Chatwork
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Chatwork does
Chatwork is a cloud-based business chat (messenger) platform operated by kubell Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-headquartered Japanese corporation founded in 2011 and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TYO:4448). The platform provides real-time group and one-to-one messaging, task management, file sharing (up to 5GB per file), and video/voice calling (via an integration with Zoom Video SDK branded "Chatwork Live"), with multi-device synchronization across web, desktop (Windows, macOS), and mobile (iOS, Android) clients. Authentication and data security are built around 256-bit encryption and ISO 27001 certification, and the platform offers a public REST API plus 1,000+ third-party service integrations via Zapier and native connectors to Japanese SaaS tools such as SmartHR, Backlog, Jobcan, and Money Forward.
The business is monetized through tiered per-seat subscriptions: a free tier capped at 100 users, a Business plan at approximately ¥700/user/month (annual) or USD $7/user/month, and an Enterprise plan starting at ¥1,200/user/month (annual) with SSO, IP restrictions, chat-log export, dedicated admin chat support, and an SLA. Distribution is hybrid and dual-track: a product-led growth motion on the self-serve web and mobile app stores drives free-tier adoption, while a channel partner network comprising four major Japanese IT distributors (SB C&S, Daiwabo Information System, TD SYNNEX, Networld) and 35+ sales partners (including Canon System And Support, Fujitsu Japan, Rakuten Mobile, and Systena) covers mid-market and enterprise acquisition. The company reports a self-claimed #1 position in domestic SMB business chat by user count, with more than 10,000 customer organizations as of August 2024.
The customer base is concentrated in Japanese small and medium businesses and spans verticals such as legal services (Nexill & Partners), manufacturing (Face Labo), transportation/logistics (Kantsu), construction (Sunpro), consulting (Grand Jete), and internet services (Gree). Growth has historically been funded through founder/management equity and an estimated ~$15M in disclosed venture financing (JAFCO-led 2016 round plus GMO VenturePartners rounds in 2015 and 2019), with the company now operating at a profit at the EBITDA level from 2024 onward per the reported financial series. Strategic expansion has been pursued through the December 2022 acquisition of MINAGINE Co., Ltd. (a social insurance labor administration firm), a multi-language international rollout (English, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese), and a sequential rollout of AI features initiated in 2026.
Chatwork firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chatwork
- Legal name
- kubell Co., Ltd.
- Website
- https://go.chatwork.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chatwork industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business Messaging and Team Collaboration Software
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Team Messaging & Chat (BPAMAMAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Enterprise/Team Messaging (BPAMACAB), Business Messaging & Team Collaboration (HDAIAHAE)
Keywords
Where Chatwork is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chatwork business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription Plans (Free, Business, Enterprise): Tiered subscription model with Free tier (limited features, up to 100 users), Business tier (unlimited users, enhanced features), and Enterprise tier (security/risk management features, admin support, SLA). Annual and monthly billing options.
- Additional Storage: Additional storage space available for purchase by Business and Enterprise Plan subscribers with pro-rata billing
- License-based User Fees: Per-user/per-seat pricing where fee is charged based on number of licenses. If number of users and licenses don't match, fee charged based on licenses
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free tier with basic features for teams up to 100 users |
| Subscription | Annual | Business plan for organizations requiring advanced management features |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise plan with enhanced security and administrative controls |
| Freemium | Others | Free plan (Japanese pricing) |
| Subscription | Annual | Business plan (Japanese pricing) |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise plan (Japanese pricing) |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels10 records
Marketing channels8 records
Chatwork product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chatwork is a cloud-based business chat and messenger platform that enables real-time group messaging, task management, file sharing, and video/voice calling for professional teams. The service is offered in three tiers (Free, Business, Enterprise) and is used to replace email-based communication and reduce meeting overhead in Japanese and global organizations.
Product overview
Chatwork is a cloud-based business chat platform operated by kubell Co., Ltd., designed to replace email in professional communication. The core product, Chatwork（チャットワーク）, provides group messaging, task management, file sharing, and video/voice calling across web, desktop, and mobile apps. The platform is offered in three pricing tiers: Free Plan (up to 100 users, basic features), Business Plan (unlimited users, full features), and Enterprise Plan (all Business features plus enhanced security, SLA, and admin chat support). Notable sub-products include Chatwork Live (video conferencing powered by Zoom Video SDK), the Chatwork API for developer integrations, Chatwork Assistant (AI-powered support add-on), and the DX Consultation Desk. In December 2022, ChatWork Inc. acquired MINAGINE Co., Ltd., a social insurance labor administration service company, expanding the kubell group's HR-related service portfolio.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Chatwork
- Chatwork API
- Chatwork Assistant (Chatwork アシスタント)
- Chatwork DX Consultation Desk (Chatwork DX相談窓口)
- MINAGINE
Quantifiable outcome
- Email processing reduced by 50% or more after Chatwork adoption
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Chatwork
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Chatwork technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration14 records
AI capability4 records
Feature7 records
Chatwork partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Zoom Communications, Inc.coreZoom Video SDK is integrated into Chatwork for Chatwork Live video functionality. This third-party integration enables live video capabilities within the Chatwork platform.
- BacklogcoreNative integration allowing Backlog project updates to be sent as notifications to Chatwork. Enables seamless project management workflow.
- GmailcoreIntegration enabling specific emails to be forwarded as notifications to Chatwork, consolidating email and chat communication.
- Google CalendarcoreCalendar event notifications sent to Chatwork, including meeting reminders and new scheduling additions.
