All industries · head to head
Slack vs HubSpot
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Slack 90-day message history limit on free plan results in important conversations disappearing; HubSpot free tier limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts; severely restricts growing teams
- They diverge on capability: Slack covers Channels, HubSpot covers CRM.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Slack and HubSpot actually diverge.
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 Slack
- Channels
- Direct messaging
- Voice & video calls
- Screen sharing
- File sharing
- Search
- Workflow builder
- Slack Connect
Only in HubSpot
- CRM
- Email marketing
- Marketing automation
- Sales pipeline
- Customer service
- Content management
- Analytics
- Social media
Both cover
- Salesforce
- Zoom
- SOC2
- ISO27001
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Slack
- Team communicationnot HubSpot
- Project coordinationnot HubSpot
- Customer supportnot HubSpot
- Remote worknot HubSpot
- Cross-functional collaborationnot HubSpot
HubSpot
- Small businesses and startups using CRM, email marketing, sales pipeline, and customer service in single platformnot Slack
- Organisations requiring integration with 2,000+ third-party applicationsnot Slack
- Teams leveraging AI agents for prospecting, service automation, and data analysisnot Slack
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
HubSpot
- Free tier limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts; severely restricts growing teams
- Many advanced features (automation workflows, custom objects, advanced reporting) gated to paid tiers
- Starter plan at $7/month per seat scales quickly for larger teams (300+ users would cost significantly more)
- Free tier removes credit card requirement but lacks most enterprise capabilities
Pricing, plan by plan
Slack
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Slack review.
HubSpot
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the HubSpot review.
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose HubSpot if
- You need crm.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile, Cloud.
- You also want email marketing.
Questions people ask
- Is Slack or HubSpot better?
- Neither clearly leads. Slack starts at Free and HubSpot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Slack or HubSpot?
- Slack starts at Free and HubSpot at Free.
- Does Slack or HubSpot run on more platforms?
- Slack runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux. HubSpot runs on Web, Mobile, Cloud.
- Can I use Slack for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Slack best used for?
- Slack is most often used for team communication, project coordination, customer support, remote work. Of those, team communication and project coordination are not what HubSpot is typically brought in for.
- What can Slack do that HubSpot cannot?
- Slack covers Channels, Direct messaging, Voice & video calls, Screen sharing. HubSpot covers CRM, Email marketing, Marketing automation, Sales pipeline. Both handle Salesforce, Zoom, SOC2, 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.
SourceSlack: 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.
SourceSlack: 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.
SourceSlack: 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