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Software · head to head

RingCentral Video vs Slack

RingCentral Video logo

RingCentral Video

Software

Connected cloud communications

From
$19.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Slack logo

Slack

Software

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: RingCentral Video unlimited calling is limited to the US and Canada markets; other international calls are charged per minute at the published international rates table; Slack 90-day message history limit on free plan results in important conversations disappearing
  • They diverge on capability: RingCentral Video covers HD video conferencing, Slack covers Channels.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which RingCentral Video and Slack actually diverge.

Attributes where RingCentral Video and Slack differ
AttributeRingCentral VideoSlack
Starting price$19.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux
Founded19992009

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

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 RingCentral Video

  • HD video conferencing
  • Voice and video calling
  • Virtual backgrounds
  • Recording and transcription
  • Chat and messaging
  • Calendar integration
  • Meeting attendee controls
  • Microsoft 365

Only in Slack

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

Both cover

  • Screen sharing
  • Salesforce
  • Jira
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

RingCentral Video

  • Cloud business phone system with video meetings and team messagingnot Slack
  • Replacing on-premise PBX hardware for distributed teamsnot Slack

Slack

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

Where each one falls short

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

RingCentral Video

  • Unlimited calling is limited to the US and Canada markets; other international calls are charged per minute at the published international rates table
  • The free trial is only for new subscribers and is capped at five users and two desktop phones, with SMS unavailable during the trial
  • Trial hardware must be returned within 21 days of trial cancellation to avoid hardware charges
  • Phone rental is available only with a multi-year contract
  • Automated, high volume or marketing SMS costs extra as RingCentral High Volume SMS, and TCR registration is required for SMS and MMS
  • A Mobile User extension is free to add but is billed at the same monthly rate as a Digital Line in any month it is used to make or receive a call
  • The Webinar 500 discount lasts one year on a one year commitment, after which pricing reverts to $75 per host per month or the then current retail price
  • Taxes and recovery fees including the Federal Universal Service Recovery Fee, E911 Service Fee and Compliance and Administrative Cost Recovery Fee are added on top
  • The advertised savings of up to 33% require paying annually

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

RingCentral Video

$19.99/month
  • Essentials$19.99/month
    • Video meetings
    • Phone service
    • Text messaging
  • Standard$27.99/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Advanced meeting controls
    • Call recording
  • Premium$34.99/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Advanced security features
    • Compliance recording
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • Custom deployment
    • Dedicated account manager

Slack

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Slack review.

Which should you pick?

Choose RingCentral Video if

  • You need hd video conferencing.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want voice and video calling.
RingCentral Video 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 RingCentral Video or Slack better?
Neither clearly leads. RingCentral Video starts at $19.99/month and Slack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RingCentral Video or Slack?
Slack has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $19.99/month for RingCentral Video and Free for Slack.
Does RingCentral Video or Slack run on more platforms?
RingCentral Video runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. 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. RingCentral Video starts at $19.99/month.
What is RingCentral Video best used for?
RingCentral Video is most often used for cloud business phone system with video meetings and team messaging, replacing on-premise pbx hardware for distributed teams. Of those, cloud business phone system with video meetings and team messaging and replacing on-premise pbx hardware for distributed teams are not what Slack is typically brought in for.
What can RingCentral Video do that Slack cannot?
RingCentral Video covers HD video conferencing, Voice and video calling, Virtual backgrounds, Recording and transcription. Slack covers Channels, Direct messaging, Voice & video calls, File sharing. Both handle Screen sharing, Salesforce, Jira, SOC2.

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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