- ZapiercoreZapier integration enables Chatwork connectivity with 1000+ third-party services for workflow automation.
- SmartHRcoreNative integration for HR workflow notifications. Employees receive Chatwork notifications for SmartHR actions including new employee onboarding, address changes, and document submissions.
- SB C&S CorporationmajorSoftBank subsidiary serving as distributor for Chatwork products, targeting enterprise customers in Japan.
- Daiwabo Information System CorporationmajorMajor Japanese IT product distributor reselling Chatwork to business customers.
- TD SYNNEX CorporationmajorGlobal technology distributor with Japan operations, distributing Chatwork as part of solution portfolio.
- Networld CorporationmajorJapanese IT distributor specializing in networking and security solutions, reselling Chatwork.
- Canon System And SupportminorCanon group company serving as sales partner for Chatwork in Japan.
- Fujitsu JapanminorMajor Japanese IT company selling Chatwork through its sales channels.
- Rakuten MobileminorMobile carrier subsidiary selling Chatwork as part of business solutions.
- Sato Office (Systena)minorIT services company as sales partner for Chatwork.
- SystenaminorIT services company as sales partner for Chatwork.
- MINAGINE Co., Ltd.coreChatwork Inc. acquiring MINAGINE Co., Ltd. announced December 2022. Strategic acquisition to expand service offerings.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chatwork competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Meta Workplace: Meta Workplace (now being sunset) was an enterprise social/messaging product from Meta competing for internal team collaboration. While its future is uncertain, it represents an adjacent paradigm of chat and feed-based business communication comparable to Chatwork's positioning.
- Discord: Discord began as a consumer/community chat tool but increasingly supports business and SMB team communications. It is comparable to Chatwork as a chat-first platform with growing professional/team usage, particularly among smaller organizations and communities.
Direct peers
- Slack (Salesforce): Slack is the category-defining team messaging and channel-based collaboration platform, now owned by Salesforce. It is the closest direct competitor to Chatwork in the global business chat segment and competes for Japanese enterprise seats with stronger brand recognition abroad.
- LINE WORKS: LINE WORKS is the Japanese business chat and collaboration service operated by LINE Yahoo, targeting Japanese SMBs with strong consumer-grade familiarity from the LINE messenger. It is Chatwork's most direct Japanese market competitor.
- Zoom Team Chat: Zoom Team Chat integrates persistent messaging with Zoom's video platform and competes for SMB and mid-market collaboration budgets. Notably, Chatwork itself uses Zoom's Video SDK for Chatwork Live, illustrating the overlapping product strategies.
- Lark (ByteDance): Lark is a collaboration suite from ByteDance combining messaging, video, docs, and email, with strong adoption across Asia-Pacific SMBs. It competes with Chatwork for cross-border and Asia-based business chat customers.
Broad incumbents
- Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Teams is the largest enterprise collaboration platform, bundled into Microsoft 365 and dominating the broad business messaging market. It competes with Chatwork across enterprise, government, and increasingly SMB segments in Japan and globally.
- Cisco Webex App: Cisco Webex offers enterprise messaging, calling, and meetings as part of a broader collaboration portfolio. It is an established incumbent pursuing the same enterprise messaging use cases as Chatwork, particularly for large organizations.
- RingCentral MVP (Messaging): RingCentral MVP bundles team messaging, video, and phone into a unified communications platform for SMB and mid-market. It is comparable to Chatwork as a business chat + voice/video product suite targeting similar customer tiers in overlapping geographies.
Others
- Twilio (Frontline / Flex): Twilio provides programmable communications APIs including messaging, voice, and customer engagement tools. While not a direct competitor to Chatwork's chat UI, Twilio powers similar real-time messaging workflows for businesses and competes at the platform/communications infrastructure layer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chatwork social profiles
Digital presenceChatwork compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Chatwork financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chatwork leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Chatwork subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Chatwork funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chatwork M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments4 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chatwork
What does Chatwork do?
Chatwork is a cloud-based business chat and messenger platform that enables real-time group messaging, task management, file sharing, and video/voice calling for professional teams. The service is offered in three tiers (Free, Business, Enterprise) and is used to replace email-based communication and reduce meeting overhead in Japanese and global organizations.
Is Chatwork a public or private company?
Chatwork is a private company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Chatwork founded?
Chatwork was founded in 2011. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Chatwork based?
Chatwork is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Chatwork make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription Plans (Free, Business, Enterprise) is the primary driver. The others are additional Storage and license-based User Fees.
Who are Chatwork's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Meta Workplace and Discord. Direct peers are Slack (Salesforce), LINE WORKS, Zoom Team Chat and Lark (ByteDance). Broad incumbents are Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex App and RingCentral MVP (Messaging). Twilio (Frontline / Flex) is listed as an others.
Does Chatwork have an API?
Yes. Chatwork provides a public API for developers to build integrations and automations with the Chatwork platform. The API documentation is available at https://download.chatwork.com/ChatWork_API_Documentation.pdf. The service also supports integrations via Zapier (1000+ apps) and third-party services including Zoom Video SDK for Chatwork Live. Developers can integrate via REST API, webhooks, and third-party automation platforms. Developer documentation is at download.chatwork.com/ChatWork_API_Documentation.pdf.
What industry is Chatwork in?
Chatwork's product category is Business Messaging and Team Collaboration Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAMAA, Team Messaging & Chat, with a secondary code of BPAMACAB, Enterprise/Team Messaging. Its NAICS code is 51821 and its SIC code is 7372.