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All industries · head to head

Microsoft Teams vs Slack

Microsoft Teams logo

Microsoft Teams

All industries

Meet, chat, call, and collaborate in just one place

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: Microsoft Teams resource-heavy application; slow to load and consumes significant CPU/memory compared to alternatives; Slack 90-day message history limit on free plan results in important conversations disappearing
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Slack covers Channels.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Teams and Slack actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Teams and Slack differ
AttributeMicrosoft TeamsSlack
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux
Founded19752009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (All industries).

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 Microsoft Teams

  • Chat & channels
  • Video conferencing
  • File collaboration
  • Office integration
  • Live events
  • Phone system
  • Apps & workflows
  • SharePoint

Only in Slack

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

Both cover

  • Screen sharing
  • Office 365
  • SOC2
  • ISO27001
  • HIPAA
  • FedRAMP

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Teams

  • Remote meetingsnot Slack
  • Team collaborationnot Slack
  • Document sharingnot Slack
  • Project managementnot Slack
  • Webinarsnot Slack

Slack

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

Where each one falls short

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

Microsoft Teams

  • Resource-heavy application; slow to load and consumes significant CPU/memory compared to alternatives
  • Limited channel structure; maximum of 200 public and 30 private channels per team
  • Cannot invite guest users to specific channels; guest access grants full team visibility
  • Unable to chat during screen sharing; limits real-time collaborative communication
  • Limited customization options for branding and interface; cluttered UX compared to Slack
  • Channels cannot be moved between teams; requires manual replication for reorganization

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

Microsoft Teams

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited chat
    • 100 participants in meetings
    • 5GB file storage
  • Microsoft Teams Essentials$4/month
    • 300 participants in meetings
    • 10GB cloud storage
    • Phone & web support
  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic$6/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • 1TB OneDrive storage
    • Web & mobile Office apps
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard$12.5/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Desktop Office apps
    • Webinar hosting

Slack

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Slack review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Microsoft Teams if

  • You need chat & channels.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want video conferencing.
Microsoft Teams 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 Microsoft Teams or Slack better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Teams 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, Microsoft Teams or Slack?
Microsoft Teams starts at Free and Slack at Free.
Does Microsoft Teams or Slack run on more platforms?
Microsoft Teams runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Slack runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use Microsoft Teams for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Microsoft Teams best used for?
Microsoft Teams is most often used for remote meetings, team collaboration, document sharing, project management. Of those, remote meetings and team collaboration are not what Slack is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Teams do that Slack cannot?
Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Video conferencing, File collaboration, Office integration. Slack covers Channels, Direct messaging, Voice & video calls, File sharing. Both handle Screen sharing, Office 365, SOC2, ISO27001.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Microsoft Teams: Does Microsoft Teams have a free tier?

Yes. Microsoft Teams offers a free Home tier with unlimited chat, 60-minute group meetings for up to 100 people, 5GB cloud storage, and basic file sharing, though limits are restrictive for growing teams.

Source
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
Microsoft Teams: What are Microsoft Teams' paid plans?

Microsoft Teams Essentials costs $4/user/month (chat, calling, meetings, 10GB storage). Microsoft 365 Business Basic costs $7/user/month (includes desktop Office apps, 1TB storage). Premium plans with Copilot start at $23.50/user/month.

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
Microsoft Teams: What are Microsoft Teams' primary features?

Teams provides real-time chat, video and voice calling, meetings with up to 300 participants, file sharing and storage integration with OneDrive, recording and transcripts, and deep integration with Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

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
Microsoft Teams: What integrations does Teams support?

Microsoft Teams integrates with calendar apps (Outlook, Google Calendar), project management tools (Trello), and works with Zapier for custom workflow automation. Teams also has native connectors to many Microsoft 365 apps and third-party services.

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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