Slack alternatives (2026): 8 tools compared for buyers
Looking for an alternative to Slack? These 8 tools do the same job with a different focus. Each one is compared on who it suits, its key features, pros and cons, and what each vendor publishes on security, admin and contract terms.
Why buyers look beyond Slack
- Notification overload and channel sprawl.
- Limited message history on free plan.
- Teams that need long free message history (Free keeps 90 days)
- Buyers wanting group video on the free plan (1:1 huddles only)
From Slack's published plan limits and recurring themes in public reviews. See the Slack review for the full picture.
Slack alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan or trial |
|---|---|---|---|
 Slack Current | Teams wanting channel-based chat with a large app ecosystem. | $8.75/user/month monthly, about $7.25/user/month billed annually (Pro) | Free plan |
 Microsoft Teams | Organizations already on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID. | $4.00/user/month paid yearly (Teams Essentials) | Free plan |
 Zoom Workplace | Teams whose main need is reliable video meetings with chat attached. | $14.16 per user/month billed annually (Pro); $16.99 billed monthly | Free plan |
 Google Chat | Teams already on Google Workspace that want chat without a second license. | $7 per user/month (Workspace Starter, annual commitment billed monthly) | Free plan, Free trial |
 Mattermost | Organizations that must self-host or run air-gapped chat. | Contact sales | Free plan, Free trial |
 Google Meet | Teams already on Google Workspace that want meetings tied to Calendar and Gmail. | $7 per user/month (Business Starter, annual commitment) | Free plan, Free trial |
 GoTo Meeting | Small and mid-size businesses that want per-organizer pricing instead of per-attendee. | USD 12 per organizer/month billed annually (Professional) | Free trial |
 Connecteam | Frontline and deskless teams needing scheduling, forms and chat in one mobile app. | Free for up to 10 users; paid from $29/month (Basic, first 30 users) per hub | Free plan, Free trial |
 Dialpad Meetings | Teams already buying Dialpad for calling that want meetings in the same app. | $15 user/month (Dialpad Connect Standard) | No |
The 8 best Slack alternatives
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft's chat, meetings and calling app, sold standalone as Teams Essentials or bundled in Microsoft 365 plans.
IT admins in Microsoft 365 shops get Entra ID sign-in and Exchange-based chat storage without a separate vendor review. Small firms can buy Teams Essentials at $4.00 per user monthly, billed yearly. Run a pilot on typical laptops, as reviewers report slow, heavy clients.
- Best for
- Organizations already on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID.
- Company size
- Small businesses (Essentials, Business) to enterprises (E3/E5)
Key features
- Channels and threading
- Standard, private and shared channels; up to 1,000 channels per team; teams up to 25,000 members.
- Built-in video and huddles
- Calls from chat up to 20 people; meetings up to 300 people on Essentials and Business plans, up to 1,000 on enterprise plans.
- Search and message history limits
- Chat stored in Exchange Online mailboxes; admin search and hold needs Exchange Online mailbox.
- App integrations and bots
- Teams apps available on Business and Enterprise plans; Loop integrations.
Pros
- Easy to use, strong file sharing and communication features.
- Tight fit with Microsoft 365.
Cons
- Performance issues and heavy resource use.
- Complicated interface, slow loading.
Pricing: $4.00/user/month paid yearly (Teams Essentials) · Free plan
Zoom Workplace
Video meetings platform that bundles team chat, whiteboard and AI note-taking into per-user Pro and Business plans.
Pick this when meetings are the daily core and chat is a bonus on the same seat. Plans differ mainly by meeting size, from 100 to 1,000 attendees. Admins can point security reviewers to the trust center, but test how channels and threads feel before dropping a chat-first tool.
- Best for
- Teams whose main need is reliable video meetings with chat attached.
- Company size
- Small business to enterprise.
Key features
- Channels and threading
- Team Chat with channels and threads (not confirmed by the vendor in detail)
- Built-in video and huddles
- Native Zoom Meetings: 100 to 1,000 participants depending on plan.
- Security and admin controls
- Trust center lists SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP Moderate, PCI DSS.
Pros
- Good video quality and easy screen sharing.
- Simple scheduling and joining.
Cons
- Feature set seen as limited versus suites.
- Connectivity issues and meeting fatigue.
Pricing: $14.16 per user/month billed annually (Pro); $16.99 billed monthly · Free plan
Google Chat
Google's team chat with spaces and threads, included in every paid Google Workspace plan alongside Gmail, Drive and Meet.
For companies that already pay for Google Workspace, this arrives with the license and needs no extra procurement step. Spaces, threads and Meet cover everyday needs. Test it against your workflow requirements, because reviewers describe the feature depth as thin next to dedicated chat products.
