Top 10 Slack Alternatives for Better Team Communication in 2024

Slack is a dominant player in the team communication and collaboration space. It's known for its modern interface, robust feature set, and strong integration capabilities.

Created in 2013, Slack rapidly gained popularity among tech startups and small businesses. It essentially replaced email to become the hub for internal team conversations, file sharing, and project management.

Today Slack has over 12 million daily active users, with 85,000+ paying customers including 65 Fortune 100 companies. Its growth has been impressive, achieving a market valuation of over $17 billion.

However, Slack is not without its downsides. While feature-rich, it can also be complex and overwhelming for some users. Slack lacks native video/voice calling and real-time document collaboration. Its pricing is expensive for larger teams and nonprofits. Customization is limited on free plans.

For these reasons, some teams are exploring alternatives that may better meet their needs and budgets. The marketplace has responded with a wave of new team chat apps aiming to complement or compete directly with Slack.

This article will compare the top 10 Slack alternatives based on features, integrations, pricing, and overall pros/cons. It aims to help teams evaluate different options to determine if Slack is still the right fit or if it may be time to switch.

1. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a full-featured team collaboration platform that integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 apps and services. Here's an overview of its key features:

Overview of Key Features

• Chats - Have public or private chats with individuals or groups. Share files, emojis, GIFs and more.
• Meetings & Video Calls - Host online meetings with screen sharing, audio/video conferencing for up to 250 participants. Customize virtual backgrounds and view shared content simultaneously.
• Collaboration Tools - Co-author Word, Excel and PowerPoint files in real time. Share task lists, wikis, planners and more.
• Third Party Integrations - Connect popular apps and services like Trello, GitHub, Zoom and over 200 more.

Integration with Microsoft Products

As part of Microsoft 365, Teams integrates closely with other Microsoft services:

• Exchange/Outlook - Schedule meetings, access calendars, join calls, and sync emails.
• SharePoint - Access team files, wikis and sites directly within Teams.
• Office 365 - Co-author Office documents and share with access controls.
• OneDrive - Share docs, spreadsheets, presentations from OneDrive to Teams.

Pricing Tiers

Microsoft Teams pricing depends on the type of Microsoft 365 license:

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic - Free access to chat and collaboration features for up to 300 users.
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard - $5/month per user. Adds additional features like meetings, file sharing, app integrations.
• Microsoft 365 Business Premium - $12.50/month per user. Full access to advanced features like analytics, schedules, shifts and more.
• Enterprise Plans - Custom pricing for large organizations with advance security, compliance and management capabilities.

Pros

• Tight integration with Microsoft 365 apps
• Robust meeting and video conferencing features
• Flexible options for different organization needs
• Strong adoption in the enterprise

Cons

• Less third party app integrations compared to Slack
• Steeper learning curve than lightweight chat apps
• More expensive than some competing options
• Not ideal for open source communities or public teams

In summary, Microsoft Teams is a great choice for organizations invested in the Microsoft ecosystem looking for an enterprise-grade collaboration hub that brings together chat, meetings, files, and apps into a single platform. The combination of features and integration with Office 365 makes it a leading option for large companies.

2. Google Chat

Google Chat is Google's team communication app that is included in Google Workspace (formerly G Suite). It deeply integrates with Gmail, Google Calendar, Drive, Docs and other Google services.

Some key features of Google Chat include:

• Rooms - Chat spaces for teams and topics to have focused conversations. You can create rooms manually or have them auto-created from Google Calendar events.
• Video calling - Start video meetings with up to 100 participants directly within Chat. HD video and screen sharing is supported.
• File sharing - Share files directly from Drive and preview documents without leaving Chat.
• Syncing with Gmail - Chat messages can appear alongside your Gmail inbox for a unified experience.
• Search - Powerful search helps you find messages even if you don't remember which room it was in.
• Bots & integrations - Add bots for tasks like managing tickets, taking notes and more. Integrate with your favourite apps.

