5 Best Enterprise Messaging Apps for Centralized Communication

Managing communication across teams can be challenging, especially when messages, tasks, and updates are spread across multiple tools.

Enterprise messaging apps provide a solution by centralizing team discussions, file sharing, and project updates in one platform. These apps are essential for improving organization and building better collaboration across departments.

However, internal collaboration is only one part of a business’s communication needs.

Engaging customers requires a different approach, and tools like business texting solutions add value through automated text messaging for updates, reminders, and promotions.

In this article, we will explore the benefits and challenges of enterprise messaging apps. We will discuss the features to look for when choosing a platform and explain how SMS tools like Textellent can complement these apps.

How Messaging Apps Improve Business Operations

Business messaging apps have become essential tools for running smooth and productive operations. They combine task management, communication, and secure messaging into one platform. Teams stay connected, work together better, and get things done faster.

Let’s look at how these apps make daily operations easier and more effective:

Keep Communication in One Place

Messaging apps allow you to create channels or groups for specific topics, teams, or projects. Each channel acts as a dedicated space for related discussions.

You can set up channels for projects, departments, or topics. For example, a channel called #marketing could handle everything related to campaigns.

Business messaging apps have powerful search features that help you find old messages, shared files, or important updates. You can type in keywords, phrases, or even someone’s name to pull up what you’re looking for.

Not every conversation needs to involve the whole team. Messaging apps allow for direct, one-on-one messages between team members. This is great for quick questions, sharing sensitive information, or having private discussions without interrupting group chats.

Faster Decisions

Messaging apps help you make decisions by allowing teams to communicate and collaborate in real-time. Speed is essential in environments where delays can slow down progress or lead to missed opportunities.

With messaging apps, teams can exchange information, ask for approvals, and resolve issues without waiting for lengthy email responses or scheduling formal meetings.

Business messaging apps also make team collaboration easier. Multiple people can join a discussion in a shared channel, share their input, and reach a decision together. Some apps even allow live editing so everyone can see updates in real-time and provide instant feedback.

Make Teamwork Easier

Business messaging apps make it easy to organize conversations. Teams can set up separate channels for specific projects, departments, or clients. This way, discussions stay on topic, and relevant information doesn’t get lost in unrelated chatter.

Many messaging apps integrate with tools like Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive, which allow teams to co-edit documents or presentations in real-time.

Instead of digging through long email chains to find a file, team members can upload and access documents, images, or videos directly in the chat. Files are stored in the app’s archive, which makes them easy to retrieve later.

Keep Everyone Connected

Whether teams need to coordinate as a group or have one-on-one conversations, messaging apps offer both options. Group chats and channels make it easy to share updates or collaborate on projects, while direct messages are ideal for quick questions or private discussions.

Messaging apps work on multiple devices, including phones, tablets, and desktops. Team members can stay connected whether they’re working from home, traveling, or on-site.

For businesses with team members across different time zones, messaging apps make it easy to maintain smooth workflows. Team members can leave messages, share updates, or post questions even when others are offline.

Features like group chats, direct messages, and voice messages make communication simple and flexible. Messaging apps often include status indicators like “Available,” “Busy,” or “Away,” which help team members know who’s online and ready to chat.

5 Best Enterprise Messaging Apps in 2025

Choosing the best enterprise messaging app depends on your organization’s specific needs. Below is a list of the top tools you might consider:

1. Slack

Slack is a widely used messaging app that provides tools for team communication and collaboration. Its platform supports channels for organizing conversations, direct messaging, and search functionality.

Image Source: slack.com

The app also includes voice and video calling options, where teams can communicate in real-time. It integrates with numerous third-party tools, which connect external apps to the platform. 

It also includes basic security features, like encryption and access controls, to protect sensitive data.

Pricing

• The Pro plan is $8.75 per month, and it works well for small teams.
• The Business+ plan costs $15 per month and includes extra security and admin features for growing businesses.
• For large organizations, the Enterprise Grid plan provides advanced tools for managing big teams. Pricing is custom, and you can contact them for details.

2. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams combines chat, video conferencing, and collaboration tools in a single platform. Designed to integrate with the Microsoft 365 suite, it allows users to access and collaborate on Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations.

