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Slack vs Microsoft Teams: channel messaging or Microsoft 365 collaboration?

By Official AppDuo editorial team · Updated

Slack logoSlack7.3/10Freemium · $8.75/mo (business plan)Microsoft Teams logoMicrosoft Teams7.5/10Freemium · Free

Quick verdict

Slack vs Microsoft Teams: channel messaging or Microsoft 365 collaboration.

Slack: Tech teams and startups wanting channel chat wired into GitHub, Google Drive and Zoom.

Microsoft Teams: Businesses and schools already using Microsoft 365, SharePoint and Outlook.

Choose for your main task, existing devices and plan limits; the overall score cannot replace your requirements.

Head-to-head

Slack leads on 1, Microsoft Teams on 5, 3 even

FeatureSlackMicrosoft Teams
Cheapest paid plan[1],[9]Pro: $7.25/user/month billed annually, $8.75 billed monthlyTeams Essentials: $4/user/month, paid yearly with auto-renewal
→ Teams that want the lowest per-user cost pay less with Teams Essentials, though it requires a yearly commitment.
Free plan limits[1],[10]90-day message history, up to 10 apps, 1:1-only huddles, one workspace; data deleted after 1 yearUnlimited chat, group meetings up to 100 people and 60 minutes, 1:1 meetings up to 30 hours, 5 GB storage/user
→ Groups staying on a free plan keep their chat on Teams, while Slack Free keeps only 90 days of history.
Group voice and video meetings[1],[9],[10]Free has 1:1 huddles only; group huddles from ProFree: group meetings of 100 people, 60 minutes; Essentials: 300 people, 30 hours
→ Anyone who needs regular group meetings at little or no cost is better served by Teams.
Interface languages[3],[17]8 interface languages (en, fr, de, ja, ko, pt, zh, es)Broader coverage, adding Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian and Russian
→ Teams less comfortable with English will find Teams easier to adopt.
Integrations[1],[8]Salesforce, Google Drive, Box, GitHub, Zoom, ChatGPT; unlimited apps from ProMicrosoft 365, Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, Word, Excel, PowerPoint
→ It depends on your stack: Slack fits teams on GitHub and Google Drive, Teams fits organisations on Microsoft 365.
Platforms[3],[17]Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux and APIWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
→ Linux users get a dedicated Slack client, which the research did not list for Teams.
AI features[1],[17]Pro has AI conversation summaries; full Slackbot, AI search, daily recaps from Business+ ($15/user/month annually)Copilot is an optional add-on; price not given in the research
→ Buyers who want AI should compare real costs, since Slack's full AI needs a pricier tier and Copilot pricing was not verified.
App store ratings[4],[6],[14]US App Store 4.1/5 (55,299), US Google Play 4.6/5 (227,119), Vietnam App Store 4.3/5US App Store 4.8/5 (3,384,338), US Google Play 4.7/5 (8,851,729), Vietnam App Store 4.6/5
→ Mobile users rate Teams higher in all three stores, though review sites still report Teams as heavy and glitchy.
Discounts and refunds[1],[9]No refund policy found; 50% off first 3 months of monthly Pro/Business+ if bought online within 7 daysNo refund policy found on the pages read
→ Neither publishes a refund policy, so try the free tier before committing to a paid plan.

Choose Slack if…

  • Tech teams and startups wanting channel chat wired into GitHub, Google Drive and Zoom
  • Organisations already on Salesforce, which has owned Slack since 2021
  • Teams working with outside partners in shared channels (up to 250 organisations from Pro)

Choose Microsoft Teams if…

  • Businesses and schools already using Microsoft 365, SharePoint and Outlook
  • Teams that want channel chat, meetings and file sharing in one app instead of stitching several tools together

How the products differ

Slack: Slack suits tech teams and businesses that want channel-based chat, many connected apps and a free plan to start. The trade-offs are 90 days of history on Free, per-user pricing that climbs with team size, and the strongest AI features starting at Business+ ($15/user/month billed annually).

Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Teams suits organisations already on Microsoft 365: channel chat, meetings, files and Office apps in one place, with a free tier and Essentials at $4/user/month (paid yearly). The trade-offs are reviewer complaints about a heavy app, occasional glitches and forced sign-ins, and value that is clearest when the whole organisation uses Microsoft's ecosystem.

Choose around your use case

Slack: Fits Tech teams and startups wanting channel chat wired into GitHub, Google Drive and Zoom; Organisations already on Salesforce, which has owned Slack since 2021. Strengths: A Free plan, and Pro at $7.25/user/month billed annually; Unlimited message history and apps from Pro.

Microsoft Teams: Fits Businesses and schools already using Microsoft 365, SharePoint and Outlook; Teams that want channel chat, meetings and file sharing in one app instead of stitching several tools together. Strengths: Deep Microsoft 365 integration (SharePoint, Outlook, Office), praised by G2 and Capterra reviewers; Free tier (100 participants, 60-minute group meetings) and Teams Essentials at $4/user/month with 300 participants and 30 hours.

Costs and limits to check

Slack: Pro: 8.75 USD/user/month, as recorded in the review. Trade-off: Free is limited to 90 days of history, 10 apps and 1:1 huddles, and deletes data after 1 year. Microsoft Teams: Paid prices depend on plan and purchase channel; see the product review. Trade-off: Capterra's top cons are frequent glitches and crashes plus a resource-heavy, slow app; G2 reviewers also note heavy resource use on older devices. Prices retain the currency and billing units recorded in the source profiles; no currency conversion or plan equivalence is assumed. Check official prices, limits and terms before payment.

Frequently asked questions

Should I choose Slack or Microsoft Teams?

Slack vs Microsoft Teams: channel messaging or Microsoft 365 collaboration. Slack: Tech teams and startups wanting channel chat wired into GitHub, Google Drive and Zoom. Microsoft Teams: Businesses and schools already using Microsoft 365, SharePoint and Outlook. Choose for your main task, existing devices and plan limits; the overall score cannot replace your requirements.

Does a higher score always mean a better fit?

No. Overall scores are editorial judgements across several criteria. Your task, allowance and existing ecosystem may matter more; the table separates those differences so you can decide.

Where do prices and limits come from?

From each product’s researched profile, with source links and check dates in the review. This comparison reuses that evidence; its compilation date does not mean every price was rechecked that day.

Sources

Numbers in the table refer to these sources, read on the dates shown.

  1. 1.Slack pricing page · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  2. 2.Slack privacy policy · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  3. 3.Slack website · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  4. 4.App Store listing (US) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  5. 5.App Store listing (Vietnam) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  6. 6.Google Play listing (US) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  7. 7.Wikipedia: Slack (software) · Community-reported · Nov 10, 2026
  8. 8.Microsoft Teams pricing for business (comparison page) · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  9. 9.Microsoft Teams Essentials page · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  10. 10.Free Microsoft Teams · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  11. 11.Microsoft 365 Business Standard · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  12. 12.Microsoft 365 Business Premium · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  13. 13.Microsoft Privacy Statement · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  14. 14.App Store listing (United States) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  15. 15.App Store listing (Vietnam) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  16. 16.Google Play listing (United States) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  17. 17.Wikipedia: Microsoft Teams · Community-reported · Nov 10, 2026
  18. 18.G2 Microsoft Teams reviews · review-site · Nov 10, 2026
  19. 19.Capterra Microsoft Teams reviews · review-site · Nov 10, 2026
  20. 20.Office Watch: Microsoft 365 business price increase 2026 · press · Nov 10, 2026

Prepared by the AppDuo Editorial Team from the sources cited in this article. AI assists with organising and cross-checking data; editorial responsibility remains with AppDuo.

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