Franz 6

Beyond core messaging, Franz 6 offers a suite of features that enhance the workflow. Workspaces allow grouping services by mode, team, or priority, so users can reorient their entire setup around what matters most. A split-view option lets two services run side by side in one tab for comparing threads. The app supports running separate accounts for teams, clients, and personal life simultaneously without repeated sign‑ins. Messages can be turned into tasks with a built‑in manager, keeping follow‑ups visible. Screen sharing and call joining are integrated directly, so collaboration stays connected to conversations. AI deployment is flexible: local on‑device, bring your own key, or use the zero‑retention Franz Cloud in France. Privacy Shield blocks trackers and fingerprinting, and Franz Mail neutralizes email pixels. These features collectively ensure that every part of communication work happens inside one window.

Franz 6 operates as a native desktop application for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Users begin by adding their desired services from a library of over 75 supported options, including WhatsApp, Slack, Gmail, Signal, Telegram, Discord, and Microsoft Teams. Each service appears as an icon in a sidebar and runs in its own isolated container. Services can be organized into workspaces (e.g., "Client Work", "Internal", "Personal") and the entire workspace view can be switched with a click. A persistent search bar allows cross‑channel queries, and the Franz Assistant sits ready to summarize threads or draft replies. The workflow is built around staying in one app rather than constantly alt‑tabbing between browser tabs and separate desktop clients. Notifications and unread badges are unified, so nothing gets missed.

A typical user might be a recruiter who has Slack for internal team communication, WhatsApp for candidate outreach, and Gmail for offer letters. With Franz, all three are visible simultaneously; the Franz Assistant can compile a summary of candidate responses from the past week in seconds. A consultant handling multiple client engagements creates separate workspaces per client, each containing the relevant Slack channel, email folder, and WhatsApp group. The outcome is faster response times, fewer missed messages, and a single source of truth for every conversation thread. Another scenario: a founder uses Franz to keep touch with investors via Signal, team via Telegram, and customers via WhatsApp, while the AI assistant drafts weekly updates. The predictability of having one window for all communication saves hours each week.

Franz is explicitly built for professionals who move between client chat, team chat, inbox follow‑through, and secure threads all day—specifically recruiters, consultants, founders, and operators. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with over a million downloads and a decade of development. Pricing is offered in four tiers: a free Starter plan (3 services, 1 workspace), Pro at $60/year for unlimited services and bring‑your‑own‑key AI, Pro Cloud at $96/year for zero‑retention EU‑hosted AI, and a Lifetime plan for $149 one‑time payment. The privacy infrastructure includes tracker blocking, email pixel neutralization, encrypted secrets in the OS keychain, and honest analytics on EU servers. Franz 6 ultimately turns a fragmented communication stack into a single, private, AI‑assisted workspace where every reply is informed and every channel is under control.