Image Source: microsoft.com

It supports group and one-on-one chats, video calls, and meetings, making it suitable for both internal communication and external collaboration. Channels and tabs can be customized to organize conversations and workflows.

The app also integrates with various third-party tools and offers features like screen sharing, file sharing, and meeting recordings for remote and hybrid work setups.

Pricing

• The Microsoft Teams Essentials plan costs $4.00 per user per month and is billed annually.
• The Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan is $6.00 per user per month (billed annually), offering Teams along with additional Microsoft 365 features.
• For more advanced tools, the Microsoft 365 Business Standard plan is available at $12.50 per user per month (billed annually).

3. Zoom Team Chat

Zoom Team Chat is an extension of the well-known Zoom video conferencing platform, designed to provide messaging capabilities for teams. It allows users to participate in group chats, share files, and engage in threaded conversations to keep discussions organized.

Image Source: zoom.com

Its key features include creating and using channels for specific projects or departments, configuring admin settings for better control, and continuous meeting chat.

The app is built with the same simplicity that Zoom users are accustomed to, which makes it easy for teams to transition between messaging and video calls.

Pricing

• The Pro plan costs $15.99 per user per month, ideal for teams of up to 99 users.
• The Business plan starts at $21.99 per user per month, with a minimum of 10 users.

4. Google Chat

Google Chat is a reliable messaging platform designed for businesses looking to simplify team communication. As part of the Google Workspace ecosystem, it integrates with tools like Google Drive, Calendar, and Docs, making it convenient for teams already using these services.

Google Chat allows users to create dedicated spaces for discussions, share files within conversations, and manage tasks through built-in collaboration features.

Image Source: workspace.google.com

The platform also supports secure messaging to keep team communications private and protected. While Google Chat is a practical choice for organizations tied to Google Workspace, its features may feel basic compared to more specialized enterprise messaging apps.

Pricing

• The Business Starter plan costs $7 per user per month with essential messaging and collaboration tools.
• The Business Standard plan is priced at $14 per user per month, with more storage and features.
• The Business Plus plan costs $22 per user per month with advanced security and compliance tools.
• For larger organizations with specific needs, the Enterprise plan offers custom pricing, with details available upon contacting Google’s sales team.

5. Zoho Cliq

Zoho Cliq is a communication tool that helps teams collaborate through organized channels and easy access to information. It works across devices, making it useful for hybrid work setups. It offers features like drag-and-drop file sharing and unlimited storage for sharing documents and images.

Image Source: zoho.com

The platform also supports video calls for up to 100 people and lets users switch between chats and calls. Zoho Cliq integrates with Zoho apps and third-party tools, so teams can pull updates directly into chats.

Pricing

• The Free plan is free and includes basic features
• The Standard plan costs $18 per month and supports up to 25 users
• For bigger teams, the Professional plan is $2 per user per month, with a minimum of 10 users
• For advanced features, the Enterprise plan is available at $4 per user per month, also requiring a minimum of 10 users

Key Features of Enterprise Messaging Apps

When selecting an enterprise messaging app, it’s important to understand the features that set it apart from standard tools. Here are some of the essential functionalities these apps offer to meet business needs:

Secure Communication

Businesses handle sensitive data daily, from confidential project details to client information, and it’s important that these exchanges remain protected.

End-to-end encryption ensures that messages are scrambled into unreadable code during transmission and can only be decrypted by the intended recipient. This prevents anyone, including the app provider, from accessing the content of the messages.

Not all employees need access to every conversation or file. Role-based access control (RBAC) lets administrators assign permissions based on roles or responsibilities. Therefore, sensitive data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands and minimizes the risk of internal breaches.

Many messaging apps include DLP tools to detect and prevent data breaches. These tools monitor messages for sensitive information, such as credit card numbers or personal details, and block them from being sent if they violate company policies.

Organized Channels

Channels are virtual rooms or spaces within a messaging app where specific conversations take place. Each channel is dedicated to a particular subject, team, or goal. For example, a company could have separate channels for #marketing-campaigns, #sales-updates, and #it-support.

Apps that integrate with popular tools like Google Workspace allow team members to link documents or presentations directly within these channels.

File Sharing and Collaboration

File sharing in business messaging apps lets your team members upload and share documents, images, videos, and other files within conversations.

