Rocket.Chat vs Zulip
Self-host pick — both replace Slack (Team chat).
Both Rocket.Chat and Zulip self-host as a replacement for Slack (Team chat). Pick Rocket.Chat if you want the lighter footprint — 15min docker-compose (Mongo + Rocket.Chat), $10 vps — mongo is the heavier process; tight on $5. Pick Zulip if you need async teams that hate Slack's flat-channel firehose — 30-60min (their installer script on Ubuntu 22.04) and $10 vps minimum (their installer wants 2gb+ ram).
| Rocket.Chatopen-source | Zulipopen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Setup time | 15min docker-compose (Mongo + Rocket.Chat) | 30-60min (their installer script on Ubuntu 22.04) |
| Monthly cost | $10 VPS — Mongo is the heavier process; tight on $5. | $10 VPS minimum (their installer wants 2GB+ RAM). |
| GitHub | RocketChat/Rocket.Chat | zulip/zulip |
| Replaces | Slack + 1 other | Slack |
Good fit for
Rocket.Chat
Communities and support orgs (livechat widget is built in).
Weak at:Default UI feels heavier than Mattermost; Mongo backups need attention.
Zulip
Async teams that hate Slack's flat-channel firehose.
Weak at:Cultural shift to topic-threaded chat is the actual blocker, not setup.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli slack prints Slack's self-host options including both —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Which is easier to self-host, Rocket.Chat or Zulip?
Rocket.Chat: 15min docker-compose (Mongo + Rocket.Chat). Zulip: 30-60min (their installer script on Ubuntu 22.04).
What does each cost to run?
Rocket.Chat: $10 VPS — Mongo is the heavier process; tight on $5.. Zulip: $10 VPS minimum (their installer wants 2GB+ RAM).. Both projects are free and open source.
Do Rocket.Chat and Zulip replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Slack.