Mattermost

What is Mattermost

Mattermost is a collaboration platform engineered for mission-critical work where security, data control, and resilience are primary requirements. The product supports secure team messaging, persistent chat, threaded conversations, file sharing, and integrations with CI/CD, ticketing, and incident response tools. It is available as an open-source core and as enterprise editions that add compliance, advanced access controls, and deployment flexibility suitable for large organizations and regulated sectors.

Mattermost is commonly used by DevSecOps teams, security operations centers (SOCs), defense and government units, and infrastructure teams that must operate in restricted networks or under strict compliance regimes. The platform emphasizes self-hosting and cloud-neutral deployment so organizations retain full control over storage, encryption keys, and network topology. Mattermost also provides features designed for high-availability and air-gapped environments, where commercial SaaS alternatives are infeasible.

Technical audiences appreciate Mattermost for its integration surface: REST APIs, webhooks, and a plugin architecture that enable custom chatops workflows, automated incident playbooks, and AI/ML tooling integration. Administrators and architects choose Mattermost when they need a messaging backbone that can be extended into operational workflows rather than a simple consumer chat app.

Mattermost features

Mattermost presents a combination of messaging, operational tooling, and administrative controls intended for enterprise and mission-critical use. Major feature areas include messaging channels and threads, role-based access control, compliance auditing, integration endpoints, and deployment options that range from self-hosted VMs to private cloud and air-gapped installations.

Key platform capabilities include modular integrations (plugins and webhooks), Playbooks for runbooks and incident workflows, built-in incident channels, native voice and video calling options, and searchable archives with retention policies. The platform also supports single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), granular permissions, and enterprise audit logging to meet regulatory requirements.

From an operations perspective, Mattermost emphasizes resilience and control: support for high-availability topologies, database clustering, and the ability to run entirely on-premises or in private cloud infrastructure. For development teams, the platform supports ChatOps patterns, CLI and API automation, and SDKs that allow embedding Mattermost functionality into other systems.

What does Mattermost do?

Mattermost provides persistent, secure team communication and an integration framework that brings tools and automation into a single operational workspace. It lets teams create channels for projects, incidents, or functional groups, attach playbooks to those channels, and automate routine tasks via integrations and bots.

The platform is used to coordinate incident response, run DevSecOps pipelines, share and annotate artifacts securely, and manage inter-organizational collaboration between contractors, partners, and internal teams. Mattermost can replace consumer messaging apps in regulated contexts by delivering the same conversational workflows under organizational governance and retention controls.

Beyond chat, Mattermost enables real-time collaboration on operational workflows: playbooks orchestrate runbooks, integrations trigger alerts and run commands, and audit trails provide forensic evidence of actions taken during incidents. This combination makes it a workspace for operational decision-making rather than just a communication tool.

Mattermost pricing

Mattermost offers flexible pricing tailored to different business needs, from individual users to enterprise teams. Their pricing structure typically includes monthly and annual billing options with discounts for yearly commitments and custom packages for mission-critical deployments. Pricing tiers generally map to increasing levels of features and support: a self-hosted Free Plan (open source), mid-tier commercial plans for growing teams, and enterprise-grade offerings for strict compliance and high-availability requirements.

Typical commercial plans include paid options that add SSO, advanced compliance auditing, enterprise integrations, and dedicated support — often labeled in vendor materials as Starter, Professional, and Enterprise tiers. Exact per-user rates, volume discounts, and managed deployment options vary by deployment model (self-hosted vs. managed private cloud) and by contract size.

Check Mattermost’s current pricing options for detailed plan descriptions, deployment choices, and enterprise quotes. Visit their official pricing page for the most current information.

How much is Mattermost per month

Mattermost offers flexible pricing plans that can be billed monthly for many commercial tiers, but public per-user monthly rates are typically provided on request or visible on the official pricing page for standard commercial offers. Monthly billing is useful for short-term pilots or SMB teams, while enterprise customers typically negotiate annual contracts with volume and support terms.

For an accurate per-month cost for your organization, consult the vendor’s pricing page and request a tailored quote because deployment type (self-hosted vs. managed), active user count, and required compliance features materially affect the monthly rate. Check their current pricing options to compare monthly billing details.

How much is Mattermost per year

Mattermost offers annual billing with discounts for customers who commit to yearly plans; annual billing is commonly used by enterprises to secure support SLAs and predictable budgeting. Exact annual per-user costs and savings percentages for yearly commitments vary by plan and are published or provided on request via their pricing contact channels.

Organizations purchasing enterprise-grade deployments typically receive a quoted annual price that bundles software licenses, support tiers, and optional managed services. For detailed yearly pricing and potential savings for annual payment, review the vendor’s official pricing page.

How much is Mattermost in general

Mattermost pricing ranges from a self-hosted open-source option at no license cost to enterprise subscriptions with per-user or seat-based fees and custom quotes. The overall cost spectrum covers individuals and small teams using the open-source core up to large organizations that pay for advanced security, compliance, and mission-ready deployment features.

