Loom is a video messaging and screen recording tool designed for asynchronous communication, while Slack is a comprehensive team chat and collaboration platform with real-time messaging as its core feature. They serve different primary purposes but can complement each other in workflows.
Loom vs Slack — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Cloud-based async video messaging platform for screen recording, instant feedback, and team collaboration.
Cloud-based team messaging platform with deep enterprise integrations and 21 million daily active users.
Primary Function. Video Recording Capability. Max Free Video Length. Free Tier Monthly Cost. Team Size Collaboration. Integrations Available. Real-Time Communication
Choose Loom if your team works asynchronously, needs quick video explanations without scheduling meetings, or wants to reduce meeting fatigue through recorded walkthroughs. Choose Slack if you need a central hub for real-time team communication, file sharing, and day-to-day collaboration, though Slack can integrate Loom videos within conversations for enhanced communication.
Loom: Asynchronous (recorded) | Slack: N/A
Loom: Drawing tools, mouse emphasis, buttons, links, file embedding | Slack: N/A
Loom: AI highlights, smart transcript | Slack: N/A
Loom: Record immediately without scheduling | Slack: N/A
Loom: Yes, generous free tier | Slack: N/A
Loom: Basic view counts and engagement | Slack: N/A
Loom: Limited enterprise options | Slack: N/A
Loom: Yes, with @mentions and reactions | Slack: N/A
Loom: 4K (3840×2160) | Slack: Requires 3rd party
Loom: 20+ languages | Slack: 0 (not native feature)
Free Tier Monthly Recording/Creation Limit
Loom: 5 GB (limited by 25 min cap) | Slack: N/A
Loom: Auto-summarization, transcription, speaker identification | Slack: N/A
Loom: Async video communication | Slack: N/A
Loom: Unlimited duration, 25 slots | Slack: N/A
Loom: 4 (captions, summaries, chapters, search) | Slack: N/A
Loom: Timeline editor, cursor effects, zoom, drawing, speed control | Slack: N/A
Loom: Unlimited duration per video | Slack: N/A
Loom: Yes, auto-generated transcripts | Slack: N/A
Loom: Via integrations only | Slack: N/A
Loom: $144/year | Slack: $150 (billed monthly)
Average Setup Time for New Recording/Meeting
AI Transcription Support (Standard Tier)
Loom: Unlimited transcription | Slack: N/A
Loom: Not applicable (no live meetings) | Slack: N/A
Loom: $12/month (Pro, billed annually) | Slack: N/A
Loom: Workspaces, commenting, reactions, sharing permissions | Slack: N/A
Loom: 100+ (Slack, Notion, Gmail, HubSpot, etc.) | Slack: 2000+ integrations
Loom: Yes, included with searchability | Slack: N/A
Loom: Yes, view count, watch time, engagement | Slack: N/A
Loom: N/A | Slack: Up to 2,000 (with paid plan)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Limited (third-party connectors)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Slack AI (summarization, search, assisted writing)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Excellent - optimized search indexing
Loom: N/A | Slack: $3,600 (Pro plan at $15/user)
Loom: N/A | Slack: $8.25 (Pro plan, min 3 users)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Unlimited (Slack Huddles for video limited to 50 participants)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Huddles for brief video, limited to 50 participants; requires external tool for full conferencing
Loom: N/A | Slack: Not native; requires integration with Otter.ai or similar third-party services
Loom: N/A | Slack: 5 out of 5 (core feature with channels, threads, and history)
Loom: N/A | Slack: 2 out of 5 (available via integration, not native)
Loom: N/A | Slack: 30+ (CRM tools, meeting summaries, automation, SlackBot enhancements)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Cloud-based SaaS only
Loom: N/A | Slack: Compliant but data on Salesforce servers
Loom: N/A | Slack: No increases for 33 months
Loom: N/A | Slack: Unlimited group chats
Loom: N/A | Slack: Workflow automation, search enhancement
Loom: N/A | Slack: Optimized with threads and archives
Loom: N/A | Slack: Slack AI (optional on paid plans)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Limited (requires custom setup)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Advanced with conditional logic
Loom: N/A | Slack: Advanced AI assistant, smart summaries, automation
Loom: N/A | Slack: Unlimited (slide deck view only)
Loom: N/A | Slack: DMs only, Enterprise+ plan
Loom: N/A | Slack: Slack AI (search, summarization, drafting)
Loom: N/A | Slack: $12.50 per user/month
Loom: N/A | Slack: Advanced (Workflow Builder, automations)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Unlimited external guests via workspace invite
