It lives in a database on your own server, not in Slack's cloud. Export it, back it up or move it — nobody can cut off your access to it.
Self-hosted Slack alternative on your own server
Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, and Zulip: open-source software that does what Slack does, which you deploy and own. Paste a repo or pick a one-click template — Railyard adds the database, HTTPS and backups.
Why teams switch
Why teams move off Slack
Add as many teammates as you want. The price is the server, not a line item for every person who logs in.
It's a container running ordinary open-source software. If you ever want to run it somewhere else, the code and the data both go with you.
The alternatives
Deploy Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, and Zulip in one click
Open-source platform for secure team collaboration.
Rocket.Chat, the open-source team chat platform — a self-hosted alternative to Slack with its own dedicated MongoDB replica set.
Zulip, the open-source team chat app organized by topic instead of just channels — a self-hosted alternative to Slack.
No credit card · No cloud account needed to test · or use email
How it works
From SaaS bill to your own server in three steps
- 1
Pick a template
Choose an open-source app below, or paste any repo with a Dockerfile.
- 2
Deploy it
Railyard builds it, attaches a database, and issues HTTPS automatically.
- 3
Point your team at it
Share the URL. Backups, logs and alerts are already running.
Questions
Questions people ask before switching
Is there a free way to run Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, and Zulip?
The software is free and open source. You pay only for the server it runs on — Railyard's Free plan covers 1 server plus a database server and 3 apps, no card required.
Will it do everything Slack does?
Open-source alternatives cover the core workflow well; some advanced or niche Slack features may not have an equivalent yet. Try it on a free 7-day server before you commit a team to it.
Can I import my existing data?
Most of these apps support importing from Slack or a standard export format such as CSV or JSON, or a migration tool documented upstream. Check each app's own docs for the exact import path.
Who maintains the software if something breaks?
The open-source project maintains the app itself. Railyard keeps the container patched, backed up and running, and you can roll back a bad deploy in one click.
Try it next to Slack, before you decide.
The Free plan needs no card.
Free plan, no card, and 14 days of Pro for every new team. One flat price per team.