Head-to-head comparison

Slack vs Microsoft Teams

Comparing Slack and Microsoft Teams to help you pick the right Messaging Apps for your needs.

Feature Slack Microsoft Teams
Pricing Freemium Freemium
Platforms Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux
Launched 2013 2017
Starting price $0 $0
Community votes 598 421

Slack Pros & Cons

  • Channel-based organization scales much better than email for team-wide communication
  • Massive app integration ecosystem connects nearly every other tool a team uses
  • Powerful, fast search across message history (on paid plans) makes information genuinely retrievable
  • Huddles provide lightweight audio/video calls without the overhead of scheduling a formal meeting
  • AI features summarize unread channels and threads, reducing catch-up time after time away
  • Free tier's 90-day message history limit means older context becomes permanently inaccessible
  • Can contribute to notification overload and "always-on" expectations without deliberate norms
  • Per-user pricing adds up significantly for large organizations
  • Channel sprawl in large organizations can fragment information across too many places
  • Microsoft Teams' bundling with Microsoft 365 creates strong pricing competition for budget-conscious buyers

Microsoft Teams Pros & Cons

  • Bundled into Microsoft 365 licensing, effectively free for organizations already paying for it
  • Combines chat, video calls, and file collaboration (via SharePoint/OneDrive) in one platform
  • Deep integration with Office apps lets users co-edit documents directly within Teams
  • Strong enterprise admin controls and compliance features for regulated industries
  • Scales from small team chat to large company-wide town hall meetings
  • Interface and performance have historically drawn more criticism than Slack's more polished experience
  • Smaller third-party app ecosystem than Slack's more mature integration marketplace
  • Channel and team organization can become unwieldy in very large organizations without governance
  • Notification management and search are less refined than some dedicated messaging competitors
  • Full feature set effectively requires Microsoft 365 licensing to unlock the strongest value

Verdict: Slack vs Microsoft Teams

Slack and Microsoft Teams both serve the Messaging Apps category well, but suit different priorities. Based on community engagement, Slack is currently the more widely adopted choice (598 votes), but the better fit ultimately depends on your specific pricing, platform, and feature requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, Slack or Microsoft Teams?
Slack and Microsoft Teams use a similar pricing model (both freemium), so the cheaper choice depends on which specific plan tier and feature set you need rather than the base pricing model.
Is Slack or Microsoft Teams rated higher?
Slack and Microsoft Teams currently hold comparable editorial ratings, so neither has a clear edge — the right pick depends more on which specific features and pricing fit your use case.
Which platforms do Slack and Microsoft Teams support?
Slack is available on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android. Microsoft Teams is available on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux. Both tools cover a similar range of platforms.
Can I switch from Slack to Microsoft Teams (or vice versa)?
Most messaging apps tools, including Slack and Microsoft Teams, support data export in standard formats, making migration possible though rarely fully automatic. Expect to manually verify that custom configurations, integrations, and historical data transfer correctly, and budget time for the team to adjust to workflow differences between the two products.
Should I choose Slack or Microsoft Teams?
Slack and Microsoft Teams both serve the Messaging Apps category well, but suit different priorities. Based on community engagement, Slack is currently the more widely adopted choice (598 votes), but the better fit ultimately depends on your specific pricing, platform, and feature requirements.