Zulip is an alternative
to Zoho Cliq
$35/mo (Self-hosted Basic) vs Zoho Cliq Free at $0/mo for 10 seats ($1.80/seat) — covering 80% of the 5 compared capabilities.
Same job. Way less money.
Comparison scenario
Every cheaper-than claim is tied to a defined scenario — never a bare list price.
10 seats, monthly billing · USD · prices as observed on official pricing pages.
Free plan at $0/mo ($1.80/seat × 10 seats), the cheapest paid plan.
Self-hosted Basic: 3.5 USD/monthly; 9 extra seat(s) × 3.5 USD.
Zoho Cliq costs $0/mo on the Free plan at 10 seats, monthly billing. Zulip costs $35/mo (Self-hosted Basic plan), which is not cheaper than Zoho Cliq Free at $0/mo in this scenario.
Capability comparison
Zulip covers 80% of the 5 capabilities compared against Zoho Cliq. ✓ native · ◐ via integration · ✗ not found.
| Capability | Zulip | Zoho Cliq |
|---|---|---|
| Channels & group messaging | ✓ | ✓ |
| Threaded conversations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Audio/video calls & screen sharing | ◐ | ✓ |
| App integrations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Workflow automation | ✗ | ✓ |
What you give up
Capabilities Zoho Cliq has that Zulip lacks.
- Workflow automation — Automate routine steps directly within chat.Missing from Zulip.
Price at your volume
The same comparison recomputed at three sizes. Plan caps change who is cheapest.
| Usage | Zoho Cliq | Zulip |
|---|---|---|
| 3 seats | $0/moFree | $10.50/mocosts moreSelf-hosted Basic |
| 10 seats | $0/moFree | $35/mocosts moreSelf-hosted Basic |
| 25 seats | $0/moFree | $87.50/mocosts moreSelf-hosted Basic |
Plans & pricing, side by side
Advertised prices in USD as observed on the official pricing pages — per-seat and transaction-fee plans are marked.
| Zulip Cloud Free | Free |
| Zulip Cloud Standard | $8/seat/mo |
| Zulip Cloud Plus | $12/seat/mo |
| Self-hosted Free | Free |
| Self-hosted Basic | $3.50/seat/mo |
| Self-hosted Business | $8/seat/mo |
| Self-hosted Enterprise | Contact sales |
| Free | Free |
| Standard | $1.80/seat/mo (billed yearly) |
| Professional | $3.60/seat/mo (billed yearly) |
| Enterprise | Contact sales |
Frequently asked
What does Zulip lack compared with Zoho Cliq?
Workflow automation — 1 of the 5 compared capabilities.
When were these prices checked?
Zoho Cliq: 2026-10-29; Zulip: 2026-10-28 — on the official pricing pages.
Who switched
Anonymous: no account, no email, no IP stored. Reports are shown once a switch has 3 or more and never change ranking or order — alternatives are computed from prices and capabilities only.
Sources & freshness
- https://www.zoho.com/cliq/pricing.html (official_pricing, checked 2026-10-29)
- https://www.zoho.com/cliq/pricing/support-plans.html (official_pricing, checked 2026-10-26)
- Zulip data last verified 2026-10-28