These files are stored in the app, which makes them easily accessible to everyone involved in the discussion. Users can also leave comments or suggestions straight on the files.

Video and Voice Communication

When discussing a complex project or addressing urgent issues, a quick voice or video call can clear up misunderstandings much faster than a series of messages. Messaging apps allow users to start these calls from a chat and don’t need to switch to another platform or tool.

Most messaging apps support group calls where teams can hold virtual meetings without needing separate conferencing tools. Features like virtual meeting rooms or breakout sessions allow you to conduct everything from daily stand-ups to large-scale company announcements.

Apps like Google Chat integrate video conferencing tools that help with scheduling and joining calls from the chat interface.

Integrations With Business Tools

Integrations link messaging apps with other software or platforms your team uses daily, such as task management tools, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, cloud storage, and more. Users can perform tasks like updating project statuses or accessing customer information.

Messaging apps support a wide range of integrations that cater to various business needs. Platforms like Zapier allow businesses to create custom workflows, such as sending a notification when a new lead is captured in their CRM.

For businesses with unique needs, many messaging apps provide APIs that allow developers to create custom integrations. You can build workflows tailored to your processes, such as automatically generating reports or syncing with proprietary systems.

Scalability and Customization

A startup with ten employees might begin with a basic messaging app. As the company grows to thousands of employees, the app can accommodate new users without losing performance or requiring huge changes.

The right instant messaging app accommodates this growth with features like additional storage, new channels, and increased user capacity.

Customization also helps you adapt messaging apps to your specific workflows, preferences, and branding. Some apps can also add logos, choose custom themes, or use branded templates to make the platform feel like part of the organization.

Searchable Archives

Searchable archives store all messages, shared files, and conversations in the app, creating a comprehensive history of team communication. Instead of manually sorting through emails or folders, users can rely on the app’s search function to find what they’re looking for in seconds.

Advanced filters allow users to narrow their search by date, sender, channel, or file type. This is useful for locating older conversations or files shared in large group channels.

Notifications and Alerts

Notifications are designed to inform users when something requires their attention, such as a new message, file share, or task update. They can appear as pop-ups, sound alerts, or badge icons on the app. 

Alerts are typically customizable, so users can control when and how they receive them.

How to Choose the Right Enterprise Messaging App

The best choice can transform how your team collaborates, simplify workflows, and boost your customer connection. Let’s explore how to make the decision that best aligns with your organization’s goals.

Understand Your Business Needs

Start by identifying what your business needs most from a messaging app. Tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams are great for team communication and keeping everyone organized. 

They offer features like task management, file sharing, and integration with other tools to support daily workflows.

If your business regularly communicates with customers, you might also need a platform with real-time messaging or tools that work well with your CRM system. 

Knowing what’s important for your business will help you choose the right app for both team collaboration and customer interactions.

While these tools are ideal for internal communication, it’s worth noting that you may sometimes need solutions beyond traditional messaging apps. 

If your business also requires tools for customer outreach, texting platforms like Textellent complement enterprise messaging apps by offering additional capabilities tailored for external engagement.

Look for Integration Capabilities

An effective enterprise messaging app should integrate with your existing tools, such as CRMs, project management platforms, or scheduling systems.

Textellent integrates with CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot to sync customer data in real-time. Therefore, your internal discussions in platforms like Slack or Teams can translate into customer engagement strategies.

Evaluate Security and Compliance

Security is non-negotiable, especially for businesses handling sensitive customer or company data. Despite robust security features, enterprise messaging apps can still be vulnerable to data breaches if not managed correctly.

Mismanagement of access controls or using unsecure networks can put sensitive business data at risk.

Textellent secures communication through robust encryption, multi-factor authentication, and compliance features like TCPA safeguards. The platform automatically handles opt-ins and opt-outs to reduce the risk of non-compliance and manages interactions without compromising sensitive data.

Assess Usability and Adoption

As your organization scales, it’s important to choose a messaging app that can grow with you. Enterprise-grade apps are built to handle larger teams, more channels, and increasingly complex workflows. 

While Slack and Teams are excellent for managing internal collaboration, you may also explore additional solutions like Textellent for addressing other business communication needs. 

Textellent offers features like centralized templates and pre-designed materials to provide an added layer of functionality for specific use cases that go beyond internal team messaging.

