By
Oren Todoros,
Updated on November 15, 2023,
22 min read
The ability to communicate effectively is not only essential in a business setting but also serves as the cornerstone of any successful enterprise. Mastering this critical skill is vital for everyone involved, as effective communication can significantly impact productivity and efficiency within an organization. This holds true for both internal interactions among colleagues and external liaisons with stakeholders.
The modern workplace has evolved beyond the confines of traditional in-person meetings, written communication, and email exchanges. It now embraces a plethora of digital communication methods, such as video conferencing, voice calls, and instant messaging. These new-age communication channels have transformed the way businesses operate, making them more dynamic and interconnected.
At the heart of this contemporary office landscape lies the team communication app. This powerful tool consolidates various forms of communication into one user-friendly platform, allowing team members to collaborate seamlessly, share ideas, and streamline workflows. With the right communication app, businesses can break down silos, foster a connected work environment, and promote employee engagement.
The modern office is no longer defined by physical walls; instead, it is built upon the solid foundation of a versatile team communication app that facilitates seamless interaction and collaboration, irrespective of geographic location or time zone. By leveraging the potential of these apps, organizations can significantly enhance their internal and external communication, paving the way for success in today’s fast-paced business world.
The Digital Office for Remote and Hybrid Teams: Team Chat Apps
For remote work and hybrid teams, group chat apps have become the modern office—replacing everything from meeting rooms to water coolers. By providing remote and hybrid teams with a central team app that can be accessed anywhere, a team commucation app helps improve collaboration, accelerate communication between dispersed colleagues, surface relevant conversations more readily to members of the group—and let everyone know when someone has mentioned them in an ongoing conversation.
But not all digital communication is created equal. In the past year, we’ve learned that some tools are better at accomplishing tasks than other programs—and it’s not just about convenience! In this blog, we’ll highlight the five best team chat apps that increase productivity and collaboration so your business can run smoothly.
Essential Features of a Great Team Chat App
Every company is unique, and as such, its culture dictates what communication tools team members use. That’s why there are so many group messaging apps on the market—each with its own set of features. Yet despite their differences in design and purpose, many essential elements exist across all great group chat applications.
Here are the must-haves:
Organized Messaging
One of the primary reasons to use a team chat app is to keep track of your conversations. The best team chat apps let you organize and maintain your business communication in a flexible way, allowing members to join relevant groups/channels while avoiding irrelevant ones. The app’s most useful feature is its ability to send alerts and notifications directly to specific members.
An Easy Search Tool
A top-notch team app should offer a search function that allows users to quickly find what they need. Quick access to attachments—such as documents, links and video files—can save time and improve productivity.
Video Meetings and Audio Calls
Text conversations are essential, but for deeper collaboration, video meetings, and audio calls are crucial. The best team chat apps offer the ability to seamlessly blend text, audio, and video capabilities so that teams can easily shift between modes. Bonus points if they allow users to share screens with one another and send audio messages.
Simple to Use
A great team chat app should be straightforward and intuitive, feeling like a natural extension of an email inbox. As users become more comfortable with the interface, keyboard shortcuts can take productivity to the next level—no mouse required!
Empower Collaboration
Collaboration should be at the forefront of any modern digital office. A great team chat app should be able to provide a collaboration platform within the team app itself, allowing teams to raise productivity by minimizing context switching and keeping everyone on the same page. It should serve as the plumbing for a great project management app.
Instant Team Communication
Instant communication is a key component for improving teamwork in the workplace and team collaboartion. The ability to quickly and efficiently “gather the troops” through instant chat communication is essential in moments of inspiration or crisis. The best team chat apps use real-time communication technology to let teams communicate instantly.
So What Are the Top Rated Communication Apps?
Based on everything we’ve previously mentioned above we’ve compiled a list of the top rated team communication apps and their breakdown.
The first of our communication apps is, of course, Spike.
Email continues to be the most prominent form of business communication, and Spike harnesses the benefits of email with a 21st-century twist—namely using Conversational Email. This Feature turns your email into a chat with a stunning interface and cuts out your inbox clutter. No more headers and signatures, a new sleek and organized way to view your inbox, letting your team focus on what’s important…the conversation!