- Best for
- Teams already on Google Workspace that want chat without a second license.
- Company size
- Small to enterprise; Starter to Plus limited to 300 users.
Key features
- Channels and threading
- Spaces with threaded replies and direct messages.
- Built-in video and huddles
- Google Meet built in; participant cap depends on Workspace plan (100 Starter to 1,000 Enterprise)
- Security and admin controls
- Workspace supports SAML and OIDC SSO; Secure LDAP on Plus; DLP and context-aware access on Enterprise.
Pros
- Simple and easy to use.
- Tight fit with the rest of Google Workspace.
Cons
- Limited feature depth compared with chat-first tools.
- File-sharing size limits and occasional slowness reported.
Pricing: $7 per user/month (Workspace Starter, annual commitment billed monthly) · Free plan, Free trial
Mattermost
Self-hostable team chat and collaboration platform sold in Professional, Enterprise and Enterprise Advanced editions, aimed at security-sensitive organizations.
Aimed at buyers who must keep chat on their own servers or inside an air-gapped network. Editions run from Professional upward, with SAML SSO starting at Professional and audit log export on Enterprise. Expect a sales conversation for pricing, and note each server needs its own license.
- Best for
- Organizations that must self-host or run air-gapped chat.
- Company size
- Professional up to 250 users; Enterprise scales to tens of thousands.
Key features
- Channels and threading
- Channel-centric with threads.
- Built-in video and huddles
- Calls built in; Entry (free) edition limited to 40-minute calls.
- Search and message history limits
- Entry edition 10,000 channel messages; unlimited searchable history on Professional.
- Guest and external access
- Guest accounts on Professional with custom user groups.
Pros
- Strong security and data ownership.
- User-friendly interface and integrations.
Cons
- Interface not intuitive to some users.
Pricing: Contact sales · Free plan, Free trial
Google Meet
Video meetings built into Google Workspace, with participant limits and recording set by the Workspace edition.
Google Meet is video calling built into Google Workspace, with attendee limits and recording set by the edition. It is a natural choice for teams that already use Calendar and Gmail, with limits from 100 to 1,000 participants.
- Best for
- Teams already on Google Workspace that want meetings tied to Calendar and Gmail.
- Company size
- Starter, Standard and Plus capped at 300 users; Enterprise has no user cap.
Key features
- Participant and meeting length limits
- 100 (Starter), 150 (Standard), 500 (Plus), 1,000 (Enterprise); meetings up to 24 hours.
- Security and compliance
- Google lists FedRAMP, HIPAA and ISO/IEC programs for Workspace; client-side encryption and data regions offered; specific SOC reports not confirmed by the vendor.
- Recording and AI transcription
- Recording to Drive not supported on Starter; included from Standard.
- Calendar and chat integrations
- Native to Google Calendar, Gmail and Chat.
Pros
- Easy to join from a browser with no install.
- Good fit with Calendar and the rest of Workspace.
- Solid audio and video quality for small meetings.
Cons
- Screen sharing glitches reported.
- Recording and time limits on lower tiers.
- Video can pixelate in large calls.
Pricing: $7 per user/month (Business Starter, annual commitment) · Free plan, Free trial
Costs follow organizers rather than attendees, so a firm with a few hosts and many guests pays little. Professional seats 150 and Business 250, and SSO comes with every plan. Ask whether cloud recording and transcription are limited to Business and Enterprise, and note the Professional price of USD 12.
- Best for
- Small and mid-size businesses that want per-organizer pricing instead of per-attendee.
- Company size
- SMB to mid-market.
Key features
- Participant and meeting length limits
- 150 (Professional), 250 (Business), Enterprise up to 250 per vendor page.
- Security and compliance
- SSO, encrypted sessions, end-to-end encryption, meeting lock; certifications not listed on the page.
- Recording and AI transcription
- Cloud recording and transcription appear to be Business and Enterprise only (inferred from checkmarks)
- Webinars and large events
- Advanced webinar features appear Enterprise only; webinars also sold as a separate product.
Pros
- Easy to use and set up (G2 sub-scores 8.8 and 8.6)
Pricing: USD 12 per organizer/month billed annually (Professional) · Free trial
Connecteam
Employee management app for deskless teams where chat sits alongside scheduling, time tracking, tasks and HR hubs.
Shortlist this one if most of your staff are hourly and never sit at a desk. Chat is just one part of a mobile app that also handles shifts, a time clock and forms. Check the per-hub pricing past 30 users, since G2 reviewers say costs climb with headcount.
- Best for
- Frontline and deskless teams needing scheduling, forms and chat in one mobile app.
- Company size
- Small to mid-size deskless businesses; 80,000+ businesses claimed.
Key features
- Channels and threading
- Group chats and updates; channels and threads not confirmed by the vendor.
