Softwr

Communication & Collaboration · head to head

Flock vs Slack

Flock logo

Flock

Communication & Collaboration

Organized team communication platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Slack logo

Slack

All industries

Where work happens

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Flock the Starter plan only makes the most recent 10,000 messages searchable and caps public channels at 10; Slack 90-day message history limit on free plan results in important conversations disappearing
  • They diverge on capability: Flock covers Team chat, Slack covers Direct messaging.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flock and Slack actually diverge.

Attributes where Flock and Slack differ
AttributeFlockSlack
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux
CategoryCommunication & CollaborationAll industries
Founded20142009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Flock

  • Team chat
  • Threads
  • Polls
  • Integrations
  • Mobile apps
  • Slack
  • Zapier
  • GDPR

Only in Slack

  • Direct messaging
  • Voice & video calls
  • Screen sharing
  • Search
  • Workflow builder
  • Slack Connect
  • Office 365
  • Salesforce

Both cover

  • Channels
  • File sharing
  • GitHub
  • Jira
  • Google Drive
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Flock

  • Team messaging with channels, direct messages and file sharingnot Slack
  • Running polls, to-dos and reminders inside a chat workspacenot Slack
  • Video conferencing and screen sharing for small teamsnot Slack

Slack

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

Where each one falls short

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

Flock

  • The Starter plan only makes the most recent 10,000 messages searchable and caps public channels at 10
  • Starter storage is 5 GB for the entire team, against 10 GB per member on Pro and 20 GB per member on Enterprise
  • Starter allows a single team admin and a single approved domain
  • Group video calls and screen sharing require the Pro plan; Starter is limited to 1-1 video calls
  • Group video calls are capped at 20 participants even on Enterprise
  • Single Sign-On and Active Directory sync are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise is quote only, with no published rate, and is positioned for organisations with 100 or more members
  • Unlimited auto-join and announcement channels require Enterprise; Starter and Pro get one of each

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

Flock

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited chats
    • Channels
    • File sharing
  • Pro$5/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Advanced search
    • API access

Slack

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Slack review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Flock if

  • You need team chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want threads.
Flock review

Choose Slack if

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

Questions people ask

Is Flock or Slack better?
Neither clearly leads. Flock starts at Free and Slack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Flock or Slack?
Flock starts at Free and Slack at Free.
Does Flock or Slack run on more platforms?
Flock runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. Slack runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use Flock for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Flock best used for?
Flock is most often used for team messaging with channels, direct messages and file sharing, running polls, to-dos and reminders inside a chat workspace, video conferencing and screen sharing for small teams. Of those, team messaging with channels, direct messages and file sharing and running polls, to-dos and reminders inside a chat workspace are not what Slack is typically brought in for.
What can Flock do that Slack cannot?
Flock covers Team chat, Threads, Polls, Integrations. Slack covers Direct messaging, Voice & video calls, Screen sharing, Search. Both handle Channels, File sharing, GitHub, Jira.

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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Related pages

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