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Software · head to head

Flock vs Novu

Flock logo

Flock

Software

Organized team communication platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Novu logo

Novu

Software

Open-source notification infrastructure for multi-channel messaging

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Flock the Starter plan only makes the most recent 10,000 messages searchable and caps public channels at 10; Novu free plan activity feed retention is limited to 24 hours, restricting how far back teams can debug delivery issues.
  • They diverge on capability: Flock covers Team chat, Novu covers Multi-channel workflows.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flock and Novu actually diverge.

Attributes where Flock and Novu differ
AttributeFlockNovu
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, Androidweb, api
Founded2014Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Flock

  • Team chat
  • Channels
  • Threads
  • File sharing
  • Polls
  • Integrations
  • Mobile apps
  • Slack

Only in Novu

  • Multi-channel workflows
  • Advanced email editor
  • Activity feed
  • Multi-environment support
  • Role-based access control
  • Self-hosting

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Flock

  • Team messaging with channels, direct messages and file sharingnot Novu
  • Running polls, to-dos and reminders inside a chat workspacenot Novu
  • Video conferencing and screen sharing for small teamsnot Novu

Novu

  • Building multi-channel notification workflows for a SaaS productnot Flock
  • Self-hosting notification infrastructure for data controlnot Flock
  • Managing separate notification environments for staging and productionnot Flock
  • Tracking notification delivery history and activitynot Flock

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Flock

  • The Starter plan only makes the most recent 10,000 messages searchable and caps public channels at 10
  • Starter storage is 5 GB for the entire team, against 10 GB per member on Pro and 20 GB per member on Enterprise
  • Starter allows a single team admin and a single approved domain
  • Group video calls and screen sharing require the Pro plan; Starter is limited to 1-1 video calls
  • Group video calls are capped at 20 participants even on Enterprise
  • Single Sign-On and Active Directory sync are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise is quote only, with no published rate, and is positioned for organisations with 100 or more members
  • Unlimited auto-join and announcement channels require Enterprise; Starter and Pro get one of each

Novu

  • Free plan activity feed retention is limited to 24 hours, restricting how far back teams can debug delivery issues.
  • Overage on Pro and Team plans is billed at $1.20 per 1,000 additional workflow runs, which can add up at scale.
  • HIPAA BAA compliance and dedicated SSO are Enterprise-only and require custom pricing.

Pricing, plan by plan

Flock

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited chats
    • Channels
    • File sharing
  • Pro$5/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Advanced search
    • API access

Novu

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10,000 workflow runs/month
    • All channels included
    • Up to 20 workflows
  • Pro$30/month
    • 30,000+ workflow runs/month
    • Advanced email editor
    • Remove Novu branding
  • Team$250/month
    • 250,000+ workflow runs/month
    • Up to 10 environments
    • 90-day activity feed retention

Which should you pick?

Choose Flock if

  • You need team chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want channels.
Flock review

Choose Novu if

  • You need multi-channel workflows.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want advanced email editor.
Novu review

Questions people ask

Is Flock or Novu better?
Neither clearly leads. Flock starts at Free and Novu at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Flock or Novu?
Flock starts at Free and Novu at Free.
Does Flock or Novu run on more platforms?
Flock runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. Novu runs on web, api.
Can I use Flock for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Flock best used for?
Flock is most often used for team messaging with channels, direct messages and file sharing, running polls, to-dos and reminders inside a chat workspace, video conferencing and screen sharing for small teams. Of those, team messaging with channels, direct messages and file sharing and running polls, to-dos and reminders inside a chat workspace are not what Novu is typically brought in for.
What can Flock do that Novu cannot?
Flock covers Team chat, Channels, Threads, File sharing. Novu covers Multi-channel workflows, Advanced email editor, Activity feed, Multi-environment support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Novu: What does Novu cost?

Novu offers a Free plan for 10,000 workflow runs per month, Pro from $30/month for 30,000+ runs, Team from $250/month for 250,000+ runs, and custom Enterprise pricing for 10M+ runs.

Source
Novu: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, the Free plan includes 10,000 workflow runs per month, all messaging channels, up to 20 workflows, 2 environments, and up to 3 team members.

Source
Novu: How is usage metered?

Billing is based on the number of workflow runs per month rather than per user or per message, with overage on paid plans charged at $1.20 per 1,000 additional runs.

Source
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