Softwr

HR & Recruiting · head to head

15Five vs Slack

15Five logo

15Five

HR & Recruiting

Performance management that drives results

From
$4/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Slack logo

Slack

All industries

Where work happens

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Slack has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 15Five split across three tiers, so performance reviews, OKRs and 360 feedback need Perform at $11 per user per month rather than the $4 Engage tier; Slack 90-day message history limit on free plan results in important conversations disappearing
  • They diverge on capability: 15Five covers Weekly check-ins, Slack covers Channels.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 15Five and Slack actually diverge.

Attributes where 15Five and Slack differ
Attribute15FiveSlack
Starting price$4/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux
CategoryHR & RecruitingAll industries
Founded20112009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 15Five

  • Weekly check-ins
  • 1-on-1 meetings
  • OKRs & goal tracking
  • Performance reviews
  • High fives recognition
  • Engagement surveys
  • Pulse surveys
  • Manager effectiveness

Only in Slack

  • Channels
  • Direct messaging
  • Voice & video calls
  • Screen sharing
  • File sharing
  • Search
  • Workflow builder
  • Slack Connect

Both cover

  • Jira
  • Salesforce

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

15Five

  • Running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarkingnot Slack
  • Performance reviews and continuous feedback cyclesnot Slack
  • Setting and tracking OKRsnot Slack
  • 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviewsnot Slack
  • Compensation review cycles as a paid add-onnot Slack

Slack

  • Team communicationnot 15Five
  • Project coordinationnot 15Five
  • Customer supportnot 15Five
  • Remote worknot 15Five
  • Cross-functional collaborationnot 15Five

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

15Five

  • Split across three tiers, so performance reviews, OKRs and 360 feedback need Perform at $11 per user per month rather than the $4 Engage tier
  • Manager training microlearnings are only in Total Platform at $16 per user per month
  • Compensation is a paid add-on at $9 per user per month, rising to $11 with benchmarking
  • The Kona meeting assistant is a further $2 per employee per month and Kona Coach $19 per manager per month
  • Advertised prices are the annual rates

Slack

  • 90-day message history limit on free plan results in important conversations disappearing
  • Per-user pricing becomes expensive quickly for larger teams
  • Notification overload with 78% of employees feeling overwhelmed by notifications
  • Mobile app performance issues including lag and slow syncing
  • Huddles limited to 50 people and cannot be recorded
  • Requires dedicated video conferencing service for formal meetings and webinars

Pricing, plan by plan

15Five

$4/month
  • Engage$4/month
    • Engagement surveys
    • Pulse surveys
    • Action planning
  • Perform$10/month
    • Weekly check-ins
    • 1-on-1s
    • Performance reviews
  • Total Platform$16/month
    • Everything in Engage & Perform
    • Career paths
    • Competencies

Slack

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Slack review.

Which should you pick?

Choose 15Five if

  • You need weekly check-ins.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want 1-on-1 meetings.
15Five review

Choose Slack if

  • You need channels.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want direct messaging.
Slack review

Questions people ask

Is 15Five or Slack better?
Neither clearly leads. 15Five starts at $4/month and Slack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 15Five or Slack?
Slack has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4/month for 15Five and Free for Slack.
Does 15Five or Slack run on more platforms?
15Five runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Slack runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use Slack for free?
Yes. Slack has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 15Five starts at $4/month.
What is 15Five best used for?
15Five is most often used for running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarking, performance reviews and continuous feedback cycles, setting and tracking okrs, 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviews. Of those, running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarking and performance reviews and continuous feedback cycles are not what Slack is typically brought in for.
What can 15Five do that Slack cannot?
15Five covers Weekly check-ins, 1-on-1 meetings, OKRs & goal tracking, Performance reviews. Slack covers Channels, Direct messaging, Voice & video calls, Screen sharing. Both handle Jira, Salesforce.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Slack: Does Slack have a free plan?

Yes, Slack offers a free plan indefinitely with no credit card required. Free users get 90-day message history, up to 10 app integrations, and 1:1 huddles.

Source
Slack: What are Slack's pricing plans?

Slack offers Free, Pro ($7.25/user/month with annual billing), Business+ ($12.50/user/month), and Enterprise Grid (custom pricing). Monthly billing costs approximately 20% more than annual.

Source
Slack: Does Slack support offline use?

Slack is a cloud-based platform and does not support robust offline work. Internet connectivity is required to access messages and collaborate.

Source
Slack: What integrations does Slack support?

Slack integrates with 43+ apps on average per team, including Google Drive, ChatGPT, Vercel, Asana, GitHub, and many others through their app marketplace.

Source
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