Google Chat has free and paid tiers:

• The free version allows up to 15 participants per room. File sharing is limited to 2GB per user.
• Paid Google Workspace plans unlock additional features like larger rooms, retention policies, advanced admin controls and compliance options. Prices start at $6 per user/month.

Overall, Google Chat is a convenient team chat app for those already using Google's ecosystem of products. The tight integration makes it easy to communicate without switching contexts.

3. Zoom

Zoom is primarily known as a video conferencing platform that has become widely used for meetings, webinars, and virtual events. However, Zoom also offers messaging and chat features that can make it a potential Slack alternative for some teams.

Zoom offers private and group chat options within its platform. Users can direct message individuals as well as create chat channels related to topics, projects, teams, etc. While the chat functionality may not be as robust as a dedicated tool like Slack, it can provide basic messaging needs.

One downside with Zoom's chat features is that the application is primarily optimized for video. The chat tools feel secondary to the main videoconferencing functions. While you can disable video, Zoom still lacks some of the team messaging specialization of other tools.

Zoom has faced criticism for security and privacy issues. Concerns emerged in 2020 around "zoombombing" where uninvited participants could enter and disrupt meetings. Zoom has since strengthened security and implemented end-to-end encryption. However, some businesses may still prefer tools perceived as more secure for sensitive communications.

On the pricing side, Zoom offers a free basic plan with limited features. Paid plans unlock larger meetings, additional capabilities, and more administrative controls. Zoom's pricing may make it appealing for smaller teams, but costs can grow with more users and requirements.

In summary, Zoom provides messaging alongside its main videoconferencing features. It can potentially stand in for Slack in some basic use cases. But dedicated chat apps often provide richer chat experiences, more administrative controls, and greater focus on security.

4. Discord

Discord is a popular communication platform originally designed for gamers. It allows users to create servers with multiple text and voice channels for different communities and topics.

Some key features of Discord include:

• Channels and Communities - Servers can have multiple text and voice channels segmented into topics, making it easy to have focused discussions. Public and private servers allow for both large and intimate communities.
• Voice, Video, and Screen Sharing - In addition to text chat, Discord supports high quality voice chat for up to 50 people at once. Video calling and screen sharing are also available.
• Free and Subscription Plans - Discord can be used for free without any limits on users or message history. Paid Nitro plans unlock additional perks like higher quality video, custom emojis, and a larger file upload size limit.

Discord strikes a nice balance between the text chat capabilities of Slack and the voice/video features of team meeting tools. The vibrant communities formed around gaming and other interests make it a fun platform for casual and hobbyist users.

5. Cisco Webex Teams

Cisco Webex Teams is part of the full Webex suite of collaboration tools offered by Cisco. It offers tight integration with Webex video conferencing and meeting software, making it easy to move between chat, audio meetings, and video meetings.

Some key features of Webex Teams include:

• Team messaging with the ability to share files and code snippets
• Screen sharing for real-time collaboration
• File storage up to 5GB per person
• Whiteboarding for ideation and brainstorming
• Integrated video meetings powered by Webex

Webex Teams has mobile apps for iOS and Android to stay connected on the go. It offers advanced security and compliance features for regulated industries.

Cisco offers several pricing tiers:

• Free version for teams up to 50
• Starter plan at $13 per user per month
• Business plan at $26 per user per month with additional storage, analytics, and integrations

For organizations invested in Cisco networking and voice products, Webex Teams makes for a robust unified communications platform across messaging, calling, meetings, and events. The deep integrations and compatibility with Webex Meetings and Webex Devices is a key advantage.

6. Twist

Twist is a team communication and collaboration platform that features thread-first conversations to keep communication organized. With Twist, teams can have threaded conversations around projects, topics, and processes to keep everyone on the same page.

Some key features of Twist include:

• Thread-first conversations - Discussions are structured around threads instead of channels. This allows for centralized conversations around specific topics.
• Integrations - Twist integrates with calendars, email, docs, and other tools to bring relevant information into the platform. This allows teams to collaborate without switching between apps.
• Free and paid plans - Twist offers a free plan for teams up to 5 people. Paid plans unlock additional features like unlimited messages, admin controls, and advanced integrations. Pricing scales based on number of users.

