diff --git a/internal/plugins/chat/config.go b/internal/plugins/chat/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dd24835c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/plugins/chat/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+package chat
+
+import (
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
+)
+
+type Config struct {
+	Enabled bool
+}
+
+func (Config) Init(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().Bool("chat.enabled", true, "whether to enable chat plugin")
+	if err := viper.BindPFlag("chat.enabled", cmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("chat.enabled")); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (s *Config) Set() {
+	s.Enabled = viper.GetBool("chat.enabled")
+}
diff --git a/internal/plugins/chat/manager.go b/internal/plugins/chat/manager.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..79dff3d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/plugins/chat/manager.go
@@ -0,0 +1,193 @@
+package chat
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
+	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
+
+	"github.com/demodesk/neko/pkg/auth"
+	"github.com/demodesk/neko/pkg/types"
+	"github.com/demodesk/neko/pkg/utils"
+)
+
+func NewManager(
+	sessions types.SessionManager,
+	config *Config,
+) *Manager {
+	logger := log.With().Str("module", "chat").Logger()
+
+	return &Manager{
+		logger:   logger,
+		config:   config,
+		sessions: sessions,
+	}
+}
+
+type Manager struct {
+	logger   zerolog.Logger
+	config   *Config
+	sessions types.SessionManager
+}
+
+func (m *Manager) isEnabledForSession(session types.Session) bool {
+	return m.config.Enabled &&
+		settingsIsEnabled(m.sessions.Settings()) &&
+		profileIsEnabled(session.Profile())
+}
+
+func (m *Manager) sendMessage(session types.Session, content Content) {
+	now := time.Now()
+
+	// get all sessions that have chat enabled
+	var sessions []types.Session
+	m.sessions.Range(func(s types.Session) bool {
+		if m.isEnabledForSession(s) {
+			sessions = append(sessions, s)
+		}
+		// continue iteration over all sessions
+		return true
+	})
+
+	// send content to all sessions
+	for _, s := range sessions {
+		s.Send(CHAT_MESSAGE, Message{
+			ID:      session.ID(),
+			Created: now,
+			Content: content,
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func (m *Manager) Start() error {
+	// send init message once a user connects
+	m.sessions.OnConnected(func(session types.Session) {
+		isEnabled := m.isEnabledForSession(session)
+
+		// send init message
+		session.Send(CHAT_INIT, Init{
+			Enabled: isEnabled,
+		})
+	})
+
+	// do not proceed if chat is disabled in the config
+	if !m.config.Enabled {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// on settings change, reinit if chat is enabled/disabled
+	m.sessions.OnSettingsChanged(func(session types.Session, new, old types.Settings) {
+		isEnabled := settingsIsEnabled(new)
+		wasEnabled := settingsIsEnabled(old)
+
+		if !isEnabled && wasEnabled {
+			// if chat was enabled and is now disabled, broadcast to all sessions
+			// because it cannot be overridden by profile settings
+			m.sessions.Broadcast(CHAT_INIT, Init{
+				Enabled: false,
+			})
+		}
+		if isEnabled && !wasEnabled {
+			// if chat was disabled and is now enabled, loop over all sessions
+			// and send the init message (because it can be overridden by profile settings)
+			for _, s := range m.sessions.List() {
+				s.Send(CHAT_INIT, Init{
+					Enabled: m.isEnabledForSession(s),
+				})
+			}
+		}
+	})
+
+	// on profile change, reinit if chat is enabled/disabled
+	m.sessions.OnProfileChanged(func(session types.Session, new, old types.MemberProfile) {
+		isEnabled := profileIsEnabled(new)
+		wasEnabled := profileIsEnabled(old)
+
+		if isEnabled != wasEnabled {
+			// only if the chat setting was changed, send the init message
+			session.Send(CHAT_INIT, Init{
+				Enabled: m.isEnabledForSession(session),
+			})
+		}
+	})
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (m *Manager) Shutdown() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (m *Manager) Route(r types.Router) {