Think of it as a balance of synchronous and asynchronous messaging, where team members can talk about what’s essential without sifting through thousands of threads. To add to this Spike’s unique Priority Inbox, filters out all of the non-important (junk) emails using an advanced algorithm. The algorithm sorts this mail into a different folder leaving your Inbox cleaner and more manageable than ever before. So you can focus on what’s important.
This chat-like conversation is made especially powerful when used with Spike Groups, which is the easiest way to communicate as a team. You can instantly create a Spike Group for any team or project, add members and share messages, images, videos, files, and more. Additionally, including a non-Spike user is as simple as adding an email address, with no signup needed, making Spike an ideal digital communication app for clients.
Do you ever find yourself unable to adequately express what you mean in writing? Spike also offers Voice Messages and video meetings integrated directly within a single team communication application.
Spike is more than just a team communication app, Spike houses all the productivity tools your business will need in a single platform.
Some other useful features include:
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Tasks and To-Do Lists
Collaborative, trackable and rich formatted Tasks and To-do lists formatted across all your devices
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Calendar
Synced calendars across all your devices into one place, your Inbox. No need to switch between multiple apps to find what you’re doing and when.
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File Management
Easily accessible file storage from multiple cloud platforms in one place.
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Super Search
Quick Search to locate any topic, keyword, or phrase and more across all your chats, notes, docs and emails. Never lose important information again.
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State-of-the-art Security
AES-256 security encryption for all Message data; it stores the minimum data needed to provide the fastest team communication app out there and is ad-free, never selling, distributing, or monetizing on your data. You don’t have to take our word for it, Spike also passed an audit by an independent security evaluator.
Spike is available on:
- Windows
- Mac
- iOS
- Android
- Web
Letting your team chat whenever, wherever.
Price:
- Free for personal use
- $8 per account / monthly For teams
Free team communication apps can often be limited in their features, but Spike offers all the core functions without any payment – just get started with your standard email address.
Collaboration process – Use case:
“Spike Groups improved workflow between our teams and across our clients, since they now had a collaborative workspace that didn’t require logins. All that project history, and all needed files in one place.”
Read more about Max Shcherbakov, co-founder and CEO of Hooligans, that uses Spike as a unified collaboration tool.
Get yourself the best option for team communication platform
Flowdock is a comprehensive team communication and collaboration platform that streamlines workflows and fosters a productive work environment. Its centralized inbox provides a single hub for all team communication, eliminating the need to switch between multiple tools. Threaded conversations enhance clarity, while private channels enable secure discussions. Flowdock integrates with various third-party tools, ensuring seamless collaboration across platforms. Available as a web, desktop, and mobile app, Flowdock caters to teams of all sizes, offering self-hosted options for data control.
Here are some of the ways in which Flowdock can benefit team collaboration:
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Real-time Chat:
Flowdock offers real-time chat, which can help teams stay on top of important projects and exchange information. This ensures that everyone is on the same page—and will no longer have to worry about inbox overload!
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File Sharing:
Flowdock allows teams to share files and collaborate on documents in real-time. This can help them save time, streamline their work processes—and avoid headaches like version control disasters!
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Integration with Other Apps:
By connecting to various other applications, such as Google Drive and Dropbox, Flowdock allows teams to easily share documents and discuss relevant information in one central location.
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Clean and Intuitive Interface:
There’s no need to waste time trying to figure out how Flowdock works, as its intuitive design ensures that it’s simple enough for anyone to use.
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Suitable for Small to Medium-sized Organizations:
Flowdock is a messaging app for teamwork that’s ideal for small- and medium-sized businesses. It has the tools necessary to keep everyone in your organization connected, whether you’re a startup or an established enterprise.
Flowdock is available on:
- Windows 10 and 11
- macOS 10.15 and later
- Linux (AppImage and Snap packages)
- Android
- iOS
- Web browsers
Price:
Ryver
Ryver stands out as a comprehensive team communication and collaboration platform that seamlessly integrates internal communication tools with task management features, providing a centralized hub for streamlined workflows and enhanced productivity. Its user-friendly interface caters to teams of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.
