and the regions for single-tenant Enterprise cloud are not published, though you can self-host anywhere. Support is business-hours on Professional and 24x7 with a 4-hour target on Enterprise, and Premier Support is a paid add-on. The contract is a prepaid annual subscription.
- SAML SSO
- Professional and up (listed under access controls)
- Audit logs
- Enterprise (advanced logging, compliance export)
- Data residency
- Self-host anywhere; Mattermost Cloud Enterprise single-tenant region options not stated.
Contract and buying terms
- Contract
- Prepaid annual subscription.
- Support
- Community forums; Professional business hours; Enterprise 24x7 with 4-hour response target.
- Starting price
- Contact sales.
- Pricing model
- Per user.
- Free plan or trial
- Free plan, Free trial.
What to test in a Mattermost demo or trial
Deploy it the way you plan to run it, whether self-hosted or single-tenant cloud, rather than testing only the free edition. Check search over a realistic message history, since the free edition caps history at 10,000 channel messages and Professional lifts that. Configure SAML SSO and AD or LDAP sync, test guest accounts with custom user groups, and try the native iOS and Android apps. Ask how many server licenses your staging and production setup needs, because each server requires its own license.
Questions to ask Mattermost before you sign
These are the points Mattermost's public pages leave open. Get the answers in writing before procurement signs off.
- Is SCIM provisioning included, or a paid add-on?
- Can we sign your standard DPA without changes?
- What will the price be at renewal, and is the increase capped?
Things to know before a demo
- 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.
Mattermost FAQ
What is Mattermost used for?
Aimed at buyers who must keep chat on their own servers or inside an air-gapped network. Editions run from Professional upward, with SAML SSO starting at Professional and audit log export on Enterprise. Expect a sales conversation for pricing, and note each server needs its own license. It suits organizations that must self-host or run air-gapped chat.
Does Mattermost support SAML SSO?
Yes. SSO (SAML) is available from the Professional edition, along with AD or LDAP sync. Audit logs with export arrive on Enterprise.
Can Mattermost run air-gapped?
Yes. Enterprise Advanced covers multi-domain, air-gapped and sovereign deployments, and the platform also supports DDIL environments.
What support does Mattermost include?
Professional includes business-hours support with next-business-day response, and Enterprise adds 24x7 support with a 4-hour target. Premier Support is a paid add-on.
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.