How much does Slack cost?

Slack starts at $7.25/user/mo per user. We verified this against the vendor's pricing page; see "What we checked" below for the date.

What are the closest alternatives to Slack?

In the same category we track Microsoft Teams, Mattermost and Rocket.Chat. Each has its own review page with verified pricing, and the comparison links above show them side by side.

What are the main drawbacks of Slack?

The trade-offs we noted: Notification Fatigue: Can be highly distracting if not properly configured by the user.; Free Plan Limits: Access to message history is restricted on the free tier.; Enterprise Pricing: Per-user licensing costs can add up quickly for large organizations..

When should you not use Slack?

Skip Slack if: You rely on the Free plan long term — history is cut at 90 days and apps are capped at 10; You need Multi-SAML or unlimited workspaces; those are Enterprise+ and priced only by sales; Your headcount is large: every plan is per user, so cost scales linearly with the team.

Communication

Slack

Digital headquarters for teams.

What it is

Slack is much more than a chat app; it is the 'digital headquarters' for modern organizations. It eliminates the chaos of internal email by organizing communication into transparent, searchable, and themed channels. With thousands of integrations (GitHub, Jira, Google Drive), Slack centralizes your entire tech stack into one interface. Whether it's a quick voice chat via 'Huddles' or collaborative document editing with 'Canvas,' Slack is designed to keep hybrid and remote teams connected and productive in a fast-paced environment.

Key features

Slack Connect
Securely collaborate with external partners and agencies in shared channels.
Huddles
Start instant audio and video sessions with one click for rapid decision-making.
Workflow Builder
Automate routine tasks like onboarding or approvals without writing a single line of code.
Enterprise Security
Institutional-grade data protection and single sign-on (SSO) support for large firms.

Strengths and trade-offs

What works well

Powerful Search: Find any file or message from years ago in a matter of seconds.
Flexible Channels: Organize work by project, team, or even interests to maintain focus.
Extensive API: Easily build and integrate your own bots and custom workflows.
High Reliability: Desktop and mobile apps are exceptionally fast and stable.

Where it falls short

Notification Fatigue: Can be highly distracting if not properly configured by the user.
Free Plan Limits: Access to message history is restricted on the free tier.
Enterprise Pricing: Per-user licensing costs can add up quickly for large organizations.

Who it is for

Tech Teams, Remote Workers, and Large Corporate Enterprises.

Pick it or skip it

Pick Slack if

Teams on Pro at $7.25 per user/month billed annually ($8.75 monthly) who need unlimited message history
Small groups testing the Free plan: 90 days of message history, up to 10 apps and 1:1 huddles
Companies on Business+ at $15 per user/month annually ($18 monthly) that need group external messaging

Skip it if

You rely on the Free plan long term — history is cut at 90 days and apps are capped at 10
You need Multi-SAML or unlimited workspaces; those are Enterprise+ and priced only by sales
Your headcount is large: every plan is per user, so cost scales linearly with the team

Our verdict

An indispensable tool for moving team communication away from email and into a faster era.

Closest alternatives we track

Same category, ordered by verified starting price.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Slack cost?: Slack starts at $7.25/user/mo per user. We verified this against the vendor's pricing page; see "What we checked" below for the date.
Who is Slack best for?: Tech Teams, Remote Workers, and Large Corporate Enterprises.
What are the closest alternatives to Slack?: In the same category we track Microsoft Teams, Mattermost and Rocket.Chat. Each has its own review page with verified pricing, and the comparison links above show them side by side.
What are the main drawbacks of Slack?: The trade-offs we noted: Notification Fatigue: Can be highly distracting if not properly configured by the user.; Free Plan Limits: Access to message history is restricted on the free tier.; Enterprise Pricing: Per-user licensing costs can add up quickly for large organizations..
When should you not use Slack?: Skip Slack if: You rely on the Free plan long term — history is cut at 90 days and apps are capped at 10; You need Multi-SAML or unlimited workspaces; those are Enterprise+ and priced only by sales; Your headcount is large: every plan is per user, so cost scales linearly with the team.

What we checked

Public APIOffers a documented API you can build against.Yes
Mobile appHas a native app for iOS or Android, not just a mobile website.Yes
Open source / self-hostableSource is open and the tool can be run on your own infrastructure.No
SSO (SAML)Supports SAML single sign-on on at least one plan.Yes

“Not checked” means exactly that — we have not verified it, and we do not guess.

Evidence and freshness

Status: Vendor pricing page verifiedReviewed: 2026-09-09

Slack — Pricing ↗
Checked 2026-09-09 · Supports: Free $0: 90 days message history, up to 10 apps, 1:1 huddles, 1:1 external messages, Pro $8.75/user/month monthly or $7.25/user/month annual: unlimited history and apps, group huddles, Business+ $18/user/month monthly or $15/user/month annual, Enterprise+ contact sales; Multi-SAML and unlimited workspaces

Limit: Vendor pricing page was reviewed by an editor on this date; this record is not a ToolCompare benchmark. Prices and limits change.

Compare Slack with alternatives

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More Communication tools: see the full Communication category