What It Does
Fluid Chat is a free, open-source team communication platform designed as a Slack alternative. It provides channels, direct messages, threads, reactions, file sharing, search, presence, administration controls, webhooks, and API access, with both hosted and self-hosted deployment options.
A team can create a workspace, organize discussions into public or private channels, exchange files, use threaded replies, and search its complete message history with operators such as from:, in:, and has:file. Teams that need greater infrastructure control can run Fluid Chat on their own server using Postgres, with Redis available for multi-process realtime deployments.
Quick Verdict
- Best for: Teams wanting free, open-source chat with unlimited message history
- Skip if: You require native mobile apps, voice, or video conferencing
- Key Advantage: Unlimited history with self-hosting and no per-seat pricing
- Top Alternative: Mattermost
At a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Category | Team Communication / Collaboration |
| Pricing Model | Free / Open Source |
| Free Tier | Yes |
| Platform | Web, Self-Hosted |
| API | Yes |
| Primary Strength | Unlimited team messaging without per-seat fees |
| Deployment | Hosted or self-hosted |
| Database | PostgreSQL |
Pricing & Plans
- Fluid Chat – $0 per person/month: All 91 listed features are included for every user with no paid tier.
- Hosted version: Available at $0 with no credit card, sales call, or per-seat charge.
- Self-hosted version: Available at $0 and runs against the user’s own Postgres infrastructure.
- Included limits: People, messages, message history, channels, integrations, admin features, and API calls are not counted according to the vendor’s pricing page.
- File limits: Files can be up to 10 MiB each, with 100 MiB of active files per workspace. Files are cleaned after 15 days.
Note: Prices and plan limits may change. Check the official website for current pricing.
Key Features
- Supports public and private channels, direct messages, group DMs, and threaded conversations.
- Searches complete message history using channel, sender, file, link, and date operators.
- Provides message editing, reactions, mentions, custom emoji, drafts, reminders, and scheduled sends.
- Stores files in private S3-compatible storage with defined file and retention limits.
- Provides webhooks, scoped API keys, rate limits, key rotation, and generated OpenAPI 3.1 documentation.
- Includes roles, guest restrictions, audit logs, retention policies, posting controls, and data exports.
Best For
- Replacing Slack with a zero-cost team messaging workspace
- Keeping searchable message history without a 90-day archive restriction
- Self-hosting internal team communications on Postgres infrastructure
- Connecting CI systems, alerts, and scripts through webhooks and APIs
- Managing team governance with retention, audit, guest, and export controls
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Every listed feature is included without a paid subscription tier.
- Unlimited message history supports long-term internal knowledge and conversation search.
- Self-hosting keeps the application and message database under the organization’s infrastructure.
- API keys, webhooks, OpenAPI documentation, and slash commands support custom integrations.
Cons:
- Native mobile applications are not provided; the phone experience uses a responsive web layout.
- Voice, video, and huddle features are not included.
- File storage has a 10 MiB per-file and 100 MiB active-workspace limit.
Alternatives & Comparisons
| Alternative | Best For | Key Difference vs. This Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Mattermost | Self-hosted team collaboration | More established collaboration platform with a broader ecosystem |
| Rocket.Chat | Self-hosted messaging and communication | Offers a broader communication platform beyond basic team chat |
| Zulip | Topic-focused team discussions | Uses a distinctive topic-based conversation model |
Fluid Chat fits the open-source team-chat market by focusing on Slack-style messaging, unlimited history, self-hosting, and zero subscription pricing. Choose it when keeping all core chat and governance features free is more important than native mobile apps or built-in voice and video.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fluid Chat completely free?
Yes. The vendor states that the hosted and self-hosted versions cost $0 per person per month, with no paid tier.
Can Fluid Chat be self-hosted?
Yes. Fluid Chat can run on the user’s own server using Postgres as its only hard dependency.
Does Fluid Chat have an API?
Yes. Fluid Chat provides API keys with scopes, per-key rate limits, key rotation and expiry, route discovery, and a generated OpenAPI 3.1 document.
Can Fluid Chat be used on phones?
Yes. Fluid Chat can run on the user’s own server using Postgres as its only hard dependency.
What are Fluid Chat’s file-storage limits?
Individual files can be up to 10 MiB, while each workspace can have up to 100 MiB of active files. The vendor states that files are cleaned after 15 days.
ToolsPedia Rating
- Performance & Speed: 4.4/5.0
- Ease of Setup: 4.0/5.0
- Feature Depth: 4.4/5.0
- Value for Price: 4.9/5.0
- ToolsPedia Score: 4.4/5.0
Final Thoughts
Fluid Chat covers most core team-chat workflows while removing per-seat pricing and message-history restrictions. Its combination of open-source code, self-hosting, API access, governance controls, and unlimited history makes it particularly relevant for teams that want infrastructure ownership. Start with the hosted version for a quick evaluation, or review the self-hosting documentation if data control is the primary requirement.