- App integrations and bots
- Integrations page exists; specific names not extracted.
- Security and admin controls
- SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, CCPA; SSO on Enterprise.
- Mobile app and frontline fit
- Mobile-first app (App Store 4.8, 70,000+ reviews per vendor); shifts, time clock, forms; read receipts for managers.
Pros
- Easy to use.
- Central place for communication and scheduling.
Cons
- Cost can climb as team size grows (G2 summary)
Pricing: Free for up to 10 users; paid from $29/month (Basic, first 30 users) per hub · Free plan, Free trial
Dialpad Meetings
Meetings module of Dialpad's AI communications platform, bundled with calling and messaging.
Makes sense when Dialpad already carries your phone calls and you want video on the same login. SOC 2 Type II, ISO certifications and a one-click BAA help healthcare buyers. Data is stored in the US, and the Large Meetings add-on stretches capacity to 1,500 attendees.
- Best for
- Teams already buying Dialpad for calling that want meetings in the same app.
Key features
- Participant and meeting length limits
- Large Meetings add-on raises limit to 1,500; base limit not stated.
- Security and compliance
- SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001/27017/27018, HIPAA-ready with one-click BAA.
- Recording and AI transcription
- Live AI transcription included; recordings and chat transcripts accessible.
- Calendar and chat integrations
- Microsoft 365 and Google Calendar; Salesforce activity logging.
Pros
- Good audio and video quality.
- Easy to use.
Cons
- Mobile app glitches when switching networks.
Pricing: $15 user/month (Dialpad Connect Standard)
How to choose a Slack alternative
Start with what made you look: a missing feature, a team that outgrew the plan or a bill that grew faster than the team. Then compare the shortlist on the points that matter most for this kind of software.
- Channels and threading: Organized channels and threads keep busy conversations searchable and reduce noise.
- Built-in video and huddles: Native calls remove the need for a separate meeting tool.
- Search and message history limits: Free tiers often cap history, which affects compliance and knowledge retrieval.
- App integrations and bots: Connections to project, CRM and helpdesk tools make chat a work hub.
- Guest and external access: Working with clients and contractors requires safe external channels.
- Security and admin controls: SSO, retention policies and audit logs matter for regulated buyers.
Security, admin and contract terms compared
Switching tools means a new security review. This is what Slack and each alternative state publicly about single sign-on, provisioning, audit logs and the contract; a blank means the vendor does not say.
| Tool | SAML SSO | SCIM | Audit logs | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slack | Business+ (SAML); Enterprise+ adds multiple SAML configurations. | Business+ and Enterprise+. | Enterprise+ only (per pricing FAQ) | Monthly billing available on Pro and Business+; Enterprise+ by contract. |
| Microsoft Teams | Via Microsoft Entra ID, included with the Microsoft 365 tenant (plan-level detail not confirmed by the vendor) | Not published | Not published | Annual subscription; monthly billing option on Business Basic at higher price. |
| Zoom Workplace | Not published | Not published | Not published | Monthly or annual; quarterly and multi-year prepaid via sales. |
| Google Chat | SAML and OIDC supported; plan eligibility not confirmed. | Not published | Not published | Annual commitment or monthly billing; Starter to Plus max 300 users. |
| Mattermost | Professional and up (listed under access controls) | Not published | Enterprise (advanced logging, compliance export) | Prepaid annual subscription. |
| Google Meet | Not published | Not published | Not published | Billed monthly with optional annual commitment; 14-day trial. |
| GoTo Meeting | Appears included in all plans (inferred from checkmarks) | Not published | Not published | Monthly or annual billing; 14-day trial. |
| Connecteam | Enterprise. | Not published | Not published | Monthly available; 14-day trial. |
| Dialpad Meetings | SAML supported; plan not stated (Enterprise lists SSO) | Supported; plan not stated. | Not published | Not published |
When to stay with Slack
- Teams wanting channel-based chat with a large app ecosystem.
- Companies already on Salesforce.
- Organizations needing SAML SSO plus SCIM on a self-serve plan (Business+)
Slack alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Slack?
Microsoft Teams is the closest alternative for most teams: organizations already on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID. Zoom Workplace suits teams that teams whose main need is reliable video meetings with chat attached.
Is there a free alternative to Slack?
Microsoft Teams, Zoom Workplace, Google Chat, Mattermost, Google Meet and Connecteam offer a free plan. Free plans usually cap users, features or history, so check the limits against your team size.
What is cheaper than Slack?
For 20 users on the cheapest plan that fits, Microsoft Teams ($960 a year), Google Chat ($1,680 a year) and Google Meet ($1,680 a year) cost less than Slack ($1,740 a year), based on published list prices.