There’s a good chance you’re reading this blog post on a smartphone. There’s an even better chance that you’re reading this post thanks to the modern marvel that is group communication technology. The world has changed in just ten years, thanks to the spread of smartphones and social apps. Familiar with Bejeweled Blitz, or maybe Words With Friends? These are just two games with built-in ways to play with multiple people at once – a feature that until about 2007 would have been relegated to games like Phantasy Star Online and EverQuest Next. Today we can easily play with dozens upon dozens of people from around the world – all from the same touchscreen device we use for something as simple as calling grandma.
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Group Communication
Slack
As a team communication app, Slack strikes a balance between functionality and simplicity. Connect with your colleagues, in real time, in three ways: direct messages, voice and video calls, and channels. Channels are “dedicated spaces” for conversations to take place according to subject matter, team, etc.
Slack stays within the scope of team chat which makes for a clean, intuitive interface. But at the same time, it offers features that your hybrid or remote team will appreciate — like integrations, file sharing, searchable message history, conversation threading, and more.
Beyond the limited free plan, Slack offers Pro, Business+, and Enterprise Grid plans. Pro starts at $6.67 per user per month.
Flock
Flock is an app that merges communication and collaboration in one platform. It’s a great option if you’re looking for something that’s simple but also includes light project management capabilities. Communication features include 1:1 chat, group chat, channels, video calls with screen sharing, and search.
You can invite external users into your workspace with limited access. Plus, create tasks from your conversations.
The free version of Flock works for teams of 1-20 people and includes core features. Beyond that, the Pro plan costs $4.50/user per month and works great for teams of 20-100. For teams of 100 and more, contact Flock for a direct quote.
Zoom
If we weren’t convinced of its value before 2020, these past two years have definitely cemented Zoom as a leader in virtual communication.
Zoom centralizes team communication by combining video conferencing and chat while maintaining a really simple interface. What we love about Zoom is that there aren’t too many lines for communication; communication either happens in chat or on calls (and in channels for desktop users).
Apps like Ryver and Slack, which subdivide communication into multiple branches, can either be really helpful — or chaotic. If you prefer to keep it simple, Zoom is a great choice.
Other features include HD video and audio, drag-and-drop file sharing, searchable history, the ability to record and transcribe meetings, screen sharing, and more.
Beyond Zoom’s free plan, pricing starts at $149.90/year/license.
Basecamp
If you’re looking for an all-in-one app for everything related to project management, collaboration, and communication — allow us to introduce you to Basecamp. Basecamp streamlines work by eliminating the need for back-and-forth communication, time-zapping status meetings, switching between different apps, and much more.
Basecamp is a comprehensive tool for team collaboration, but the non-customizable flat rate means you may end up paying for features you don’t need — especially true for small teams.
Basecamp Personal is free and includes limited features. Basecamp Business runs for a flat rate of $99/month.
Best paid team chat apps
Troop Messenger
Like Slack, Troop Messenger is a team chat app that doesn’t venture off into project management territory. It deserves a spot on this list for its extensive chat-based features and affordable price.
Troop Messenger lets your team communicate via 1:1 and group messaging with an option called “forkout,” which is the ability to send a message to multiple people without creating a group chat. There’s also “burnout,” which enables conversations to self-destruct after a certain period, thereby protecting confidential information.
Additional features include audio messaging, file sharing, screen sharing, read receipts, and more. However, integrations are very limited.
The Premium plan runs for $2.50/user per month; Enterprise runs for $5/user per month; Superior runs for $9/user per month.
Ryver
Like Flock, Ryver combines team communication with task management. Communication happens in three places:
Forums — across the entire company or organization
Teams — groups of people
People — 1:1
Within these spaces, conversation is further broken down into chat (great for quick one-off messages), topics (for focused conversations), and tasks (actionable items).
There’s also file sharing, video conferencing with screen sharing, and scalability.
Pricing starts at $49/month.