Prioritize Customization

When choosing an enterprise messaging app, you should be able to customize workflows and automate processes for creating a system.

Slack and Microsoft Teams let teams organize conversations by projects or departments. Alternatively, if you require external communication alongside internal collaboration, SMS platforms like Textellent can customize SMS campaigns and templates to match your branding.

Automation for Consistency

Automation is a key feature in enterprise messaging apps, which allows teams to manage tasks like notifications, reminders, and scheduled updates without manual intervention. 

Messaging apps such as Microsoft Teams integrate with tools like Power Automate to trigger workflows for routine tasks.

Similarly, if you’re prioritizing customer communication, Textellent automates customer outreach, such as appointment reminders and follow-ups, to maintain timely and consistent engagement.

Monitor Reporting and Analytics Features

Analytics are important for tracking the effectiveness of your messaging strategy.

For internal communication, messaging apps like Slack offer basic reporting features, such as tracking message volume and channel activity. These insights help administrators monitor how the platform is being used and identify areas where engagement can be improved.

But if you need a strong customer focus, powerful analytics for external communication is equally important. Tools like Textellent go beyond standard reporting, offering dashboards that track the performance of automated text campaigns, SMS compliance rates, and customer engagement metrics.

Therefore, customer updates, confirmations, and follow-ups remain separate from internal conversations.

How SMS Complements Enterprise Messaging Apps

Enterprise messaging apps are ideal for speeding up internal communication and collaboration. They help teams stay organized, share updates, and manage workflows better.

However, these tools primarily focus on internal operations and are not built for direct customer engagement.

This is where SMS becomes a powerful complement, which bridges the gap between internal team workflows and external customer communication.

Extend Communication Beyond Teams

While enterprise messaging apps help teams collaborate, SMS offers a direct and personal way to reach customers. Customers are unlikely to interact with internal messaging platforms, but they are almost guaranteed to read a text message.

SMS provides businesses with a reliable channel for sharing time-sensitive information like appointment reminders, order confirmations, or promotional offers. For example, a marketing team using Slack to plan a campaign can use SMS to deliver the finalized message directly to customers’ phones.

Real-Time Customer Engagement

Unlike enterprise messaging apps that use communication within a company, SMS allows you to engage customers in real time. Industries like healthcare, retail, or service-based businesses can also benefit well from this timely communication.

Seamless Integration With Internal Systems

SMS platforms often integrate with the same tools that enterprise messaging apps connect to, such as CRMs, scheduling software, and customer databases. If your sales team uses Microsoft Teams to track leads, they can use an SMS platform to automate follow-up messages to keep prospects engaged.

Improve Campaign Effectiveness

SMS platforms provide additional tools like automation, segmentation, and analytics, which complement the organizational features of enterprise messaging apps. You can use these tools to send targeted messages based on customer behavior, preferences, or past interactions.

Ensure Compliance and Security

SMS platforms are built with compliance in mind to make sure all customer communication adheres to regulations like TCPA. Features like opt-in programs and sentiment-based opt-out detection protect businesses from legal risks while respecting customer preferences.

Enterprise messaging apps typically focus on internal security, so SMS adds a layer of compliance that makes customer-facing communication responsibly handled.

Why Textellent Is the Best Dedicated Tool for Customer Communication

While the platforms mentioned above are great for internal team collaboration, Textellent offers improved enterprise-level customer communication via text messaging.

It focuses on external communication with customers, leads, and clients through SMS. This method consistently achieves high engagement rates.

Poorly organized channels and threads can make it difficult to locate important information. Enterprise messaging apps are great for internal workflows. But business texting complements them by simplifying customer communications.

Here’s how Textellent can help:

Create Automated Text Campaigns

Textellent lets you create automated text campaigns tailored to your business goals. Running automatic campaigns such as for marketing, appointment reminders, or follow-ups saves you a lot of time.

You can use brand-approved templates and images from a shared library to maintain a professional message. It’s also easy to launch campaigns nationwide or give local branches control to run their own.

Track and Improve Campaign Results

Textellent includes dashboards that show how campaigns are performing in real time. These tools let you track how many messages were sent, how many customers responded, and how many opted out.

