Softwr

Communication & Collaboration · head to head

Lark vs Slack

Lark logo

Lark

Communication & Collaboration

The super app for team collaboration

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: Lark lark's own pricing page description states it offers a free starter pack, a Pro plan, and an Enterprise plan, and directs buyers to Contact us rather than publishing Pro/Enterprise figures on the rendered page.; Slack 90-day message history limit on free plan results in important conversations disappearing
  • They diverge on capability: Lark covers Team messaging, Slack covers Channels.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lark and Slack actually diverge.

Attributes where Lark and Slack differ
AttributeLarkSlack
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux
CategoryCommunication & CollaborationAll industries
Founded20192009

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 Lark

  • Team messaging
  • Video conferencing
  • Collaborative docs
  • Cloud storage
  • Calendar
  • Google Workspace
  • Open API
  • GDPR compliant

Only in Slack

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

Both cover

  • Jira
  • GitHub
  • Salesforce
  • ISO27001
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Lark

  • Team communication
  • Document collaborationnot Slack
  • Project managementnot Slack
  • Company intranetnot Slack

Slack

  • Team communication
  • Project coordinationnot Lark
  • Customer supportnot Lark
  • Remote worknot Lark
  • Cross-functional collaborationnot Lark

Both are used for team communication, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Lark

  • Lark's own pricing page description states it offers a free starter pack, a Pro plan, and an Enterprise plan, and directs buyers to Contact us rather than publishing Pro/Enterprise figures on the rendered page.

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

Lark

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Up to 50 users
    • 100GB storage
    • Unlimited messaging
  • Pro$12/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 1TB storage per user
    • 24-hour meetings
  • Enterprise$20/month
    • SSO/SAML
    • eDiscovery
    • Custom retention

Slack

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Slack review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Lark if

  • You need team messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want video conferencing.
Lark 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 Lark or Slack better?
Neither clearly leads. Lark 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, Lark or Slack?
Lark starts at Free and Slack at Free.
Does Lark or Slack run on more platforms?
Lark runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android. Slack runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use Lark for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lark best used for?
Lark is most often used for team communication, document collaboration, project management, company intranet. Of those, document collaboration and project management are not what Slack is typically brought in for.
What can Lark do that Slack cannot?
Lark covers Team messaging, Video conferencing, Collaborative docs, Cloud storage. Slack covers Channels, Direct messaging, Voice & video calls, Screen sharing. Both handle Jira, GitHub, Salesforce, ISO27001.

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

More on Lark

More on Slack

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