Loom: N/A | Slack: $8-12.50 (Pro/Business+)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Channel-based threads (contextual loss in active channels)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Proprietary (closed-source)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Native iOS/Android with feature-parity
Paid Workspaces/Users (Enterprise Adoption)
Loom: N/A | Slack: 750,000+ paid workspaces
Loom: N/A | Slack: $150/month ($1,800/year)
Loom: N/A | Slack: 90-day limited access
Loom: N/A | Slack: 750,000+ active workspaces
Loom: N/A | Slack: Yes (Business+ plan required)
Loom: N/A | Slack: $12.50/user (Pro plan)
Loom: N/A | Slack: 10,000 messages (free); unlimited (paid)
Loom: N/A | Slack: No (requires integrations)
Loom: N/A | Slack: 5GB (Free), varies by plan
Loom: N/A | Slack: SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP, GDPR
Loom: N/A | Slack: 1 GB shared workspace
Annual Subscription Cost (Pro, 100 users)
Maximum video call participants (free tier)
Loom: N/A | Slack: 2,000+ apps (Slack App Directory)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Cost-effective until ~12 users
Loom: N/A | Slack: No: messaging-only, requires integrations
Loom: N/A | Slack: 90 days (Free/Pro), unlimited with Enterprise
Loom: N/A | Slack: 750+ million messages daily across 750k+ organizations
Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro/Standard)
Loom: N/A | Slack: All messages indexed instantly
Maximum Video Conference Participants (Free)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Limited (typically 3-4)
Loom: N/A | Slack: 4.6/5 (12,400 reviews)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Full-text indexed across all messages
Loom: N/A | Slack: Partial (DMs only, beta feature)
Cost Per User (Annual, Lowest Paid Tier)
Loom: N/A | Slack: Certified (SOC 2 Type II, GDPR)
Loom vs Slack — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Loom vs Slack. Contains 203 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Loom vs Slack — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Loom vs Slack.
Yes, Loom integrates natively with Slack. You can record a Loom video and share it directly to any Slack channel or direct message using the Loom app or the /loom slash command. Slack will display a preview with the video thumbnail and transcript excerpt, making it easy for team members to watch without leaving Slack. This combination is particularly effective for reducing meeting fatigue while maintaining team alignment.
Both serve different aspects of remote work. Slack is better for day-to-day real-time communication, quick questions, and coordination. Loom is better for asynchronous communication across time zones, reducing meeting fatigue, and creating reusable documentation. The most effective remote teams typically use both: Slack for immediate conversations and Loom for substantive updates and explanations that don't require synchronous discussion.
What are the privacy and security differences?
Slack offers enterprise-grade security with SAML 2.0 SSO, FedRAMP compliance, and SOC 2 Type II certification suitable for regulated industries. Loom also provides SOC 2 Type II compliance and allows password protection on individual videos, but its primary focus is simplicity over enterprise security. For teams handling sensitive data (healthcare, finance, government), Slack's more granular permission model is superior, though both can be used together with appropriate restrictions.
What happens to my free plan messages on Slack after 90 days?
On Slack's free tier, messages older than 90 days become inaccessible and are not searchable, but they are not permanently deleted from Slack's servers. If you upgrade to a paid plan, you regain access to your full message history. This differs from Loom, which keeps all free videos indefinitely and searchable.
Slack offers 24/7 support for paid Enterprise plans and business hours support for Standard/Pro plans. Loom provides email support on free and pro tiers, with faster response times on paid plans. For critical business needs, Slack's enterprise support is more robust. However, both platforms have active community forums and extensive documentation that often address common questions quickly.
Primary Function: Loom has Async video messaging & screen recording, while Slack has Real-time team chat & messaging.
Video Recording Capability: Loom has Built-in with 1080p/4K, screen + webcam, while Slack has Requires third-party integration.
Max Free Video Length: Loom has 45 minutes per video, while Slack has N/A (not core feature).
Free Tier Monthly Cost: Loom has $0 (unlimited videos), while Slack has $0 (limited to 90 days message history).
Team Size Collaboration: Loom has Best for 1-50 person async teams, while Slack has Best for 5-10,000+ person teams.
Integrations Available: Loom has 150+ native integrations, while Slack has 2,200+ native integrations.
Real-Time Communication: Loom has Not optimized (focus on recorded messages), while Slack has Primary strength with instant delivery.