Ryver’s core strength lies in its ability to bring together various aspects of team collaboration, eliminating the need to switch between multiple tools or platforms. Its centralized inbox serves as a unified space for team discussions, private messages, and group forums, fostering open and transparent communication.
Ryver offers several key features:
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Unified Team Chat Channels
Facilitates seamless group, private, and direct message exchanges.
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Workflow and Task Dashboard
Centralizes task tracking, workflow management, and deadline organization.
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Integrated Audio/Video Communication
Embeds real-time voice and video call capabilities.
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Custom Alert Configurations
Offers personalized notification settings for team updates.
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Direct File Exchange System
Simplifies the process of file sharing and management within conversations.
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Visual Task Tracking with Kanban
Features Kanban-style boards for a clear view of task progress and team workflows.
Ryver is available on:
- web browser
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- iOS and Android
Price:
- $69/month for up to 12 users
- $129/month for up to 30 users
Twist stands out as a unique and valuable tool in the realm of team communication and collaboration. It distinguishes itself through its thread-based messaging approach and emphasis on focused productivity. Catering to teams seeking a structured and organized environment, Twist transforms chaotic conversations into organized threads, ensuring that discussions remain focused and easily traceable. This thread-based system promotes clarity, accountability, and a sense of order within team communication.
Beyond its messaging capabilities, Twist seamlessly integrates task management features, allowing teams to create, assign, and track tasks directly within threads. This integration streamlines workflows, eliminating the need to switch between multiple tools, and ensures that tasks remain closely tied to the relevant discussions. Twist’s commitment to focused productivity extends to its interface design, providing a distraction-free workspace that allows teams to concentrate on the task at hand without the constant barrage of notifications and interruptions.
Twist offers several distinctive features:
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Thread-Based Conversations
Emphasizes organized, topic-specific threads for clear and focused discussions.
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Asynchronous Communication
Supports a communication style that doesn’t require immediate responses, reducing pressure and distractions.
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Integrations with Productivity Tools
Seamlessly integrates with popular productivity tools, enhancing workflow management.
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File Sharing and Storage
Provides capabilities for easy sharing and storing of documents and media within conversations.
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Searchable History
Enables easy retrieval of past conversations and files with a robust search function.
Twist is available on:
- web browser
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- iOS and Android
Price:
Coming in as the second best team communication app is Slack.
Slack is a popular team communication app that allows you to create channels for topics, projects, or teams. However, Slack is purely for team communication, so it lacks broader productivity features that you might find in a more robust platform. On the other hand, this makes for effortless chat functionality and usability.
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Channels
These are the heart of the software and are where people, projects, ideas, and information are gathered.
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Shared Channels
These are Slack’s answers to working with other organizations (who are also using Slack).
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Messaging
Text-based messages that are sent within channels or privately.
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Voice & Video Calls
Video conferencing between team members on the Slack platform.
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Integrations
A big part of Slack is its ability to integrate with other popular software such as Salesforce, Google Drive, and Zendesk.
Slack is available on:
- Windows
- Mac
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Web
Price:
- $12.5 per account / monthly for businesses
- Slack offers a free version with limited features and a full version for $6.67 per user per month for small businesses. For larger firms, this jumps to $12.50 per person per month.
Discover More:
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft’s team communication application is part of the wider Office 365 suite of tools. As such, you often need to jump between the different 365 apps to get all the functionality you might expect from a more streamlined communication app. That said, Microsoft Teams is good at what it does, but is heavily focussed, offering:
Microsoft’s team communication application is part of the wider Office 365 suite of tools. As such, you often need to jump between the different 365 apps to get all the functionality you might expect from a more streamlined communication app. That said, Microsoft Teams is good at what it does, but is heavily focussed, offering:
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Team chat through channels
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Microsoft team available on:
- Windows
- Mac
- Android
- iOS
- Web
Price:
- $12.50 per account / monthly for the Business standard package
- Microsoft Teams has a free option with limited features, otherwise, it comes as part of their broader packages, such as the Microsoft 365 Business Basic for $5.00 per user per month and Microsoft 365 Business Standard at $12.50 per user per month. Since it is included, this could be a good digital communication app for those heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Check out this article if you are looking for Microsoft Teams alternatives
Google Hangouts
Hangouts are Google’s old team communication app, which is slowly being split into two separate platforms: Google Meet and Google Chat. Google Meet offers video-communication services, while Google Chat has direct messages and team chat rooms. This means a minimum of two apps. It was originally part of Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) but is now being rolled out for consumer Gmail accounts.
