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Slack vs Twilio

Slack logo

Slack

All industries

Where work happens

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Twilio logo

Twilio

Telecommunications

Cloud communications platform for SMS, voice, and video

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Slack 90-day message history limit on free plan results in important conversations disappearing; Twilio pricing becomes unpredictable with carrier fees and additional charges for compliance, recordings, and phone number rentals
  • They diverge on capability: Slack covers Channels, Twilio covers SMS messaging.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Slack and Twilio actually diverge.

Attributes where Slack and Twilio differ
AttributeSlackTwilio
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, LinuxWeb, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#
CategoryAll industriesTelecommunications
Founded20092008

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 Twilio

  • SMS messaging
  • Voice calls
  • Video conferencing
  • Programmable communication
  • Slack
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier
  • Web support

Both cover

  • Salesforce

What people use each for

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

Slack

  • Team communicationnot Twilio
  • Project coordinationnot Twilio
  • Customer support
  • Remote worknot Twilio
  • Cross-functional collaborationnot Twilio

Twilio

  • Customer engagementnot Slack
  • Lead generationnot Slack
  • Customer support
  • Sales automationnot Slack

Both are used for customer support, 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.

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

Twilio

  • Pricing becomes unpredictable with carrier fees and additional charges for compliance, recordings, and phone number rentals
  • Phone number rentals are required for every number used, with carrier fees varying by region and billed separately
  • Dashboard is not optimized for mobile use and logs are difficult to access

Pricing, plan by plan

Slack

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Slack review.

Twilio

Free
  • Pay-as-You-Go$undefined/mo
    • Usage-based pricing
    • No monthly minimum
    • SMS, voice, video, messaging

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.
Slack review

Choose Twilio if

  • You need sms messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#.
  • You also want voice calls.
Twilio review

Questions people ask

Is Slack or Twilio better?
Neither clearly leads. Slack starts at Free and Twilio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Slack or Twilio?
Slack starts at Free and Twilio at Free.
Does Slack or Twilio run on more platforms?
Slack runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux. Twilio runs on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#.
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 Twilio is typically brought in for.
What can Slack do that Twilio cannot?
Slack covers Channels, Direct messaging, Voice & video calls, Screen sharing. Twilio covers SMS messaging, Voice calls, Video conferencing, Programmable communication. Both handle Salesforce.

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
Twilio: What is Twilio's pricing model?

Twilio uses pay-as-you-go usage-based pricing with no monthly minimums or contracts. SMS costs $0.0083 per US message, voice calls cost $0.014 per minute, phone numbers cost $1.15 per 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
Twilio: Does Twilio offer a free tier?

Yes, Twilio offers a free trial indefinitely with no credit card required for limited usage, plus a 7-14 day free trial period on paid plans.

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
Twilio: What communication channels does Twilio support?

Twilio supports SMS, WhatsApp, RCS, MMS for messaging; Voice API and SIP Trunking for voice; Email via Twilio SendGrid; Video API; and Chat via Conversations API.

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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