Companies that run Google Workspace — Gmail, Drive, Docs, Meet — often default to Google Chat for internal messaging. It's already there, integrated with the rest of the suite, and there's no additional cost or setup required.

This works well internally. Externally, it creates a familiar problem: almost everyone else is on Slack or Teams.

When a Google Chat team needs to collaborate with a Slack-first partner, or support a customer on Microsoft Teams, the options are the same as they've always been: ask the other side to use a different tool, set up a webhook relay and accept the limitations, use email and accept the slowdown, or bridge the gap natively.

TetherChat bridges Google Chat to Slack or Microsoft Teams — messages flow both ways in real time, with real attribution, and neither side changes their workflow.

Where this comes up

A sales team running Google Workspace wants shared channels with prospects on Slack or Teams. Without a bridge, they're asking the prospect to install something new. With a bridge, the prospect works in their existing Slack channel and the sales team works in Google Chat.

Long-term partners on Teams and vendors on Google Workspace share projects where the channel should feel like a normal conversation, not a relay through a bot.

Enterprise customers on Microsoft Teams want to reach support through their existing tooling. Your support team works in Google Chat. A bridge means your team never changes their interface, and the customer never has to install anything.

M&A and integration teams with one company on Google Workspace and the other on Microsoft 365 with Teams need a real-time channel that doesn't require either organization to change infrastructure mid-deal.

Setting it up

Note: Google Chat support in TetherChat is currently in development. The steps below reflect the general setup process — sign up at tetherchat.io to get early access when Google Chat launches.

Step 1. Add TetherChat as a Google Chat app from the Google Workspace Marketplace. A workspace admin approves the app for your organization.

Step 2. In the space you want to bridge, open the TetherChat app and choose "Create New Tether." Copy the Tether ID that's generated.

Step 3. On the Slack or Teams side, install TetherChat from their respective app marketplaces.

Step 4. In the Slack channel or Teams channel you want to connect, choose "Connect to existing Tether" and paste the Tether ID from step 2.

Messages sync between the Google Chat space and the Slack or Teams channel in real time.

What gets synced

Text messages sync with standard formatting, along with file attachments and images. Messages appear from the actual person, not a bot. Thread replies sync within a bridged thread.

Bridges are channel-to-channel: one Google Chat space maps to one Slack channel or Teams channel per tether. For multiple bridges, create a separate tether for each pair.

Both sides need TetherChat installed. If one side removes the app, the bridge pauses.

Google Chat uses "spaces" instead of channels — they function the same way for bridging purposes.

Getting ready

Google Chat is currently in development at TetherChat. Slack and Microsoft Teams are live and available now.

If your team runs Google Workspace and you're looking ahead to external collaboration with Slack and Teams partners, sign up for early access to the Google Chat integration. You'll be notified when it launches.

TetherChat is free during beta — no credit card required.