Seeking Self-Hosted or SDK-Based Chat Solution to Replace Slack for Campus Communication

[MOoD90s 0]

I’m managing communications at an educational institution and currently exploring alternatives to Slack for our internal chat and collaboration needs. Here are our key requirements and some of the options we’re considering — I’d welcome your insights and recommendations.

Our key requirements​

• Instant messaging: 1-on-1 and group chat across departments.
• Channels/topics: to segment discussions (for faculty, admin, students, projects).
• Mobile + desktop support: many team members’ll be on mobile.
• Integration/SDK ability: we’d like to embed or integrate the communication tool into our own systems (student portal, LMS, etc).
• Data-privacy & control: since it’s an educational institution, we need secure deployment (ideally on-prem or locked down).
• Cost-effectiveness: budgets are always a factor in education.
• Easy onboarding & intuitive UI: minimal friction for staff and students.

Some options we’re evaluating​

• Zoho Cliq: Offers chat, channels, file sharing, automation and integrations. Zoho
• Rocket.Chat: Open-source, self-host support, strong for organizations needing high data control. Wikipedia
• TalkFreely: Focused on internal communications, remote workforce, feedback, mobile-first. talkfreely.com
• And recently we came across a full enterprise instant messaging platform that also offers SDKs for embedding into apps: Enterprise Instant Messaging Software.
  This looks promising for our scenario because it might give us the flexibility of custom integration plus the robustness of a dedicated IM platform.

Why the SDK/embedded approach interests us​

Rather than just using a standalone chat tool, embedding an IM/SDK solution means:

• We can integrate chat into our existing portal (so staff/students don’t need to switch apps).
• Control over UI/branding and maybe workflows (for example, chat tied to student groups or courses).
• Potential for richer custom features (notifications, live support, etc).
• Better alignment with our data-governance and hosting preferences (on-premise or private cloud).

Some concerns/things to check​

• How easy is the SDK to integrate (documentation, developer support)?
• What are the pricing/licensing models (especially when scaled to many users such as students + staff)?
• How stable and mature is the platform (uptime, reliability, real-world educational use)?
• What’s the mobile app / cross-platform support like?
• Security: encryption, data sovereignty, regulatory compliance (important in education).
• Migration/data-history: if we switch from an existing tool, what happens to chat history?
• Onboarding/training: how steep is the learning curve for staff and students?