Why Teams Are Looking for Gather Alternatives
Gather.town pioneered the 2D virtual office concept with its charming pixel-art aesthetic. It made remote work feel fun and brought a sense of presence to distributed teams. But as remote work has matured, teams are discovering that Gather's approach has significant limitations.
The three main reasons teams switch away from Gather:- Cost: At $7/user/month (and up to $25 for full features), Gather's pricing adds up quickly. A team of 20 pays $140-500/month just for a virtual office — and still needs separate tools for everything else.
- Missing features: Gather focuses on the spatial experience but doesn't include project management, time tracking, or analytics. You still need Jira ($10/user), Toggl ($10/user), and other tools.
- No Arabic support: For MENA teams, Gather's English-only interface with no RTL support is a dealbreaker.
Remotly: The Free All-in-One Alternative
Remotly takes everything teams love about virtual offices and adds the tools they actually need to work — all for free.What You Get with Remotly (That Gather Doesn't Offer)
Built-in Project Management
Kanban boards, task assignments, deadlines, and sprint planning — right inside your virtual office. No need to switch to Jira or Asana. Your team can see the project board and the virtual floor in the same tab.
Time Tracking
Clock in and out, track time per project, generate timesheets — all integrated. For agencies and consulting teams, this alone saves $10+/user/month on separate time-tracking tools.
Team Analytics
See who's active, track engagement patterns, measure meeting time vs. focus time. Remotly's analytics dashboard gives managers real data instead of gut feelings.
Full Arabic & RTL Support
Remotly was built with Arabic-speaking teams in mind from day one. The entire interface supports right-to-left layout, Arabic text, and cultural customizations. This isn't a Google Translate job — it's native Arabic support.
$0 Price Tag
During Early Access, every Remotly plan is completely free. The Starter plan stays free forever, and it includes features that Gather charges $25/user/month for.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Remotly | Gather |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual office floor | Yes | Yes |
| Video & audio calls | Yes | Yes |
| Real-time chat | Yes | Yes |
| Project management | Yes | No |
| Time tracking | Yes | No |
| Team analytics | Yes | No |
| Arabic & RTL | Yes | No |
| Free forever plan | Yes | Limited (10 users) |
| No download needed | Yes | Desktop app recommended |
| Price (full features) | $0 (Early Access) | $7-25/user/mo |
To be fair, Gather has strengths:
- Pixel-art customization: Gather's 2D world builder lets you create highly customized office environments with games, decorations, and interactive objects. It's genuinely fun.
- Event hosting: Gather is excellent for virtual conferences and social events with hundreds of participants.
- Mature ecosystem: Gather has been around longer and has a larger community.
If your primary use case is hosting virtual events or you love the gamified aesthetic, Gather is still a solid choice.
What Remotly Does Better
- All-in-one platform: Video, chat, projects, time tracking, and analytics — no separate subscriptions needed
- Arabic & RTL support: Built for MENA teams, not just translated
- Free pricing: $0 during Early Access, free Starter plan forever
- Professional design: Clean, modern interface that works for enterprises and startups
- 60-second setup: No downloads, no configuration, open a tab and start
Who Should Switch from Gather to Remotly
Switch if:- You're paying for Gather PLUS separate project management and time-tracking tools
- Your team includes Arabic speakers or MENA-based members
- You want a professional, all-in-one workspace rather than a gamified environment
- You're a startup or small team that needs to minimize costs
- You want built-in analytics to track team engagement
- You host large virtual events and conferences regularly
- Your team loves the pixel-art aesthetic and gaming elements
- You don't need project management or time tracking in your virtual office
How to Switch in 60 Seconds
1. Go to remotlyapp.com/signup
2. Enter your company name and create your admin account
3. Choose your plan (all free during Early Access)
4. Invite your team via email
5. Your virtual office is ready — complete with meeting rooms, chat, and project boards
No data migration needed. No IT department involved. No credit card required.
Ready to try the free Gather alternative? Create your virtual office now — your team will thank you.