Slack

Overview

Slack is a channel-based messaging and collaboration service for teams that organize work around shared conversations. It suits organizations that want connected apps, workflow automation and collaboration with outside partners; the chief trade-off is that the free plan’s short message history and small app allowance can make it a poor fit as a long-term team archive.

Channels and guest access give teams a practical structure for internal and external conversations, while broad platform support makes Slack usable across desktop, mobile and web. The paid plans are most compelling when a team needs unlimited message history or more room for integrations and external collaboration.

Key features

Channels, apps and workflows

Slack’s channels give teams shared spaces for conversations, and guest access supports work with people beyond the organization. Its app connections include Salesforce, Jira, Google Drive, ChatGPT, Asana, Miro, Notion, Zoom, GitHub, GitLab, PagerDuty, Box, Dropbox, Zendesk, Freshdesk and HubSpot. The Marketplace and App Directory offer over 2,600 apps, a substantial ecosystem for teams that want work tools close to their conversations. The Free plan’s ten-app limit is a real constraint for teams relying on several services; paid plans remove it with unlimited app integrations.

Workflow Builder automates routine tasks and processes in Slack without coding, which makes the service more than a place to exchange messages. Built-in AI includes summaries, AI search, daily recaps, file summaries, workflow generation and Slackbot. Those capabilities add practical ways to find and process team information, though the AI-led feature set is tied to paid tiers.

Calls, external work and retention

Free users can hold one-to-one audio and video meetings with screen sharing and send one-to-one external messages through Slack Connect. That is enough for basic direct collaboration, but it does not match paid plans’ support for external partners in DMs, group chats or dedicated channels across up to 250 organizations. Teams coordinating multi-company projects have a clear reason to upgrade.

Free workspaces retain and search messages for 90 days, and Free data is deleted after one year. Paid plans provide unlimited message history and keep data for life by default, with adjustable retention settings. The Free tier can serve teams with modest short-term chat needs, but it is not a durable archive for decisions or project context. Slack encrypts data at rest and in transit by default; security controls include two-factor authentication, access logs, SSO, device management and data loss prevention. It supports 12 SSO options, including Okta, Google and Azure, and provides native device management for mobile and desktop.

Pricing

Slack uses a freemium model. Free costs ₹0 and is free forever. It includes 90 days of searchable message history, up to ten apps, one-to-one meetings and one-to-one external messages. That is a credible starting point for a small team, but the history and app caps are the price of staying free.

Pro costs $8.75 a month when billed monthly. It adds unlimited message history and app integrations, plus group external messages with up to 250 organizations. It is the sensible step up for teams that need a lasting conversation archive or collaborate with partners beyond one-to-one exchanges.

Business+ costs $18 a month when billed monthly. It includes unlimited history and integrations, group external messages with up to 250 organizations, and is positioned around AI-powered work and advanced AI features. Teams seeking those capabilities alongside the core paid benefits may find the higher tier relevant; those needing only to remove Free’s history or app limits should compare it with Pro.

Enterprise+ has custom pricing. It includes unlimited history and integrations, group external messages with up to 250 organizations, and enterprise-grade AI with expanded administration and compliance features, making it the tier for organizations with those requirements rather than a simple chat upgrade. Slack also advertises paid plans from $7.25/user/mo (annual); the monthly plan prices above use a different billing term.

Platforms

Slack supports web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, as well as an API. This breadth suits teams mixing desktop and mobile users or working across operating systems. Native device management for mobile and desktop adds an administrative option for organizations managing those endpoints.

Who it's for

Slack is a strong fit for teams that want channel-based communication connected to a large app ecosystem, no-code workflow automation and structured external collaboration. It is less suitable for teams that need a free, long-retention message archive or more than ten app connections without a paid subscription. Organizations that need expanded administration, compliance and enterprise AI should consider Enterprise+; teams with simpler needs can start on Free or choose Pro to remove the main history and integration limits.

Pros and cons

Pros: A directory of over 2,600 apps and unlimited paid integrations give teams substantial room to connect their existing tools.

Pros: Workflow Builder automates routine processes without coding, and built-in AI covers summaries, search, recaps and files.

Pros: Paid external collaboration spans DMs, group chats or dedicated channels across up to 250 organizations.

Pros: Broad desktop, web and mobile support is paired with encryption by default and a range of security controls.

Cons: Free message search reaches back only 90 days, and Free data is deleted after one year, limiting its value as a durable record.

Cons: Free permits only ten apps and one-to-one external messages, so teams with broader workflows or partner groups need a paid plan.

Cons: Business+ costs $18 a month when billed monthly, substantially more than Pro at $8.75 a month; teams should choose it for its AI emphasis rather than assume they need the higher tier.

Alternatives

For a different team chat option, compare Team chat apps. Teams primarily evaluating broader collaboration tools can also browse Team Collaboration Software. If the main need is a staff directory rather than team messaging, Employee Directory Software is the more targeted category.

Connecteam is another freemium option with a free plan and a free trial, and may be worth considering if its mobile-focused platform coverage fits the team. Business in a Box offers a free tier and support across web, desktop and mobile platforms for teams comparing broader platform access. MangoApps is a paid alternative with a free trial and a communications and intranet plan starting at $9 a month from 200 employees. Axero is another paid option with a free trial. For an employee-directory-focused choice, Names & Faces has a free tier and an integrated plan at $1.50 a month. GoProfiles offers a free org chart and directory plan. SimpleOrgChart is a free, MIT-licensed open-source option. Workleap Pingboard is a freemium option with annual plans starting at $4,999 a year.

Verdict

Choose Slack if your team needs channel-based communication tied closely to apps and workflows, with paid plans that preserve message history and support broad partner collaboration. Its strongest case is the combination of app breadth, automation and external work; look elsewhere if a free plan must serve as a lasting archive or if you mainly need an employee directory.