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As we take stock of the pandemic, we realize that collaboration and remote work have become the hinges of the future of the business world. In such an environment, the use of chat-based collaboration software is a crucial element of business success.
In this Slack Vs. Microsoft Teams review, we will compare these solutions in different aspects to help you make a better decision.
After Slack went public in 2019, its future seemed uncertain in the face of Microsoft’s massive market dominance. But Slack’s fortunes took a turn for the better when Software behemoth Salesforce acquired it in July 2021 for $27.7 billion.
With Salesforce's financial backing, Slack has leveled the playing field, registering an annual income of over $20 billion and a net valuation of $200 billion.
Developed in response to Slack’s rising popularity, Microsoft Teams was the outcome of the increasing demand for seamless collaboration in the workplace. It was introduced in 2017 to fit right in with Microsoft's productivity suite of applications, bringing users a single platform for communication, file sharing, and project collaboration.
Although Microsoft Teams touts big numbers, citing 300 million active users, Slack claims its remote work users are more engaged. So, who takes the crown between Slack vs. Microsoft Teams? Read on to find out.
Both apps frequently roll out new features. If you don’t find a certain feature in Teams but it’s present in Slack, you’ll likely find it in the next release of Teams and vice versa. Here is a comparison of the main features.
Key features to expect in both apps include public and private channel (or team) messaging, video conference calls, searchable message history, file sharing, and screen sharing.
Overall, both solutions are evenly matched in terms of features. However, each has a distinct advantage over the other in some areas. One notable difference, though, is that with Microsoft Teams, collaboration with other teams is quite challenging.
Teams has a limit of only 5 users even if you’re on their subscription plans unless you upgrade by purchasing more licenses. On the other hand, Slack has no limit on external collaborations with paid plans.
Teams and Slack depend on external integration with other apps to extend their functionality. But there are notable differences between the two:
Teams: This tool seamlessly integrates with Microsoft’s suite of products - Microsoft 365/Office 365. It’s ideal for organizations deeply rooted in Microsoft’s ecosystem.
Slack: This remote work app excels better at Google Workspace integration. It integrates with apps such as Google Calendar, Google Sheets, Google Drive, and Gmail. Teams doesn’t offer any of these.
Unsurprisingly, Slack offers excellent integration with Salesforce’s features, such as messaging and records. Teams doesn’t go nearly as deep but has elementary Salesforce integration.
Both Teams and Slack have free versions that enable you to evaluate performance and features before subscribing to a paid plan.
The two apps have free versions that enable users to evaluate performance and features before subscribing to a paid plan.
Teams: Microsoft’s basic plan begins with “Microsoft 365 Business Basic”, going for $5.00 per user /month for many collaboration tools. “Microsoft 365 Business Standard”, their second-tier plan, goes for $12.50 and has no bearing on the available Teams features.
Slack: Their free plan is somewhat restrictive, only allowing you to have a maximum of 10,000 messages, one-to-one video calls; 10 apps and integrations, and two-factor authentication.
If you want extra features, Slack plans begin at $6.67 monthly/per user for its pro version and $12.50 monthly/per user for the Business+ plan.
So, which is better between Slack vs. Microsoft Teams? Both provide greater functionality, but they serve different needs.
If you want extensive integrations and customization - then Slack excels here. Teams is ideal for larger enterprises and companies already using Office 365. Teams is also suitable for businesses with dedicated IT teams.
Overall, this contest ends in a draw. Most companies have Slack and Teams accounts because they are both convenient in unique ways.
