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Communication · head to head

Mattermost vs Signal

Mattermost logo

Mattermost

Communication

Channel-centric collaboration for secure workflows

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Signal logo

Signal

Communication

Speak Freely

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Signal has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Mattermost no published pricing on public website; requires sales contact for all tiers; Signal signal must be installed on a phone before the desktop app can be used, so there is no phone-free desktop-only account
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mattermost and Signal actually diverge.

Attributes where Mattermost and Signal differ
AttributeMattermostSignal
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2010

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Communication).

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 Mattermost

Nothing recorded that Signal does not also cover.

Only in Signal

  • End-to-end encryption
  • Disappearing messages
  • Screen security
  • Group chats
  • Voice calls
  • Video calls
  • File sharing
  • No data collection

What people use each for

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

Mattermost

  • Team messaging and collaborationnot Signal
  • Secure enterprise communicationnot Signal
  • On-premise or self-hosted deploymentnot Signal

Signal

  • Private messagingnot Mattermost
  • Secure group communicationnot Mattermost
  • Confidential conversationsnot Mattermost
  • Journalism communicationnot Mattermost
  • Family messagingnot Mattermost

Where each one falls short

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

Mattermost

  • No published pricing on public website; requires sales contact for all tiers
  • Three tiers (Professional, Enterprise, Enterprise Advanced) have feature differences but no cost transparency
  • User scaling caps differ between tiers without public price justification

Signal

  • Signal must be installed on a phone before the desktop app can be used, so there is no phone-free desktop-only account

Pricing, plan by plan

Mattermost

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Mattermost review.

Signal

Free
  • FreeFree
    • End-to-end encrypted messaging
    • Voice and video calls
    • Group chats

Which should you pick?

Choose Mattermost if

Nothing in the data separates Mattermost from Signal on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Mattermost review

Choose Signal if

  • You need end-to-end encryption.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want disappearing messages.
Signal review

Questions people ask

Is Mattermost or Signal better?
Neither clearly leads. Mattermost starts at On request and Signal at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mattermost or Signal?
Signal has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Mattermost and Free for Signal.
Does Mattermost or Signal run on more platforms?
Mattermost runs on Web. Signal runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
Can I use Signal for free?
Yes. Signal has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mattermost starts at On request.
What is Mattermost best used for?
Mattermost is most often used for team messaging and collaboration, secure enterprise communication, on-premise or self-hosted deployment. Of those, team messaging and collaboration and secure enterprise communication are not what Signal is typically brought in for.
What can Mattermost do that Signal cannot?
Signal covers End-to-end encryption, Disappearing messages, Screen security, Group chats.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mattermost: What user limits apply to each Mattermost pricing tier?

Professional tier supports maximum 250 users. Enterprise scales to 50,000 concurrent users. Enterprise Advanced scales to 200,000 concurrent users. Exact per-user costs not stated.

Source
Signal: How much does Signal cost?

Signal is free for everyone. The messaging app is supported by grants and donations, not user fees, and is maintained by an independent nonprofit that is not tied to any major tech companies.

Source
Mattermost: What support response times are included with each plan?

Professional includes community support plus business hours professional support with next business day response. Enterprise includes 24x7 support with 4-hour response time. Enterprise Advanced includes 24x7 with Premier Support option.

Source
Signal: Does Signal have ads?

No. Signal is ad-free and does not collect advertising revenue.

Source
Mattermost: How much does Mattermost cost for teams under 250 users?

Pricing for Professional tier with user counts under 250 is not disclosed publicly. Contact Mattermost sales for specific quotes.

Source
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