Google Chat, which is more akin to the other communication apps listed, became free as an “Early Access” service for Gmail users, making it a potentially good option for them.
Google Hangouts offers a comprehensive suite of features that empower teams to stay connected, productive, and secure:
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Connect from Anywhere
Cross-platform compatibility for easy connection from anywhere.
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Chat with Team or Individually
Instant messaging for both one-on-one and group chats.
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Face-to-Face Interactions
High-quality video and audio calls for face-to-face interactions.
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Share Screen Effectively
Screen sharing to share presentations, documents, or other information.
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Unified Communication and Productivity
Integration with Gmail, Calendar, and Drive for unified communication and productivity.
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Customizable Alerts
Customizable notifications for alerts that matter.
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Easy Information Retrieval
Searchable conversation history for easy information retrieval.
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Secure Data Protection
Secure data protection using Google’s security infrastructure.
Google Hangouts is available on:
- Windows
- Mac
- iOS
- Android
- Web
Price:
- Individual $7.99 per month
- For Teams, Undisclosed
Flock
In the dynamic landscape of team communication and collaboration, Flock emerges as a versatile and user-friendly platform that empowers teams to streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and foster a connected work environment. Its comprehensive feature set caters to diverse team needs, ranging from centralized communication to task management and file sharing.
Flock’s core strength lies in its ability to consolidate team communication into a single, unified hub. Its centralized inbox serves as a seamless space for team discussions, private messages, and group forums, fostering open and transparent communication. Threaded conversations enhance clarity and organization, allowing teams to easily follow discussions and track decisions.
Here are some of Flock’s key features:
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Centralized Communication Hub
Flock’s centralized inbox serves as a seamless space for team discussions, private messages, and group forums, fostering open and transparent communication.
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Organized Discussions
Threaded conversations enhance clarity and organization, allowing teams to easily follow discussions and track decisions.
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Effortless File Sharing
Flock facilitates easy file sharing within teams, enabling seamless collaboration on documents, images, and other project-related materials.
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Cross-Platform Accessibility
Flock is available as a web app, a desktop app, and a mobile app, ensuring that teams can access their workspaces from anywhere, whether they’re at their desks, on the go, or working remotely.
Flock is available on:
- Windows
- macOS
- Android
- iOS
- Web
Price:
- $4.50 per account / monthly
Popoulo
Popoulo is a team communication app that offers instant messaging, video conferencing, and task management features that help teams collaborate effectively. It allows team members to communicate in real-time, work together on projects, and track progress of projects using analytics. Its Harmony platform offers companies a single space from which to communicate with employees, partners, and customers, with a broad range of integrations with other popular apps ensuring an easy fit with existing company infrastructure.
Popoulo offering a range of features:
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Centralized Communication Hub
Centralized workspace streamlines communication, allowing teams to seamlessly engage in discussions, share files, and manage tasks in a unified environment.
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Structured Conversations
Threaded conversations maintain clarity and organization, enabling teams to easily follow discussions, track decisions, and refer back to previous information.
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Secure File Sharing
Secure file sharing capabilities that enable teams to share documents, images, and other project-related materials with confidence, protecting sensitive data.
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Task Management Integration
Integrating task management features, allowing teams to create, assign, and track tasks within the platform, streamlining project execution.
Popoulo is available on:
- Windows
- macOS
- Android
- iOS
Price:
- Free Plan: Supports up to 5 users with basic features.
- Pro Plan: Starts at $8 per user per month for advanced features.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing for large teams with additional security.
