Rocket.Chat
Microsoft SharePoint
| Feature | Rocket.Chat | Microsoft SharePoint |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $4/mo | From $5/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Best For | security-conscious-organizations, government, self-hosters, enterprises | enterprise, large-organizations, it-departments, microsoft-users |
| Founded | 2015 | 2001 |
| Channels | ✓ | ✗ |
| Direct Messaging | ✓ | ✗ |
| Video Calls | ✓ | ✗ |
| Federation | ✓ | ✗ |
| E2e Encryption | ✓ | ✗ |
| Marketplace | ✓ | ✗ |
| Document Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Team Sites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Intranet | ✗ | ✓ |
| Workflows | ✗ | ✓ |
| Search | ✗ | ✓ |
| Compliance | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Microsoft SharePoint Pros
- Enterprise-grade
- Deep M365 integration
- Customizable sites
- Version control
✗ Microsoft SharePoint Cons
- Complex setup
- Requires admin expertise
- Can be slow
The Verdict
Rocket.Chat is built for security conscious organizations and government, with a focus on channels and direct-messaging. Microsoft SharePoint targets enterprise and large organizations and leads with document-management and team-sites.
Pricing is close: Rocket.Chat starts at $4/mo versus $5/mo for Microsoft SharePoint — not a deciding factor on its own.
Rocket.Chat has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Microsoft SharePoint 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.