Twist makes it easy for distributed teams to stay connected through organized topic-based communication. With robust threading and integrations, Twist is a great alternative for teams looking for Slack-like functionality with more structure.

7. Flock

Flock is a team communication and collaboration platform that offers many of the same capabilities as Slack. Key features of Flock include:

• Channels - Flock has public channels, private channels, and direct messages for team communication. You can organize channels by topic, project, team, etc.
• Video conferencing - Built-in video conferencing allows for face-to-face meetings, screen sharing, and recording. Flock video meetings support up to 250 participants.
• Calendars - Shared team calendars help you schedule meetings and track events. You can also integrate Flock with Google and Office 365 calendars.
• Search - Search across messages, files, links and more to quickly find what you need. Advanced filters help you zero in on results.
• File sharing - Share files directly in channels or upload to cloud storage like Google Drive and Dropbox. Preview docs, sheets, PDFs and more within Flock.
• Apps & integrations - Flock connects to popular apps like Trello, Jira, GitHub and more. API and webhook support enables custom integrations.
• Free and paid plans - Flock offers a free plan for teams up to 20 people. Paid plans start at $4.50 per user/month and add features like admin controls, SSO, advanced search, unlimited message history, 24/7 support, and more.

Flock provides a full-featured team communication solution for small to large teams. With capabilities comparable to Slack plus built-in video conferencing, Flock is a top alternative to evaluate. The free plan allows teams to try it out at no cost.

8. Rocket.Chat

Rocket.Chat is an open-source team chat software solution with both self-hosted and cloud options. It provides capabilities for messaging, audio/video conferencing, screen sharing, and file sharing across devices.

Some key features of Rocket.Chat include:

• Channels - Organize conversations into different channels or private groups. Mute channels or set up read-only channels.
• Video & Voice Chat - Have video conferences, screen share, and make voice over IP calls directly in Rocket.Chat.
• File Sharing - Share files and images with drag and drop capability. Can preview many file types directly in the chat.
• Guest Access - Invite guests to join channels and conversations easily.
• Integration & APIs - Integrate with hundreds of applications and services with webhooks, bots, and REST APIs. Supports Zapier and IFTTT.
• Notifications - Get notifications across devices and platforms including desktop, mobile, email, and push notifications. Customizable notification settings.
• Security - Enterprise-grade security features including 2FA, role-based user permissions, password policies, data loss prevention, and more.

Rocket.Chat is fully customizable with themes, emojis, interface languages and more. It can be self-hosted on premises or deployed on the cloud through providers like Rocket.Chat Cloud.

With robust messaging capabilities plus built-in video, voice, file sharing, and guest access features, Rocket.Chat provides a free open-source alternative for team communication and collaboration. The integration options also make it flexible to connect with existing tools and workflows.

Conclusion

We've covered a lot of ground looking at alternatives to Slack for team communication and collaboration. There are some great options out there with different strengths. Here's a recap of the top picks and key features:

• Microsoft Teams is the best integrated option for Microsoft shops using Office 365. It offers tight integration with Word, Excel, SharePoint and more.
• Google Chat is the obvious choice for companies invested in Google Workspace. It combines chat, video meetings, docs and tasks.
• Zoom is the leading dedicated video meeting solution. Its chat features make it a viable Slack alternative for some.
• Discord has great voice chat and community features. It's popular with online gaming communities.
• Cisco Webex Teams is a full featured option good for large enterprises.

There are also specialty solutions like Twist for asynchronous communication and Flock with its free plan. The open source Rocket.Chat is very customizable.

The reality is no app will be a perfect replacement for Slack for everyone. Slack offers excellent third party app integrations that are hard to match. For companies reliant on those apps, it may still be the best fit.

Evaluate team needs and existing infrastructure investments to determine the best option. For example, Google-centric teams get the most value from Google Chat. But organizations using Microsoft 365 can gain from adopting Teams.

The good news is there are now solid Slack alternatives to choose from based on your unique needs. Taking the time to assess options will ensure you pick the right communication tool for your organization.

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