Microsoft Teams dominates enterprise markets with 360+ million monthly users and integrated Office 365 ecosystem, while Slack leads in user experience with superior search, threading, and focused team collaboration at $12.50/user/month premium pricing.
Slack vs Microsoft Teams — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Cloud-based team messaging and collaboration platform with advanced search and thread-focused conversations.
Enterprise collaboration platform integrated with Microsoft 365 suite, offering messaging, video calls, and Office app integration.
Monthly Active Users. Premium Seat Cost (Monthly). Message Search Functionality. Native Calendar Integration. File Storage (Pro Plan). Thread Management. Video Conference Participants (Free)
Choose Microsoft Teams if you're an enterprise with existing Microsoft 365 licenses, need integrated Office apps, or require 1TB file storage per user—it offers unmatched ecosystem integration and 45% lower per-seat costs. Choose Slack if your team prioritizes superior user experience, advanced search capabilities, and focused collaboration workflows, even at higher cost.
Slack: ~38 Million | Microsoft Teams: 320 million
Slack: $7.25 | Microsoft Teams: Included with M365
Slack: $7.25 | Microsoft Teams: $6.00 (with Microsoft 365 Business Basic)
Slack: $87 (billed yearly) | Microsoft Teams: $72 (bundled pricing)
Slack: Up to 2,000 (with paid plan) | Microsoft Teams: Up to 10,000
Slack: Limited (third-party connectors) | Microsoft Teams: Native with SharePoint, OneDrive, Office Web Apps
Slack: Slack AI (summarization, search, assisted writing) | Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Copilot Pro (enterprise AI, meeting insights)
Slack: Excellent - optimized search indexing | Microsoft Teams: 2-4 seconds average
Slack: $8.25 (Pro plan, min 3 users) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Unlimited (Slack Huddles for video limited to 50 participants) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Huddles for brief video, limited to 50 participants; requires external tool for full conferencing | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Not native; requires integration with Otter.ai or similar third-party services | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 5 out of 5 (core feature with channels, threads, and history) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 2 out of 5 (available via integration, not native) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 30+ (CRM tools, meeting summaries, automation, SlackBot enhancements) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Cloud-based SaaS only | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Compliant but data on Salesforce servers | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: No increases for 33 months | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Unlimited group chats | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Workflow automation, search enhancement | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Not available | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Optimized with threads and archives | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Slack AI (optional on paid plans) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Limited (requires custom setup) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Advanced with conditional logic | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Variable by plan | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 33+ months | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: No, proprietary | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Advanced AI assistant, smart summaries, automation | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Requires 3rd party | Microsoft Teams: 1080p (1920x1080)
Slack: $150 (billed monthly) | Microsoft Teams: $70/year (via Microsoft 365 Business Basic)
Slack: 0 (not native feature) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 1 workspace | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 3 participants | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Unlimited (slide deck view only) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 2,000+ integrations | Microsoft Teams: 1,000+ native integrations
Slack: DMs only, Enterprise+ plan | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Slack AI (search, summarization, drafting) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: $12.50 per user/month | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 90 days maximum | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 2000+ integrations | Microsoft Teams: 500+
Slack: 15 participants | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Advanced (Workflow Builder, automations) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 750 million | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 2,300+ integrations | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Unlimited external guests via workspace invite | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: $8-12.50 (Pro/Business+) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 10 years standard | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Channel-based threads (contextual loss in active channels) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Proprietary (closed-source) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Native iOS/Android with feature-parity | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Yes (Slack Huddles) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 2,400+ apps | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: $412.50/month | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: No, cloud-only | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Paid Workspaces/Users (Enterprise Adoption)
Slack: 750,000+ paid workspaces | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Proprietary/closed | Microsoft Teams: Proprietary (closed-source)
Slack: $150/month ($1,800/year) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 2,400+ integrations | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 90-day limited access | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 750,000+ active workspaces | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: No (cloud-only) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Yes (Business+ plan required) | Microsoft Teams: Yes
Slack: $12.50/user (Pro plan) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 10,000 messages (free); unlimited (paid) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: No (requires integrations) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 50-100ms (instant) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 5GB (Free), varies by plan | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 0.5-1 hour | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP, GDPR | Microsoft Teams: SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP, GDPR, DLP, eDiscovery
Slack: 0.75 million | Microsoft Teams: 360 million
Slack: $8.75 | Microsoft Teams: $6.50 or free with Microsoft 365
Slack: 1 GB shared workspace | Microsoft Teams: 100 GB per user
Slack: 90 days | Microsoft Teams: 90 days
Annual Subscription Cost (Pro, 100 users)
Slack: $10,500 | Microsoft Teams: $7,800 or free with Microsoft 365
Slack: 100+ | Microsoft Teams: 500+ apps
Maximum video call participants (free tier)
Slack: 100 participants | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 90 days searchable | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 2,000+ apps (Slack App Directory) | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: Cost-effective until ~12 users | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: No: messaging-only, requires integrations | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 90 days (Free/Pro), unlimited with Enterprise | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Slack: 750+ million messages daily across 750k+ organizations | Microsoft Teams: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro/Standard)
Slack: $8.25 | Microsoft Teams: $0 (bundled) or $12.50 (standalone)
Slack: <100ms | Microsoft Teams: 200-300ms
Slack: All messages indexed instantly | Microsoft Teams: Last 3 months only
Slack: 90 days | Microsoft Teams: Unlimited
