# Alternatives to Zulip (https://devrel.directory/directory/zulip/alternatives)

Zulip is listed under Community platforms, tagged open-source. This page lists the alternatives this directory has curated, compared on the same criteria.

## Curated alternatives

- [Discord](https://devrel.directory/directory/discord): Real-time chat platform positioned primarily as a gaming and social platform, though widely used by developer communities.
- [Slack](https://devrel.directory/directory/slack): Team chat and AI work platform for managing projects, automating workflows, and connecting teams where developer and customer communities collaborate.

## Also in this space (ranked by shared tags, not hand-picked)

- [Apache Answer](https://devrel.directory/directory/apache-answer): Open-source Q&A platform for running a self-hosted developer support forum with reputation and moderation.
- [GitHub Discussions](https://devrel.directory/directory/github-discussions): Threaded forums attached to your repos; the lowest-friction community home for open-source projects.
- [Advocu](https://devrel.directory/directory/advocu): Runs developer ambassador and experts programs: applications, activity tracking, and program reporting in one place.
- [Answer Overflow](https://devrel.directory/directory/answer-overflow): Indexes Discord help channels into Google so community answers become searchable content.

## Compared on the same criteria

| Criterion | Zulip | Discord | Slack | Apache Answer | GitHub Discussions | Advocu | Answer Overflow |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Category | Tools | Tools | Tools | Tools | Tools | Tools | Tools |
| Type | Community platforms | Community platforms | Community platforms | Community platforms | Community platforms | Community platforms | Community platforms |
| Focus | community, chat, open-source | community, chat | community, chat | community, forum, open-source | community, forum, open-source | advocacy, community | community, seo |
| Public source repo | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Yes |
| Last commit | Aug 2026 | Not stated | Not stated | Jul 2026 | Not stated | Not stated | Jul 2026 |
| Stars | 25k | Not stated | Not stated | 15k | Not stated | Not stated | 2.0k |
| Documentation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Not stated |
| llms.txt | Not stated | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Pricing model | Open core (checked Jul 26, 2026) | Not stated | Freemium (checked Jul 26, 2026) | Not stated | Not stated | Paid (checked Jul 26, 2026) | Not stated |
| Link verified | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 | Not stated |
| Listed since | Jul 12, 2026 | Jul 8, 2026 | Jul 12, 2026 | Jul 12, 2026 | Jul 12, 2026 | Jul 12, 2026 | Jul 8, 2026 |

## How to read this

Every fact on this page is copied from the product's own site or repository and dated. We do not test these tools hands-on, and the criteria are structural (what a product publishes) rather than qualitative (how well it works). Pricing is read off each product's own pricing page and carries the date it was read, so check the current page before budgeting. Where a product does not state something, the table says so instead of guessing.