8x8
Rocket.Chat
| Feature | 8x8 | Rocket.Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $28/mo | Free / from $4/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Best For | international-businesses, contact-centers, healthcare, financial-services | security-conscious-organizations, government, self-hosters, enterprises |
| Founded | 1987 | 2015 |
| Unlimited Calling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Video Conferencing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Team Chat | ✓ | ✗ |
| Contact Center | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Call Recording | ✓ | ✗ |
| Channels | ✗ | ✓ |
| Direct Messaging | ✗ | ✓ |
| Video Calls | ✗ | ✓ |
| Federation | ✗ | ✓ |
| E2e Encryption | ✗ | ✓ |
| Marketplace | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 8x8 Pros
- Unlimited international calling
- Strong contact center features
- Good uptime and reliability
- Compliant for healthcare and finance
✗ 8x8 Cons
- Interface feels dated
- Support can be slow
- Pricing not transparent
✓ Rocket.Chat Pros
- Fully open-source and self-hostable
- End-to-end encryption
- Federation support between instances
- Highly customizable
✗ Rocket.Chat Cons
- Self-hosted requires maintenance
- Mobile apps less polished than Slack
- Smaller app ecosystem
The Verdict
8x8 is built for international businesses and contact centers, with a focus on unlimited-calling and video-conferencing. Rocket.Chat targets security conscious organizations and government and leads with channels and direct-messaging.
On pricing, Rocket.Chat is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $4/mo compared to $28/mo for 8x8. That $24/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Rocket.Chat has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. 8x8 requires a paid subscription from day one.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.