Total cost of ownership should include infrastructure costs (on-prem servers or private cloud), operational staff for self-hosting, and optional support or professional services for secure, high-availability setups. Prospective buyers should evaluate both license fees and operational expenses when estimating annual costs. Visit their official pricing page for exact figures and enterprise options.

What is Mattermost used for

Mattermost is used to coordinate secure, auditable communications and operational workflows across teams that must retain data control and operate under regulatory constraints. Common use cases include SOC collaboration, incident response, DevSecOps ChatOps, interagency coordination, and command-and-control communications in defense or critical infrastructure.

Teams use Mattermost to host incident channels, execute playbooks, and integrate monitoring and ticketing systems so that alerts, investigation steps, and remediation actions are captured in a single, searchable timeline. The ability to host in air-gapped networks or private clouds ensures those timelines remain under organizational control.

In software development, Mattermost is used to reduce cycle time by embedding CI/CD triggers into channels, enabling automated deployments, and providing an audit trail for code changes and approvals. For operations, the platform’s resilience features (HA, backups, and controlled failover) make it suitable where uptime and data sovereignty are essential.

Pros and cons of Mattermost

Pros:

• Strong data control and deployment flexibility: Mattermost can be self-hosted or run in private clouds, with options for air-gapped deployments and granular access controls. This helps organizations meet strict compliance and sovereignty requirements.
• Integration and automation: Native playbooks, APIs, webhooks, and plugin support enable ChatOps and incident orchestration tied directly into monitoring and CI/CD systems.
• Open-source core: Organizations can adopt the open-source base and extend or audit the code to meet internal governance or security review needs.

Cons:

• Operational overhead for self-hosting: Running Mattermost on-premises or in private cloud requires infrastructure, patching, backups, and staff expertise that SaaS alternatives offload to vendors.
• Feature fragmentation between editions: Some advanced compliance, analytics, or managed-service features are reserved for enterprise editions and require paid licensing.
• Learning curve for custom integrations: Building ChatOps and custom plugins requires engineering time; out-of-the-box integrations may not cover every niche toolchain.

When evaluating Mattermost, compare the trade-offs between operational control and staffing costs versus the convenience and lower operational burden of mainstream SaaS alternatives.

Mattermost free trial

Mattermost provides options to evaluate the platform through downloadable editions and hosted previews. For many organizations, the fast route to evaluate is to deploy the open-source edition in a test environment or request a demo or preview environment from the vendor to assess enterprise features such as compliance auditing and HA configurations.

Trial options vary by deployment model: self-hosted trials let you validate air-gapped and on-prem workflows, while vendor-provided preview environments showcase enterprise-only features without installation. For production pilots, Mattermost’s documentation includes deployment guides and best practices for staging an evaluation cluster.

To arrange an enterprise trial or preview, check their documentation and demo request pages or consult community resources to walk through a self-hosted evaluation using the open-source edition.

Is Mattermost free

Yes, Mattermost provides an open-source core that can be deployed at no license cost. The open-source edition includes the basic messaging and channel features necessary for team collaboration and is commonly used for proof-of-concept and small deployments.

Paid plans add enterprise features such as advanced compliance auditing, SSO integrations, guaranteed support SLAs, and deployment options suited for regulated environments. To determine whether the free edition meets your needs or if an enterprise license is required, compare feature matrices on their official pricing page.

Mattermost API

Mattermost exposes a comprehensive REST API and a WebSocket API for real-time events, enabling automation, integrations, and custom clients. The APIs support user and channel management, posting and editing messages, retrieving histories, and integrating with external systems like ticketing, alerting, and CI/CD tools.

Developers can create bots, slash commands, and plugins that run inside Mattermost, and there are SDKs and sample projects available in the community and documentation that show common ChatOps patterns. The API is versioned and documented in the official developer guides, which include authentication, rate limits, and best practices for secure integration.

For teams integrating with AI tools, the API enables ingestion of messages and attachments and can be used to build automated responders or workflows that invoke external machine learning services. For detailed reference and examples, consult Mattermost’s API documentation.

10 Mattermost alternatives

Paid alternatives to Mattermost

• Slack — Cloud-native team messaging with extensive third-party app marketplace, rich UI, and widespread adoption. Slack provides hosted convenience, a large ecosystem of integrations, and enterprise plans with SSO and compliance features.
• Microsoft Teams — Integrated with Microsoft 365, Teams offers chat, meetings, file collaboration, and deep ties to Office apps; often chosen by organizations standardized on Microsoft productivity suites.
• Cisco Webex — Enterprise conferencing and messaging with on-prem options and advanced security features suitable for regulated industries and large enterprises.
• Zoom Team Chat — Zoom’s messaging and collaboration features bundled with its video-first platform; useful for organizations already invested in Zoom for meetings.
• Asana — While primarily a work management tool, Asana’s collaboration and task orchestration capabilities serve teams that need structured project tracking combined with communication.
• Atlassian Confluence (and Jira with chat integrations) — Strong for knowledge management and developer workflows, often paired with chat integrations to link issues and documentation.
• Google Chat — Part of Google Workspace; provides integrated chat for organizations already using Google Drive, Calendar, and Docs.