Chanty is a team comms app designed to streamline communication and collaboration. With Chanty, teams can share files, make voice, and video calls, as well as organize conversations in channels. Chanty offers a searchable history of all messages, making it easy to find and reference previous discussions. In addition, Chanty offers task management and team collaboration features, such as shared to-do lists and the ability to assign tasks to team members. Chanty integrates with other popular apps such as Google Drive, Trello, and Zapier to ensure your company can easily add chanty to existing tools.
Here are some of the key features that Chanty offers:
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Instant messaging
Engage in one-on-one or group chats with team members, even those without Chanty accounts.
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High-quality video and audio calls
Connect face-to-face with your team through high-quality video and audio calls.
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Screen sharing
Share presentations, documents, or other information effectively through screen sharing.
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Integration with Gmail, Calendar, and Drive
Chanty is available on:
- Windows
- Linux
- macOS
- Android
- iOS
Price:
- Free Plan: Supports up to 10 team members with basic features.
- Business Plan: Starts at $8 per user per month for advanced features, unlimited users, and priority support.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing for large teams with dedicated account management and additional security features.
RocketChat is an open-source team communication app that offers a range of features for team collaboration. With RocketChat, teams can communicate via text, voice, and video, and organize conversations into customizable channels. RocketChat also provides screen sharing, file sharing, and team collaboration features such as shared to-do lists and the ability to assign tasks to team members. The app provides a broad range of integrations with other apps, however, perhaps the standout feature of RocketChat is its self-hosted option, the ideal choice for companies that prioritize data security and privacy.
Here are some of the key features that Rocket.Chat offers:
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Real-Time Messaging
Instant messaging in private, public, and group channels.
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File Sharing and Uploads
Share documents, images, and videos.
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Voice and Video Conferencing
One-on-one and group calls with screen sharing.
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Customization and Branding
Tailor the platform’s appearance to match company branding.
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End-to-End Encryption
Secure communication with privacy protection.
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Integrations
Connect with various third-party tools and services.
RocketChat is available on:
- Windows
- Linux
- macOS
- Android
- iOS
Price:
- Free Plan: Basic features for small teams or personal use.
- Paid Plans: Tiered subscriptions, including Pro and Enterprise, with advanced features.
- Hosting Options: Prices vary for self-hosted or cloud-hosted solutions.
FirstUp is a mobile-first communication platform designed for frontline teams, with real-time sharing and collaboration features that enable simple team communication. In addition, tools for task management and workflow automation are included to boost productivity and streamline collaboration. The app has features such as group messaging, surveys, polls, and analytics to help managers track engagement and team performance, meaning FirstUp is ideal for companies with many frontline workers who need quick access to information and guidance.
Here are some of the key features of FirstUp:
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Employee Communication
Tools to create, distribute, and manage company communications and campaigns.
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Content Personalization
Personalization of content based on employee roles, locations, and preferences.
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Mobile App and Accessibility
Mobile application for easy access to content and communications on the go.
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Analytics and Reporting
In-depth analytics to track engagement and measure communication effectiveness.
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Integration Capabilities
Ability to integrate with existing enterprise tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and more.
FirstUp is available on:
Price:
- Custom Pricing: Tailored to each organization’s specific needs and scale.
- Quote-Based: Organizations need to contact FirstUp for a personalized quote.
- Variable Costs: Prices depend on user numbers, integrations, and support levels.
Troop Messenger is a team communication app that offers a range of features for team collaboration, including text, voice, and video messaging with easy organization of conversations using channels. Troop Messenger also offers screen sharing, file sharing, and team collaboration features such as shared to-do lists and the ability to assign tasks to team members. In addition, Troop Messenger provides encryption for all messages and data, ensuring the security of sensitive information.
Troop Messenger offers a range of features:
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Text Communication
Offers streamlined and secure messaging for quick team interactions.
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Audio/Video Connect
Facilitates both individual and group audio/video conversations.
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Document and Media Exchange
Simplifies the process of sharing various files within the team.
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Screen Sharing
Enables participants to share their screen during calls for joint efforts.
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Group Forums
Allows for the creation of dedicated groups for targeted discussions and project coordination.
