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All industries · head to head

Slack vs Zoho People

Slack logo

Slack

All industries

Where work happens

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho People logo

Zoho People

HR & Recruiting

Cloud HR software for growing businesses

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 People slow response times and slow loading on the platform affecting user efficiency
  • They diverge on capability: Slack covers Channels, Zoho People covers Employee Database.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Slack and Zoho People differ
AttributeSlackZoho People
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, LinuxWeb
CategoryAll industriesHR & Recruiting
Founded20091996

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 Zoho People

  • Employee Database
  • Time Off
  • Time Tracking
  • Attendance
  • Performance
  • Onboarding
  • Self-Service
  • Zoho CRM

What people use each for

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

Slack

  • Team communicationnot Zoho People
  • Project coordinationnot Zoho People
  • Customer supportnot Zoho People
  • Remote worknot Zoho People
  • Cross-functional collaborationnot Zoho People

Zoho People

No use cases recorded yet. See the Zoho People review.

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 People

  • Slow response times and slow loading on the platform affecting user efficiency
  • Limited customization options for leave and performance management workflows
  • Mobile app is missing key features available in desktop version, like timesheets and reporting
  • Customer support is ticket-based only with no live chat unless on premium plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Slack

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Slack review.

Zoho People

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zoho People 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.
Slack review

Choose Zoho People if

  • You need employee database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want time off.
Zoho People review

Questions people ask

Is Slack or Zoho People better?
Neither clearly leads. Slack starts at Free and Zoho People at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Slack or Zoho People?
Slack starts at Free and Zoho People at Free.
Does Slack or Zoho People run on more platforms?
Slack runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux. Zoho People runs on Web.
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 People is typically brought in for.
What can Slack do that Zoho People cannot?
Slack covers Channels, Direct messaging, Voice & video calls, Screen sharing. Zoho People covers Employee Database, Time Off, Time Tracking, Attendance.

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 People: Does Zoho People have a free tier?

Yes, the Free plan supports up to 5-10 users with essential HR tools, email support, and 30-day free trial available on all paid plans with no credit card required.

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 People: What is the pricing for Zoho People?

Pricing starts at $1.25 per user per month when billed annually. The Essential HR plan costs $1.50 monthly per user, dropping to $1.25 annually with five tiers available: Free, Essential HR, Professional, Premium, and Enterprise.

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 People: Does Zoho People work with other Zoho applications?

Yes, Zoho People integrates with the Zoho ecosystem including Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, and other Zoho applications for unified business management.

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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