Compare software

Zulip vs Wire: catalog facts
Zulip	Wire
Freemium The server and clients are free and open source and can be self-hosted at no cost. Zulip…	Freemium A limited free personal tier is available. Business plans are paid.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web
Topic-based threading inside channels, which makes catching up genuinely practical Self-hostable, or hosted, with free plans for open-source communities	Encrypted group calls and guest rooms aimed at organisations Clients are open source and the server can be self-hosted
The topic model takes getting used to and needs team discipline to work The desktop client shares most of its code with the web app, so it inherits its quirks	The free personal tier is limited and the focus is on paid business plans Requires an account tied to an email address or phone number
Downloadable app	Downloadable app, Hosted service
Open source	Open source
License: Apache-2.0	License: GPL-3.0
Account needed	Account needed
Needs internet	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.