Mattermost

Mattermost is an open-source collaboration platform built specifically for technical teams and enterprises that prioritize security, data sovereignty, and operational control. Unlike general-purpose chat tools, Mattermost provides a developer-focused environment that supports messaging, workflow orchestration, and incident collaboration—all with the flexibility to deploy on-premises or in the cloud.

Created to meet the communication needs of DevOps, SREs, and software engineering teams, Mattermost ensures teams can collaborate securely across critical workflows. Its self-hosted and private cloud deployment options make it a preferred choice for industries like government, defense, and finance where data privacy and compliance are essential.

Mattermost combines real-time messaging, file sharing, integrations, and process automation in one platform, enabling technical teams to stay aligned, respond faster to incidents, and deliver projects efficiently.

Features

Mattermost offers a rich set of features tailored for developer and DevOps workflows:

• Channels: Real-time messaging for teams, projects, and departments with support for threaded conversations and rich formatting.

• Playbooks: Structured workflows for recurring processes like incident response, launches, or sprint planning.

• Boards: Kanban-style project management for tracking tasks, bugs, and progress.

• Self-hosted or cloud: Deploy Mattermost on your own infrastructure or use their secure cloud option.

• Advanced security: Role-based access controls, audit logs, and encrypted communication.

• Developer integrations: Out-of-the-box support for GitHub, GitLab, Jira, Jenkins, and hundreds of other tools.

• Slash commands and bots: Extend functionality with custom slash commands, bots, and webhooks.

• Mobile and desktop apps: Native applications across platforms including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux.

• Granular permissions: Fine-grained access control for teams, channels, and workflows.

These features provide a unified solution for secure collaboration while enabling deep integration with developer workflows.

How It Works

Mattermost is built to function as the central collaboration hub for technical teams. It begins with setting up a workspace, either in the cloud or on-premises. Once deployed:

• Teams can create Channels to centralize discussions around specific topics, projects, or departments.

• Boards provide a visual interface for tracking work and organizing tasks using cards and columns.

• Playbooks offer step-by-step execution of recurring workflows like incident response, ensuring consistency and speed.

• Developers can automate tasks using slash commands or integrate with CI/CD pipelines to post updates in real time.

• All messages, files, and updates are stored securely and can be audited when needed.

Mattermost can be customized extensively, giving organizations control over how collaboration is structured and how data is managed.

Use Cases

Mattermost supports a wide range of use cases, particularly for technical and compliance-sensitive environments:

• Incident response: Coordinate real-time communications and track resolution steps with Playbooks.

• DevOps collaboration: Centralize developer updates, CI/CD notifications, and system alerts.

• Agile project management: Use Boards for backlog grooming, sprint planning, and progress tracking.

• Remote engineering teams: Provide distributed teams with a secure, always-on communication channel.

• Compliance-driven industries: Deploy Mattermost in regulated sectors where data control is mandatory, such as defense, banking, or healthcare.

• Software delivery pipelines: Integrate with Git and DevOps tools to keep all stakeholders informed.

Mattermost enables these scenarios while keeping security and operational autonomy at the forefront.

Pricing

Mattermost offers flexible pricing based on team size and deployment preference. As of December 2025, their pricing structure includes:

• Free Plan
  Ideal for small teams and open-source users

  • Up to 10 users

  • Channels, Boards, Playbooks

  • Limited integrations

• Professional Plan – $10 per user/month (billed annually)

  • Unlimited users

  • Advanced user permissions

  • SAML/SSO

  • Premium support

  • Advanced compliance reporting

• Enterprise Plan – Custom pricing

  • High availability and clustering

  • Enterprise-grade security and compliance

  • Enterprise integrations

  • Dedicated Customer Success Manager

  • 24/7 support

Mattermost also offers a free trial and custom quotes for large organizations or government entities.

Strengths

Mattermost excels in several key areas that make it a standout collaboration tool for technical teams:

• Security and data control: Full control over data with on-premises deployment and enterprise-grade encryption.

• Developer-focused: Built with engineers in mind, supporting GitOps, CI/CD, and automation.

• Customization: Highly extensible through plugins, APIs, and integrations.

• Workflow automation: Playbooks and Boards streamline repetitive processes and incident resolution.

• Compliance readiness: Meets strict regulatory requirements, including GDPR and HIPAA.

These strengths make Mattermost a trusted solution for organizations where security, compliance, and technical productivity are critical.

Drawbacks

While Mattermost is powerful, it may not be the perfect fit for all teams:

• Steeper learning curve: Compared to consumer-grade tools like Slack, Mattermost may require more setup and technical knowledge.

• UI can feel complex: New users may find the interface less polished than mainstream alternatives.

• Limited out-of-the-box integrations: Some integrations require manual setup or development effort.

• Focus on technical teams: Less suited for non-technical departments like marketing or sales.

Organizations must weigh these trade-offs against their need for security, control, and customization.

Comparison with Other Tools

Mattermost is often compared to collaboration tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Rocket.Chat. Here’s how it differs:

• Mattermost vs Slack: Slack is easier to use out of the box and offers more third-party integrations. However, Slack is cloud-only and does not allow for on-premises deployment or full data ownership, which Mattermost provides.

• Mattermost vs Microsoft Teams: Teams is tightly integrated with Microsoft 365 and better suited for enterprise-wide communication. Mattermost focuses more on technical workflows and is preferred in DevSecOps environments.

• Mattermost vs Rocket.Chat: Both are open-source and support on-premises deployment, but Mattermost has more mature DevOps and workflow automation capabilities.

Ultimately, Mattermost is the best option when data control, security, and technical workflow automation are top priorities.

Customer Reviews and Testimonials

Mattermost has received strong feedback from engineering teams and IT leaders across industries. Based on reviews from platforms such as Product Hunt, G2, and Capterra:

• Users praise its security features and deployment flexibility.

• DevOps teams appreciate integration with GitHub and CI/CD tools.

• IT administrators value the ability to self-host and comply with data regulations.

• Some users mention the setup process requires technical expertise.

• Several reviews highlight how Playbooks have improved incident response times.

Overall, Mattermost is seen as a powerful platform for secure collaboration within highly technical teams.

Conclusion

Mattermost is more than just a messaging app—it’s a purpose-built collaboration platform for secure, technical work. It offers a unique blend of real-time communication, workflow automation, and project tracking within an environment that respects privacy, data sovereignty, and operational control.

Its open-source foundation, self-hosted flexibility, and developer-centric features make it a compelling choice for teams working in sensitive or regulated industries. Whether you’re managing incident response workflows, automating DevOps notifications, or ensuring secure communication in government environments, Mattermost provides a customizable and scalable solution.

For organizations that need full control over their collaboration stack without compromising productivity, Mattermost stands out as a secure and developer-first platform ready to meet modern technical challenges.