Hive
Hive is our top pick for those who are looking for a more comprehensive solution for team collaboration and project management. In one platform, you can track the progress of your team’s projects, automate workflows, send and receive emails via Gmail or Outlook, and much more. Hive’s chat feature allows for 1:1 or group messages, plus you can even share actions and files within a chat message. If you’re looking for a great all-around app to support your distributed team, check out Hive!
Free group communication apps
Here are the 7 best free collaboration apps for your small business.
- Flock
With Flock, team members can exchange messages, share files, host video conferences, manage to-dos, and set up calendar events all from one easy-to-use app. Flock integrates with popular business tools such as Google Calendar, Google Drive, Asana, MailChimp, and Twitter, making it easier for team members to stay on top of things without juggling a dozen different apps.
videocalls
Flock’s free plan gives your team:
Unlimited team members and one-to-one messages
10 public channels for group conversations
Unlimited 1:1 video calls
5GB storage for file sharing and 10K message history for quick search
Built-in productivity apps such as shared notes, polls, and reminders
Unlimited integrations for third-party services, such as Asana, Jira, or Google Drive
Need more room? Flock PRO unlocks enhanced admin controls, group video conferencing, unlimited channels, guest accounts, more file storage, and access to priority support. At just $4.50 per user per month, we think it’s a steal, but our free plan is pretty generous and well, free. It’s your call.
Download now: Flock’s Ultimate Guide to Great Communication in the Workplace.
- Slack
If you’ve heard of team chat, you’ve probably heard of them. IM, channels, video calls, integrations and bots for hundreds of third-party tools; Slack has it all. But the free plan limits you to 10 service integrations, so choose wisely.
Mac-Slack-client-for-media-kit.en-GB 2xImage: Slack
Slack’s free plan
Unlimited users, messages, and channels
Unlimited one-to-one voice and video calls
5GB storage for file sharing and 10K message history
Up to 10 apps or service integrations
For video conferencing (up to 15 participants) and guest accounts, you’ll need to upgrade to a Standard plan that costs $6.67 per user per month. There’s also a Plus plan that adds more features at $12.50 a user per month.
- Microsoft Teams
Initially an exclusive for businesses with Office 365 subscriptions, Microsoft Teams has since launched a free plan for small businesses. We love its innovative features such as inline translation for messages and the ability to record meetings with automatic transcriptions. Also a plus, its deep integrations with OneDrive and Office 365 services.
Image: Microsoft
Microsoft Team’s free plan
Up to 300 users
Unlimited messages, channels, and search
Unlimited audio and video meetings with up to 250 participants
10GB of team file storage + 2GB per user
140+ apps and service integrations
For advanced collaboration features such as meeting recordings and automatic transcriptions, you’ll need to pony up for an Office 365 subscription. Office 365 Business Essentials costs $5 a user per month and the full-featured Office 365 Business Premium will set you back $12.50 a user per month.
- Twist
Made by the folks behind Todoist, Twist makes it easy to organize and keep track of discussions with threads. Their message board-like interface is easy to use, though using threads and the inbox (they work more like email threads, not Slack threads) takes some getting used to. The upside? Fewer notifications!
Screenshot of TwistApp.com in Chrome desktop browserImage: TechRepublic
Twist’s free plan
Unlimited users, guests, messages, channels, and threads
Access to 1 month of conversations
5GB storage for file sharing
5 service integrations
Twist doesn’t bother with audio/video conferencing or screen sharing features, they have a Wherein integration instead. For $5 a user per month, Twist Unlimited offers unlimited conversation history, file storage, service integrations, and priority support.
- Discord
Discord bills itself as an all-in-one voice and text chat for gamers, and it’s clear why. In addition to the usual private and group DMs, Discord offers a new way of collaborating in real-time: Voice channels. Think of them as always-on radio channels to talk to your team. Loved by gamers, voice channels can also be an easier, less stressful way to collaborate remotely on shared documents. More importantly, Discord offers unlimited voice, video, and text chat—all for free!
Conclusion
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