Slack: API-based (basic) | Microsoft Teams: Native (deep)
Slack: 100 (workspace) | Microsoft Teams: 1000 (1TB OneDrive)
Maximum Video Conference Participants (Free)
Slack: Limited (typically 3-4) | Microsoft Teams: 100
Slack: 4.6/5 (12,400 reviews) | Microsoft Teams: 4.1/5 (8,300 reviews)
Slack: Full-text indexed across all messages | Microsoft Teams: Basic keyword search (limited free tier)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: No, paid only
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Full native integration
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Often requires app/account
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 60 minutes
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: $6/month (Microsoft 365 bundle)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Limited translation features
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: $6 (Teams Essentials)
Maximum Free Tier Group Meeting Duration
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 100 participants
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Premium only ($10/user/month)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 8+ apps (Outlook, Excel, Word, OneDrive, SharePoint, Project, Planner, Power BI)
Advanced Chat Features (Channels, Threading, Workflows)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Advanced (channels, nested threads, queues, connectors)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 3,669 reviews
3-Year Total Cost of Ownership (1,000 users)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Lower (integrated M365)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 3,668 reviews
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 7.9% positive
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Limited to basic captions
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Basic transcription only
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Third-party device support only
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 1,000+ participants
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Limited (Copilot requires E5)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 4K at 30fps
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 31 languages
Enterprise Deployment Adoption (500+ seat orgs)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 67% of deployments
3-Year TCO Advantage for 1,000 Users with M365
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 47% lower cost
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: $7.00 (Business Basic 2026 price)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 300+ participants
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Excellent (optimized for reliability)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 4K (3840x2160)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 40+ languages (Teams Premium)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Steep (enterprise-focused interface)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 350+ million monthly active users
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 60 minutes (group calls)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Unlimited (OneDrive)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Full (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Copilot Pro required ($20+ per tenant)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Web
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 320 million
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: $0 (Free) or $6 (Standard)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 10,000 participants
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Cloud-only (SaaS)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Copilot with GPT-4, speech-to-text, real-time translation
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Microsoft-managed regional datacenters (limited control)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 60 minutes (100 participants max)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 60+ languages
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Limited (fixed structure)
Free Tier Meeting Duration for Group Calls
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 60 minutes (unlimited participants)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 300 participants
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 5 GB (OneDrive)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 50 breakout rooms
Global Enterprise Video Conferencing Market Share (2024)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Native: Word, Excel, SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook, Power BI
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 300+ million users
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: $4.00 (Teams Essentials) - $12.50 (Teams Premium)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: 2 GB per file
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Proprietary closed-source
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: Cloud-only SaaS
Annual TCO (1,000 users, 3-year average)
Slack: N/A | Microsoft Teams: $48,000-150,000
How to choose between Slack and Microsoft Teams
Slack vs Microsoft Teams — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Slack vs Microsoft Teams. Contains 216 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Slack vs Microsoft Teams — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Slack vs Microsoft Teams.
Yes. Microsoft Teams Pro costs $6.00/user/month compared to Slack Pro at $12.50/user/month—making Teams 52% more affordable. Teams offers additional value through 1TB OneDrive integration vs Slack's 100GB workspace, and included Office 365 apps. For organizations with existing Microsoft 365 licenses, Teams is often included at no additional cost.
Which platform has better search functionality?
Slack has significantly superior search with full-text indexing, boolean operators, and advanced filters across all historical messages. Microsoft Teams' search is functional but less powerful, especially in the free tier. If your team frequently needs to find past conversations and files, Slack's search capabilities are a decisive advantage.
Can I use Teams or Slack without Microsoft 365?
Yes, both platforms work independently. Slack requires no Microsoft products and operates as a standalone service. Teams also functions without Microsoft 365, though you miss out on the native Office integration benefits. However, Teams' primary value proposition centers on Microsoft 365 integration, so standalone Teams is less compelling than standalone Slack.
Which platform is better for large enterprises?
Microsoft Teams is better for large enterprises due to 360 million monthly users providing ecosystem dominance, native Microsoft 365 integration, superior file collaboration in Word/Excel/PowerPoint, and significantly lower per-seat costs. Slack leads in user experience but scales better for cost-conscious large organizations using Teams.
Slack's free version includes 90-day message history, 5GB file storage, and unlimited users. Teams free version offers 60-minute group video calls for up to 100 people, 5GB per user OneDrive storage, and unlimited chat history. Teams' free tier is more generous for video conferencing; Slack's free tier better for message searchability.
How to Choose Between Slack and Microsoft Teams
Monthly Active Users: Slack has 750,000+, while Microsoft Teams has 360,000,000+.
Premium Seat Cost (Monthly): Slack has $12.50, while Microsoft Teams has $6.00.
Message Search Functionality: Slack has Full-text search with advanced filters, while Microsoft Teams has Limited search in free tier, basic in paid.
Native Calendar Integration: Slack has Calendar app available via 3rd party, while Microsoft Teams has Native Outlook integration built-in.
File Storage (Pro Plan): Slack has Unlimited message history, 100GB workspace, while Microsoft Teams has 1TB per user included.
Thread Management: Slack has Focused threading with separate notification control, while Microsoft Teams has Reply threading with conversation view.
Consider: Video Conference Participants (Free)
Video Conference Participants (Free): Slack has 40 minutes for group calls, while Microsoft Teams has 60 minutes for up to 100 participants.