+	r.With(auth.AdminsOnly).Post("/", m.sendMessageHandler)
+}
+
+func (m *Manager) WebSocketHandler(session types.Session, msg types.WebSocketMessage) bool {
+	switch msg.Event {
+	case CHAT_MESSAGE:
+		var content Content
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(msg.Payload, &content); err != nil {
+			m.logger.Error().Err(err).Msg("failed to unmarshal chat message")
+			// we processed the message, return true
+			return true
+		}
+
+		m.sendMessage(session, content)
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+func (m *Manager) sendMessageHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
+	session, ok := auth.GetSession(r)
+	if !ok {
+		return utils.HttpUnauthorized("session not found")
+	}
+
+	enabled := m.isEnabledForSession(session)
+	if !enabled {
+		return utils.HttpForbidden("chat is disabled")
+	}
+
+	content := Content{}
+	if err := utils.HttpJsonRequest(w, r, &content); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	m.sendMessage(session, content)
+	return utils.HttpSuccess(w)
+}
+
+func settingsIsEnabled(s types.Settings) bool {
+	isEnabled := true
+
+	settings, ok := s.Plugins["chat"]
+	// by default, allow chat if the plugin config is not present
+	if ok {
+		isEnabled, ok = settings.(bool)
+		// if the plugin is present but not a boolean, allow chat
+		if !ok {
+			isEnabled = true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return isEnabled
+}
+
+func profileIsEnabled(p types.MemberProfile) bool {
+	isEnabled := true
+
+	settings, ok := p.Plugins["chat"]
+	// by default, allow chat if the plugin config is not present
+	if ok {
+		isEnabled, ok = settings.(bool)
+		// if the plugin is present but not a boolean, allow chat
+		if !ok {
+			isEnabled = true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return isEnabled
+}
diff --git a/internal/plugins/chat/plugin.go b/internal/plugins/chat/plugin.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d4bc9463
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/plugins/chat/plugin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package chat
+
+import (
+	"github.com/demodesk/neko/pkg/types"
+)
+
+type Plugin struct {
+	config  *Config
+	manager *Manager
+}
+
+func NewPlugin() *Plugin {
+	return &Plugin{
+		config: &Config{},
+	}
+}
+
+func (p *Plugin) Name() string {
+	return PluginName
+}
+
+func (p *Plugin) Config() types.PluginConfig {
+	return p.config
+}
+
+func (p *Plugin) Start(m types.PluginManagers) error {
+	p.manager = NewManager(m.SessionManager, p.config)
+	m.ApiManager.AddRouter("/chat", p.manager.Route)
+	m.WebSocketManager.AddHandler(p.manager.WebSocketHandler)
+	return p.manager.Start()
+}
+
+func (p *Plugin) Shutdown() error {
+	return p.manager.Shutdown()
+}
diff --git a/internal/plugins/chat/types.go b/internal/plugins/chat/types.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..33e9d11a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/plugins/chat/types.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+package chat
+
+import "time"
+
+const PluginName = "chat"
+
+const (
+	CHAT_INIT    = "chat/init"
+	CHAT_MESSAGE = "chat/message"
+)
+
+type Init struct {
+	Enabled bool `json:"enabled"`
+}
+
+type Content struct {
+	Text string `json:"text"`
+}
+
+type Message struct {
+	ID      string    `json:"id"`
+	Created time.Time `json:"created"`
+	Content Content   `json:"content"`
+}
diff --git a/internal/plugins/manager.go b/internal/plugins/manager.go
index 908b9aa6..24ada08f 100644
--- a/internal/plugins/manager.go
+++ b/internal/plugins/manager.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
 	"github.com/demodesk/neko/internal/config"
+	"github.com/demodesk/neko/internal/plugins/chat"
 	"github.com/demodesk/neko/internal/plugins/filetransfer"
 	"github.com/demodesk/neko/pkg/types"
 )
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ func New(config *config.Plugins) *ManagerCtx {
 
 	// add built-in plugins
 	manager.plugins.addPlugin(filetransfer.NewPlugin())
+	manager.plugins.addPlugin(chat.NewPlugin())
 
 	return manager
 }