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All industries · head to head

Slack vs Zoho CRM

Slack logo

Slack

All industries

Where work happens

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

All industries

The world's favorite CRM

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; Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only
  • They diverge on capability: Slack covers Channels, Zoho CRM covers Lead management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Slack and Zoho CRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Slack and Zoho CRM differ
AttributeSlackZoho CRM
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, LinuxWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20091996

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 Slack

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

Only in Zoho CRM

  • Lead management
  • Deal tracking
  • Contact management
  • Sales automation
  • Analytics
  • Mobile CRM
  • Email marketing
  • AI assistant (Zia)

Both cover

  • Office 365
  • SOC2
  • ISO27001
  • HIPAA

What people use each for

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

Slack

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

Zoho CRM

  • Sales automationnot Slack
  • Lead managementnot Slack
  • Customer support
  • Marketing automationnot Slack
  • Analytics & reportingnot 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

Zoho CRM

  • Free tier limited to 3 users only
  • Steep pricing when scaling beyond 10 users
  • Limited offline capabilities compared to some competitors
  • Setup and configuration can require significant customization

Pricing, plan by plan

Slack

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Slack review.

Zoho CRM

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 users
    • Basic modules
    • Standard dashboards
  • Standard$14/month
    • Sales forecasting
    • Custom dashboards
    • Workflow automation
  • Professional$23/month
    • Inventory management
    • AI predictions
    • Advanced customization
  • Enterprise$40/month
    • Zia AI assistant
    • Multi-currency
    • Advanced analytics

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 Zoho CRM if

  • You need lead management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want deal tracking.
Zoho CRM review

Questions people ask

Is Slack or Zoho CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Slack starts at Free and Zoho CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Slack or Zoho CRM?
Slack starts at Free and Zoho CRM at Free.
Does Slack or Zoho CRM run on more platforms?
Slack runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux. Zoho CRM runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
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 Zoho CRM is typically brought in for.
What can Slack do that Zoho CRM cannot?
Slack covers Channels, Direct messaging, Voice & video calls, Screen sharing. Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Deal tracking, Contact management, Sales automation. Both handle Office 365, SOC2, ISO27001, HIPAA.

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
Zoho CRM: Does Zoho CRM have a free tier?

Yes. Zoho CRM offers a free plan for up to 3 users that includes core CRM functionality like lead, contact, and account management, basic workflow automation, and customizable dashboards.

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
Zoho CRM: What does Zoho CRM cost for a paid plan?

Zoho CRM pricing ranges from $14 per user per month for the Standard plan up to $52 per user per month for the Ultimate plan when billed annually. Most sales teams use the Professional plan around $23/user/month or Enterprise at $40/user/month.

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
Zoho CRM: Is Zoho CRM independent or owned by another company?

Zoho CRM is part of Zoho Corporation, which is independent and bootstrapped. The parent company was founded in 1996 as AdventNet, rebranded to Zoho in 2009, and has never accepted external venture funding.

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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