Gather is still worth it in 2026 for remote teams that want a playful 2D avatar office and will actually spend their workday in it. It is no longer the free tool many teams remember. Gather 2.0 launched on September 15, 2025, the free plan ended, and the Essential plan is now $12 per member per month billed annually, or $15 billed monthly, after a 30-day free trial. If your team wants to see each other on live video in an office that looks real, compare Katmai, the browser-based 3D virtual office.
This guide is published by Katmai, which makes a different kind of virtual office. Gather facts come from Gather's own pricing page, support site and blog in October 2026; check them before you buy.
What changed at Gather
The free plan ended. Gather 2.0 launched on September 15, 2025. Gather's support site says that after that date free access ended for teams that did not upgrade, and that there is no longer a free tier. Gather now offers a 30-day free trial of every feature instead.
The price. Gather's pricing page lists one plan with every feature, Essential, at $12 per member per month billed annually, or $15 billed monthly. A Custom plan with custom pricing covers large teams. Guests are not billed: "You pay for your team, not your guests." Full details are in our Gather pricing guide.
The company. In February 2026, Gather announced it would continue as an independent business that is not venture-backed, and that its AI team would join Figma. Co-founders Phillip Wang and Jinen Kamdar went to Figma, and Sam Smith now leads Gather. Gather told customers that nothing changes for them, and it is still on sale with a 30-day free trial.
Who Gather still suits
- Teams that enjoy a game-style 2D world, with avatars moving around a map.
- Teams that want spontaneous conversations: walk your avatar over to a colleague and start talking.
- Teams that want to design their own office layout.
- Teams happy to pay $12 per member per month billed annually, or $15 billed monthly, for an avatar office after the trial.
Who should look elsewhere
- Teams that need a free plan. Gather no longer has one. SoWork is free for up to 10 members, WorkAdventure for up to 10 users, Kumospace for up to 5 registered members and Flat.social for up to 5 people at once. See free virtual office software.
- Teams that want to see each other, not avatars. Katmai puts your team in a photorealistic 3D office on live video, in the browser with no headset.
- Client-facing teams. Meeting a client as a cartoon character is a hard sell. In Katmai, clients join by link at no cost and see real people in an office that looks real.
Gather compared with the alternatives
|
Product |
What it is |
Free plan |
Published paid price |
|
Gather |
2D avatar office |
None; 30-day free trial |
Essential $12 per member per month billed annually ($15 billed monthly) |
|
Katmai |
Photorealistic 3D office with live video |
No; starts with a demo |
$25 per user per month, every feature included |
|
Kumospace |
Avatar office |
Up to 5 registered members |
Business $16 per user per month, minimum 5, paid annually |
|
SoWork |
Avatar office |
Up to 10 members |
Basic $5.40, Premium $12 per member per month, billed annually |
|
WorkAdventure |
2D avatar office |
Up to 10 users |
Business from €8 per user per month |
The verdict
Choose Gather if your team wants a playful avatar office and will use it every day. Choose SoWork or Kumospace if a free plan matters most. Choose Katmai if you want an office where your team and your clients see real people on live video. Katmai is $25 per user per month, with every feature included, no minimum number of users and free guests. You start with a demo, and the Katmai team sets up your office.
FAQ
Is Gather still free?
No. Gather's free plan ended when Gather 2.0 launched on September 15, 2025. Gather now offers a 30-day free trial of every feature, and then the Essential plan at $12 per member per month billed annually, or $15 billed monthly.
How much does Gather cost in 2026?
Gather's Essential plan is $12 per member per month billed annually, or $15 billed monthly. A Custom plan with custom pricing covers large teams. Guests are not billed.
Is Gather shutting down?
No. In February 2026, Gather became an independent business that is not venture-backed, and its AI team joined Figma. Gather told customers that nothing changes for them, and it is still on sale.
What is the best alternative to Gather?
For live video of real people in a photorealistic 3D office, Katmai. For a free avatar office, SoWork for up to 10 members or Kumospace for up to 5 registered members.
Is Gather worth it for a small team?
It can be, if the team will use it every day and prefers avatars. A small team that needs a free plan should start with SoWork, WorkAdventure, Kumospace or Flat.social.
Related: Gather pricing · Gather alternatives · Gather vs SoWork · Katmai vs Gather · Kumospace vs Gather · The best virtual office software in 2026 · Book a Katmai demo