Slack

Slack is a collaboration platform organized around team messages, channels, and connected apps. It runs on web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, and supports an API. Integrations include Salesforce, Jira, Google Drive, Asana, Zoom, GitHub, Notion, and other services; its App Directory offers more than 2,600 apps. Free workspaces retain searchable messages for 90 days and allow up to ten apps. The free plan is ₹0 and free forever, with one-to-one audio and video meetings with screen sharing and one-to-one external messages through Slack Connect. Paid plans provide unlimited message history and group external messaging with up to 250 organizations. Workflow Builder automates routine tasks without coding. AI tools include summaries, search, daily recaps, file summaries, Slackbot, and workflow generation. Slack encrypts data at rest and in transit by default; listed security controls include two-factor authentication, access logs, SSO, device management, and data loss prevention. Annual billing starts at $7.25 per user per month; monthly Pro costs $8.75 per month.

Slack offers channel-based collaboration, connected apps, and workflow tools across major desktop and mobile platforms. Consider the free message-history and app limits, or the listed paid billing terms, when choosing a plan.

Slack suits teams that coordinate through channels and messages and want connected apps or workflow automation. The free plan may fit teams with modest app needs and who can work within a 90-day searchable history.

Overview

Slack is a channel-based collaboration service for teams that want conversations, connected work apps, and routine workflows in one place. It suits organizations that rely on integrations or collaborate across company boundaries, though its free history and app caps can make it a poor fit as a permanent, integration-heavy workspace.

Channels help organize team discussions, while guest access brings outside collaborators into the work. The choice is clearest for teams that will benefit from Slack’s broad app ecosystem and can justify a paid plan when free-tier limits get in the way.

Key features

Channels, apps, and workflows

Slack connects to services such as Salesforce, Jira, Google Drive, ChatGPT, Asana, Miro, Notion, Zoom, GitHub, GitLab, PagerDuty, Box, Dropbox, Zendesk, Freshdesk, and HubSpot. Its Marketplace and App Directory contain over 2,600 apps, making it a strong option for teams that want work tools close to their conversations. The trade-off is the Free plan’s ten-app limit; paid plans allow unlimited app integrations.

Workflow Builder lets teams automate routine tasks and processes in Slack without coding. That is useful for reducing repetitive work without requiring a separate automation tool, while teams that do not need workflows may see less value in this breadth.

Communication and external collaboration

Free users can hold one-to-one audio and video meetings with screen sharing, and send one-to-one external messages through Slack Connect. Paid plans expand external collaboration to direct messages, group chats, or dedicated channels involving up to 250 organizations. That wider reach suits teams coordinating with multiple partners; the free option is narrower.

Slack’s built-in AI includes summaries, Slackbot, AI search, daily recaps, file summaries, and workflow generation. These tools can help teams find and condense work in the platform, though Slack’s core case remains strongest for teams already using its channels and integrations.

Security and retention

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. Native device management covers mobile and desktop. Free deletes data after one year, while paid subscriptions keep it for life by default with adjustable settings. Those controls and retention terms make paid plans a more suitable choice for organizations with ongoing collaboration or administration needs.

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. It is a reasonable starting point for teams with modest integration needs, but the short searchable history and one-year data deletion policy limit its usefulness as a long-term record.

Pro costs $8.75 a month when billed monthly. It removes the history and app-integration caps and supports group external messages with up to 250 organizations. This fits teams that need an enduring searchable record, more connected tools, or broader partner collaboration. The pricing note also gives a paid starting price of $7.25/user/mo (annual); that annual per-user term differs from the monthly Pro price.

Business+ costs $18 a month when billed monthly. It includes unlimited message history and app integrations, group external messages with up to 250 organizations, and is described as a plan with AI-powered work and advanced AI features. It is aimed at teams seeking those AI capabilities in addition to the paid collaboration limits, at a higher monthly price than Pro.

Enterprise+ has custom pricing. It includes unlimited history and app integrations, group external messages with up to 250 organizations, and expanded administration and compliance features alongside enterprise-grade AI. It is the fit for organizations that need those enterprise controls and can work with a custom-priced plan.

Platforms

Slack supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, with API support also available. That range makes it a practical option for teams working across desktop and mobile systems.

Who it's for

Slack is best suited to teams that organize work in channels, depend on connected apps, automate recurring processes, or coordinate with external organizations. Smaller teams can start free, but should be comfortable with 90 days of searchable messages, one-year data deletion, and a ten-app ceiling. Teams that need broader history, integrations, or partner messaging should consider a paid plan; organizations seeking expanded administration and compliance should look at Enterprise+.

Pros and cons

• Pros: A directory of over 2,600 apps and unlimited paid integrations suit teams with many connected work tools.
• Pros: Workflow Builder automates routine processes without coding, while built-in AI offers summaries, search, recaps, and workflow generation.
• Pros: Encryption by default plus SSO, device management, access logs, and data loss prevention give teams substantial security controls.
• Cons: Free search covers only 90 days, and data is deleted after one year, so the free tier is not a durable archive.
• Cons: Free limits teams to ten apps and one-to-one meetings and external messages, restricting larger or more connected collaborations.
• Cons: Business+ costs more than Pro, and Enterprise+ requires custom pricing, which may not suit teams seeking a straightforward low-cost upgrade.

Alternatives

Microsoft Teams is another freemium option across desktop, web, and mobile platforms; its free plan allows 100 participants, 60-minute group meetings, and 5 GB of cloud storage.

Zoho Cliq may suit teams weighing searchable-message and storage quotas: its free plan includes 100 participants per group, 10,000 searchable messages, and 100 GB of storage per organization.

Lark offers a Starter plan with 20 users, 100 GB of storage, 18 months of message history, and 1,000 automations per month.

Rocket.Chat is an alternative with a free Starter plan for 50 users and a Community plan for 100 concurrent users.

Zulip may appeal to teams comparing message-search and file-storage caps: Cloud Free includes 10,000 messages of search history and 5 GB of total file storage.

Discord offers free voice, video, and text chat with community servers and browser, desktop, and mobile access.

Wire is an alternative whose maker says its source code is fully open source and available on GitHub for verification.

Pumble is another freemium option; its Free plan includes unlimited users, message history, and channels, plus 10 GB of storage per workspace and up to three apps.

Browse Team chat apps, Employee Directory Software, or Team Collaboration Software for more options.

Verdict

Choose Slack if your team will make use of its broad integrations, channel-based collaboration, and workflow or AI tools, especially when paid plans’ unlimited history and apps matter. Look elsewhere if the free plan’s 90-day search window, one-year data deletion, or ten-app limit is too restrictive and a paid subscription is not worthwhile.