Basecamp vs Rocket.Chat
Basecamp and Rocket.Chat are both team communication tools. Basecamp is aimed at small businesses and agencies, while Rocket.Chat is aimed at enterprise and developers. Both have a free plan.
Opinionated, calm project management
Open-source team chat and omnichannel
| Pricing | Freemium · $25 | Open source |
| Starting price | $25/mo | Not published |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | 30 days | — |
| Built for | Small businesses, Agencies | Enterprise, Developers |
| Platforms | web, ios, android, macos, windows | web, macos, windows, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2004 | BR · 2015 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Basecamp if
Agencies and remote companies that value calm communication over detailed planning, especially at 30+ users on a flat plan.
- Simple, consistent structure every project shares
- Flat pricing with unlimited users from the Studio plan up
- Promotes async, written communication
Look elsewhere if: Teams needing dependencies, resource planning or engineering workflows.
Choose Rocket.Chat if
Organizations wanting open-source chat plus omnichannel.
- Open source
- Omnichannel built in
- Data control
Look elsewhere if: Teams wanting turnkey polish.
Basecamp vs Rocket.Chat pricing
Basecamp
- Free$01 project, 1 GB storage, up to 5 users
- Freelancer$25/mo3 active projects, 5 GB storage, up to 20 users
- Studio$59/mo10 active projects, 25 GB storage, unlimited users
- Pro$99/mo25 active projects, 100 GB storage, unlimited users
- Unlimited$299/moBilled annually; unlimited projects and users, 45-day trial
Rocket.Chat
- Community$0Free self-managed open source workspace
- Starter$0Free premium features for up to 50 users (docs.rocket.chat)
- CommercialCustomGet pricing from sales
- GovernmentCustomCustom quote
- DefenseCustomContact us
Basecamp · Key features
- Message boards, to-dos, schedules, docs and files per project
- Campfire real-time chat and Pings for DMs
- Automatic check-ins (recurring questions)
- Hill Charts and Lineup for progress and timelines
- Card Table kanban and Timesheets
- Client access with 'Clientside' visibility controls
Cons
- No Gantt, dependencies or custom fields
- Limited integrations; relies on Zapier
- Active-project caps on lower plans force upgrades
Rocket.Chat · Key features
- Team chat and video
- Omnichannel customer service
- Federation
- Self-hosting
- E2E encryption
- Marketplace apps
Cons
- UX less polished
- Self-hosting upkeep
- Fewer integrations
Basecamp vs Rocket.Chat: FAQ
Do Basecamp and Rocket.Chat have a free plan?
Yes, both Basecamp and Rocket.Chat have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Basecamp or Rocket.Chat?
Basecamp lists small businesses as a core audience, while Rocket.Chat is aimed more at enterprise and developers.