Mattermost Hosting

1. Click Open Pod in PikaPods and bookmark the Mattermost URL shown in the Domain field.
2. Create the first Mattermost system admin account. There are no default credentials to reuse.
3. Follow the workspace prompts to create your team, then organize projects and topics into channels.
4. Invite teammates with a team invitation link, or add existing workspace users to the team.

The Mattermost deployment guide confirms the initial system admin step, and the invitation guide covers invitation links and other member options. Email invitations require the SMTP setup described below.

No. PikaPods sets up and runs Mattermost for you, including OS and app updates and HTTPS. You won't touch Docker or a server. Your files and database stay accessible if you ever want to move them elsewhere.

Yes. Open your pod URL in a supported browser, or install the official desktop app for Windows, macOS, or Linux, or the mobile app for iOS or Android. Enter the full pod URL as the server link, then sign in with your Mattermost credentials; see the workspace access guide.

Mobile push notifications are a separate consideration. With the App Store and Google Play apps, Mattermost's hosted push service requires a paid Professional or Enterprise subscription. Alternatively, you can compile the mobile apps and your own push service. The mobile FAQ explains both options; ordinary browser and app messaging does not require that subscription.

Email notifications, email invitations, and password-reset emails require an SMTP email service. You need your own provider account and its server, port, username, and password; any separate provider charges are not included with the pod.

Configure and test those details in System Console using the SMTP setup guide. You can share team invitation links directly instead of sending email invitations.

Set up incremental backups to S3 in your pod settings for automatic nightly snapshots, or download your files and database yourself. We keep whole-server backups for server failures, but they aren't a per-pod restore service, so your own backup is what protects your data.

You can use Mattermost instead of Slack and Microsoft Teams. PikaPods runs it for you, and you can move your files and database elsewhere.

PikaPods runs the open-source Team Edition. Mattermost intends it for small teams and deployments under 250 activated users. It includes core messaging, files, search, one-to-one calls, and integrations, but not commercial features such as SSO, guest accounts, group calls, or compliance exports.

Mattermost Entry is a separate free mode of the commercial Enterprise Edition, with its own limits; it is not the same as Team Edition. Compare the editions in the official plan matrix.

No. You add prepaid credit and your pods are billed by the hour from that balance, rounded up to full hours. There are no contracts or minimum terms: delete a pod anytime and billing stops. Optional automatic top-ups keep your pods running without manual payments.

You do. And you're in full control. If you ever want to download, migrate, edit or delete your data, just enable file and database access for your pod and it will be right there.