Custom reports can be created to measure results and see what’s working. You can check which branches are the most active and use that information to share best practices with multi-locations.

Works With Your Current Tools

Integration makes it easier to send personalized messages based on a customer’s past purchases, appointments, or interests.

Textellent connects with tools you already use, like CRMs, point-of-sale systems, or scheduling apps. It offers options like APIs, Zapier connections, and even Chrome extensions, so everything stays in sync.

Keeps Your Business and Customers Safe

Textellent is built to meet strict security and compliance standards. It guarantees customers can opt-in and out of messages easily. It also uses AI-powered sentiment analysis to understand when someone doesn’t want to receive texts anymore.

All data is stored securely in the cloud with encryption and multi-factor authentication to protect against threats like hacking or phishing.

Reliable Performance for Big Businesses

Textellent’s platform is reliable, with 99.99% uptime and the ability to handle large numbers of messages. Whether you’re sending texts to a few customers or thousands, the system delivers all your bulk messages.

If you have a corporate headquarters, you can use Textellent to manage national campaigns, while branch offices handle local customer interactions. Dashboards and corporate-level tools make it easy to monitor adoption rates and identify areas for improvement.

Personalized Messaging for Better Results

Textellent helps you send messages that feel personal with features like customer tags and segmentation. You can send follow-ups to new customers, reminders for product deliveries, or offers based on past purchases to strengthen customer relationships and even boost sales.

Textellent’s Pricing Plans

• Try the platform for free with a 14-day trial, including 25 SMS credits and access for one user to explore all features.
• The Essentials plan, ideal for small businesses, is priced at $49 per month and provides 750 credits to handle moderate messaging needs.
• For growing businesses, the Standard plan offers 2,000 credits and enhanced features for $99 per month, supporting more advanced messaging requirements.
• Businesses with unique needs can opt for the Premium plan, which offers tailored solutions with custom pricing.

Sign up for a free trial or schedule a demo consultation to see how the platform works for you!

Expand Beyond Internal Messaging—Textellent Brings Your Customers Closer!

Enterprise messaging apps are great for team collaboration, but they aren’t designed to connect with customers directly. Textellent helps you connect with their customers through easy-to-use text messaging.

Textellent makes customer communication easy and efficient. You can set up automated text campaigns to save time and ensure every message is sent at the right moment. 

It also integrates with CRMs, so your customer information stays up-to-date. Plus, built-in encryption safeguards give you peace of mind and protect your business while building trust.

If your current messaging tools stop at internal communication, it’s time to expand. Textellent works alongside your existing tools, delivering reliable and effective SMS solutions.

Start today by scheduling a demo or trying Textellent for free to see how it can simplify customer communication!

FAQs About Enterprise Messaging Apps

What is an example of an enterprise messaging system?

An enterprise messaging system is a platform designed to improve team communication and collaboration within a business, such as Slack, Microsoft 365 tools, and Zoom Team Chat.

These systems help stabilize workflows, implement real-time communication, and keep teams connected across departments and locations.

What is enterprise text messaging?

Enterprise text messaging refers to the use of SMS and MMS for business purposes, which allows companies to communicate with customers, clients, or leads. It includes features like automated campaigns, appointment reminders, and personalized promotional texts.

Platforms like Textellent specialize in enterprise text messaging. It offers tools to manage large-scale SMS campaigns, ensure compliance with regulations, and integrate with CRMs. It’s ideal for businesses that need reliable, scalable, and customer-focused messaging solutions.

What apps do businesses use to communicate?

Businesses use a variety of apps to meet their communication needs. For internal team collaboration, popular options include Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom Team Chat. These platforms offer tools like group chats, file sharing, and video conferencing.

For external communication, apps like Textellent are used for SMS campaigns and customer engagement. Some businesses also rely on industry-specific tools or hybrid platforms that combine internal and external messaging capabilities.

What is the most popular enterprise instant messaging and group chat tool?

The most popular enterprise instant messaging and group chat tool varies by organization size and preference, but Microsoft Teams and Slack are often at the top of the list. Microsoft Teams is widely used due to its integration with Microsoft 365.

Slack, on the other hand, is favored for its intuitive interface, extensive app integrations, and customizable workflows. Both platforms cater to businesses of all sizes and offer scalable solutions for collaboration.