Open source alternatives to Mattermost

• Rocket.Chat — Open-source team chat platform with real-time messaging, video conferencing, and federation options. It supports on-premises deployments and customization for regulated environments.
• Zulip — Threaded conversation model geared toward topics and long-running discussions, with on-premises hosting options and integrations for developer workflows.
• Matrix / Element — Matrix is an open federated messaging protocol; Element is a popular client and server implementation that supports end-to-end encryption and federation across domains.
• Nextcloud Talk — Part of the Nextcloud suite, Nextcloud Talk provides self-hosted audio/video and chat integrated with file sharing and collaboration services.
• Mattermost (open-source edition) — The open-source core of Mattermost itself is a valid alternative for organizations that want to avoid commercial licensing while retaining the option to upgrade to enterprise features later.

Frequently asked questions about Mattermost

What is Mattermost used for?

Mattermost is used for secure team collaboration and operational workflows. Organizations deploy it to coordinate incident response, run DevSecOps ChatOps, and maintain auditable communications in regulated or air-gapped environments. It integrates messaging with playbooks, automation, and enterprise access controls to support mission-critical operations.

How secure is Mattermost?

Mattermost supports enterprise-grade security controls suitable for regulated environments. The platform includes SSO, MFA, role-based access control, encryption options, and audit logging; for detailed certifications and controls consult their enterprise security features. Deployment model (self-host vs managed) affects the security posture and responsibility model.

Does Mattermost offer a free plan?

Yes, Mattermost provides a free open-source edition. The open-source core includes messaging, channels, and basic integrations suitable for evaluation and small deployments, while paid plans add advanced compliance, support, and enterprise deployment features. Check their official pricing page to compare free and paid capabilities.

Can Mattermost be self-hosted in air-gapped environments?

Yes, Mattermost can be deployed in air-gapped and on-premises environments. The platform is designed for deployment flexibility, including private cloud and fully isolated networks, enabling organizations with strict data sovereignty requirements to operate without external network dependencies.

Is there an API for integrating Mattermost with CI/CD tools?

Yes, Mattermost provides REST and WebSocket APIs for integrations. Developers use those APIs for ChatOps, posting build and deployment notifications, automating incident workflows, and creating bots and plugins to connect CI/CD systems directly to Mattermost channels. See the developer documentation at Mattermost’s API docs.

Why would a security operations team choose Mattermost?

Security teams choose Mattermost for data control and operational integration. It allows SOCs to host collaboration tooling inside their protected networks, attach playbooks and incident channels to alerts, and retain auditable trails of remediation actions—features that support faster detection and response while meeting compliance needs.

When should an organization choose Mattermost over Slack or Teams?

Choose Mattermost when deployment control, air-gap support, or data sovereignty are primary requirements. If your organization must keep data on-premises, enforce strict retention and auditing, or run in networks without internet access, Mattermost’s deployment flexibility and open-source core provide advantages over hosted SaaS alternatives.

Where can I find Mattermost documentation and deployment guides?

Mattermost publishes detailed technical documentation and deployment guides. Their documentation covers installation, clustering, backups, plugin development, and compliance configuration—available on the Mattermost documentation site at their official docs.

How much does Mattermost cost per user?

Mattermost offers flexible pricing plans that vary by deployment type and feature needs rather than a single published per-user price for all customers. For precise per-user costs, monthly or annual billing options, and enterprise discounts, consult their current pricing options and request a quote for your expected seat count and deployment model.

Does Mattermost have an affiliate or partner program?

Yes, Mattermost works with partners and has channels for system integrators and resellers. Organizations seeking implementation support, managed services, or custom integrations can engage certified partners; details about partnerships and certified vendors are available through Mattermost’s partner pages and sales contacts.

mattermost careers

Mattermost hires across engineering, security, product, and customer-facing roles. Career postings typically include positions for software engineers, security specialists, DevOps engineers, and solutions architects experienced with enterprise software and secure deployments. For current openings and hiring regions, consult Mattermost’s official careers page.

mattermost affiliate

Mattermost partners with resellers and system integrators for enterprise deployments. If you are interested in becoming a partner or reseller, Mattermost provides partner programs and resources to support integration, training, and joint go-to-market activities; contact Mattermost for program criteria and enrollment details.

Where to find mattermost reviews

You can find Mattermost reviews on technology review sites and community forums. Look for product reviews and comparative analyses on sites such as G2, Gartner Peer Insights, and community discussion on GitHub and Mattermost-run forums to read user experiences around deployment complexity, enterprise features, and support responsiveness.