Troop Messenger is available on:
- Windows
- Linux
- macOS
- Android
- iOS
Price:
- Free Trial: Available for initial evaluation.
- Tiered Plans: Includes ‘Premium’ and ‘Enterprise’ options.
- Custom Pricing: For large or specific enterprise needs.
Smarp takes a different approach to team communication, providing an employee advocacy platform that enables companies to share relevant and valuable content with their employees. Smarp helps employees to stay informed about company news, events, and updates and encourages them to share this information on their social media networks in real time. It is also available on both mobile devices and desktop platforms, with comprehensive analytics to help companies track engagement and ROI, giving managers top-level insights into how teams work together to reach company goals.
Smarp offers several key features:
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Employee Communication
Streamlines internal communications and ensures employees are informed and engaged.
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Content Curation and Sharing
Allows for easy curation, creation, and sharing of content both internally and on social media.
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Analytics and Reporting
Provides insights into content performance and employee engagement.
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Customization and Personalization
Customizable feeds and content personalization for different user groups.
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Integration
Supports integration with various enterprise systems and social media platforms.
Smarp is available on:
- Windows
- macOS
- Android
- iOS
Price:
- Tiered Pricing Structure: Smarp offers various pricing tiers, typically based on features and the number of users.
- Custom Quotations: Pricing is usually custom-tailored, requiring direct contact with Smarp for a quote.
- Free Demo Available: Prospective users can request a free demo to understand the product before committing to a purchase.
Convo offers a range of features designed for team collaboration, with text, voice, and video forming the backbone of the app. Convo also offers file sharing, task management, and collaboration features such as shared to-do lists and the ability to organize conversations into channels. In addition, Convo offers integrations with other popular apps such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and Trello.
Convo is known for its rich set of features:
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Instant Team Chat
Enables on-the-spot messaging for team interactions.
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Organized Conversational Threads
Keeps team discussions structured and easy to navigate.
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Effortless File Exchange & Control
Simplifies the process of sharing and managing documents and media.
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Integrated Task Oversight
Embeds task management within the communication flow.
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In-App Voice & Video Connectivity
Facilitates direct voice and video communication within the app.
Convo is available on:
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- Android
- iOS
Price:
- Various Subscription Levels: Based on user count and features.
- Free Basic Version: For smaller teams or individuals.
- Custom Pricing for Enterprises: Tailored for larger organizations.
Connecteam sets itself apart as a comprehensive team chat app, offering unparalleled features for seamless interaction and collaboration. Its cornerstone is the dedicated work chat, enabling real-time communication between employees and managers, ideal for quick updates, sharing information, and collaborative decision-making.
Managers gain full control over team communication by easily managing permissions and curating content to maintain a professional and secure environment. Connecteam’s innovative company newsfeed further strengthens team cohesion by easily letting you make company-wide announcements and sending out employee recognitions, fostering a connected and engaged workforce.
Beyond communication, Connecteam also features an employee directory, a Knowledge Base, and customizable surveys for insightful feedback. Its advanced task management with custom checklists and forms, coupled with a comprehensive employee scheduling tool, positions Connecteam as a holistic solution for modern teams, blending effective communication with robust operational management in a user-friendly interface.
Best of all, Connecteam is completely free for small businesses with up to 10 employees.
Main features:
- In-app chat
- Employee directory
- Company social feed
- Surveys & live polls
- Mobile training and onboarding
- Knowledge base
Convo is available on:
Price:
- Free-for-life plan available. Premium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
What you Should Keep in Mind
Of course every business has different needs. For example, if you’re in the Google ecosystem and don’t mind switching to a new app every time you send a message, Hangouts (aka. Google Chat ) might work for you. Similarly, if your company already bases most of its work in Microsoft 365, then Teams might be a preferable option.
But if you’re looking for the best overall team communication app, with a variety of productivity features such as Tasks, To-Do Lists, Online Notes, an integrated calendar, and modern chat-like email, then Spike is the way to go.
For breakdowns of more productivity apps and software, subscribe to the Spike blog or Tweet us @SpikeNowHQ on how you communicate with your team.