Microsoft Teams alternatives for small teams
When Teams is more than you need, what the alternatives look like and how to move without disruption.
The short answer
Teams makes the most sense when you already live in Microsoft 365. If you are on Teams because it came in the bundle and you mostly use chat and calls, lighter or cheaper tools can do the job. The main alternatives are other hosted suites, open-source chat you host yourself, and all-in-one self-hosted workspaces.
Check current pricing on each vendor's site before you decide; plans and bundles change.
Where Teams sits against the alternatives
| Teams | Self-hosted workspace like Dock | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Microsoft's cloud | Your server |
| Cost model | Per user, often bundled with Microsoft 365 | No per-seat licence; your server cost |
| Strength | Office integration and admin controls | Simplicity, data control, one app for chat, meetings, docs and tasks |
| Gap | Complexity for small teams | You run the server; smaller integration list |
A calm way to move
Pilot with one team
Keep Teams for everyone else at first.
Move meetings first
They need no history migration.
Move channels next
Agree names and an owner for each.
Switch off last
Cancel only when the team stops opening the old tool.
Where Dock fits
Dock is a self-hosted team workspace for small teams. It has channels and DMs with threads and search, video meetings in the same app (with recording, transcripts and AI summaries), real-time docs, tables, calendar, tasks and a drive. An MCP server lets AI agents such as Claude Code read and post in your channels, and there is a Lark history import.
It runs as one Node process with one SQLite file, so backups and moves are copying a file. There is no per-seat licence; your cost is your own server. You run the server yourself, and the integration list is smaller than the big hosted tools. See Dock vs Microsoft Teams.
Questions
What is a free Microsoft Teams alternative?
Several tools have free tiers or free self-hosted editions. Check limits on each site.
Can I import Teams history into Dock?
Not today. Dock imports Lark history.
Do I lose Office integration?
Yes. If Word, Excel and SharePoint are central to your work, staying on Teams may be right.