1. Zoho Cliq
Zoho Corporation · Chennai · Team chat & collaboration · 4.8/5
Team chat and collaboration from Zoho.
Free plan
Free plan available
Compared with Google Chat
- Built in India (Chennai)
Team chat & collaboration · Alternatives
Best Google Chat alternatives in India (2026)
Google Chat is a team chat & collaboration product from Google, Mountain View, priced at Free plan with a free plan. We compared 20 alternatives on published price, free plan, platforms and made-in-India support: 20 have a free plan, 3 are built in India.
Quick answer
The closest alternatives to Google Chat are Zoho Cliq (Free plan), Zoho Connect (Free plan), Flock (Free plan), Notion (Free plan) and Slack (Free plan). Zoho Cliq is the top-ranked option with a free plan.
Why businesses look for a Google Chat alternative
Indian support and GST
Google Chat is built in United States. 3 alternatives are made in India, where GST, TDS and UPI are usually handled natively and support runs on IST.
Google Chat alternatives compared
Ranked by how closely each product matches Google Chat's category, pricing model, platforms and business size, then by rating. Prices exclude GST.
| # | Software | Starting price | Free plan | Platforms | Made in India | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Google Chat (current) | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.5/5 | — |
| 1 | Zoho Cliq | Free plan | Yes | Web | Yes | 4.8/5 | |
| 2 |  Zoho Connect | Free plan | Yes | Web | Yes | 4.8/5 | |
| 3 |  Flock | Free plan | Yes | Web | Yes | 4.8/5 | |
| 4 |  Notion | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.6/5 | |
| 5 |  Slack | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.6/5 | |
| 6 |  Microsoft Teams Chat | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.6/5 | |
| 7 |  Element (Matrix) | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.6/5 | |
| 8 |  Mattermost | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.6/5 | |
| 9 |  Rocket.Chat | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.6/5 | |
| 10 |  Confluence | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.6/5 | |
| 11 |  Chanty | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 12 |  Twist | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 13 |  Pumble | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 14 |  Coda | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 15 |  Miro | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 16 |  Mural | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 17 |  Webex Messaging | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.6/5 | |
| 18 |  Nuclino | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 19 |  Slite | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.5/5 | |
| 20 |  Brosix | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.6/5 |
Top 10 Google Chat alternatives in detail
2. Zoho Connect
Zoho Corporation · Chennai · Team chat & collaboration · 4.8/5
Intranet and employee community.
Free plan
Free plan available
Compared with Google Chat
- Built in India (Chennai)
Key features
- Feeds and announcements
- Polls
- Town halls
- Surveys
- Live broadcast (Ultimate)
Free plan
Free plan available
Compared with Google Chat
- Built in India (Mumbai)
4. Notion
Notion Labs · San Francisco · Team chat & collaboration · 4.6/5
All-in-one workspace for notes, docs and wikis.
Free plan
Free plan available
Key features
- Pages and wikis
- Verified pages (Business)
- Private teamspaces (Business)
- Databases with subtasks, dependencies and custom properties
- Charts
Free plan
Free plan available
6. Microsoft Teams Chat
Microsoft · Redmond · Team chat & collaboration · 4.6/5
Team chat in Microsoft 365.
Free plan
Free plan available
7. Element (Matrix)
Element · London · Team chat & collaboration · 4.6/5
Decentralised secure messaging.
Free plan
Free plan available
8. Mattermost
Mattermost · Palo Alto · Team chat & collaboration · 4.6/5
Open-source secure collaboration.
Free plan
Free plan available
Compared with Google Chat
- Open source
Free plan
Free plan available
Compared with Google Chat
- Open source
10. Confluence
Atlassian · San Francisco · Team chat & collaboration · 4.6/5
Team wiki and documentation.
Free plan
Free plan available
Google Chat alternatives by what you need
Free Google Chat alternatives
Indian alternatives to Google Chat
How to choose a Google Chat alternative
- Pick the tool your team will keep open — adoption beats features.
- Check message history limits on free tiers.
- If you are already on Google or Microsoft, their chat may be enough.
Google Chat alternatives — FAQs
What is the best alternative to Google Chat in 2026?+
The closest matches to Google Chat on App Advisor are Zoho Cliq (Free plan), Zoho Connect (Free plan), Flock (Free plan). They are ranked by how closely their category, pricing model, platforms and target business size match Google Chat, then by rating. The best choice depends on your team size and budget.
Is there a free alternative to Google Chat?+
Yes. 20 of the 20 alternatives listed have a free plan or are free: Zoho Cliq (Free plan), Zoho Connect (Free plan), Flock (Free plan). Free plans usually cap users, records or transactions, so check the limits against your monthly volume.
Is there an Indian alternative to Google Chat?+
Yes. 3 alternatives are built in India, including Zoho Cliq (Free plan), Zoho Connect (Free plan), Flock (Free plan). Indian products usually handle GST, TDS and UPI natively and bill in rupees.
Google Chat vs Zoho Cliq: which is better?+
Zoho Cliq is the closest match to Google Chat in our catalogue. Key differences: Built in India (Chennai). Compare them side by side before you book a demo.
How were these Google Chat alternatives chosen?+
Every product listed sits in team chat & collaboration or a category Google Chat also covers, and Google's own products are excluded. Prices, free plans and platforms come from each vendor's official website. App Advisor does not sell any of this software.
Free shortlist
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Related alternatives
Zoho Cliq alternativesZoho Connect alternativesFlock alternativesNotion alternativesSlack alternativesMicrosoft Teams Chat alternativesElement (Matrix) alternativesMattermost alternativesRocket.Chat alternativesConfluence alternativesChanty alternativesTwist alternativesAll team chat & collaboration alternativesBrowse all alternatives