Slack vs Zulip
type: Article
description: Slack is the dominant team communication platform with 750,000+ active workspaces and superior integrations, while Zulip is an open-source alternative offering better message organization through threading and lower costs for organizations prioritizing data privacy and self-hosting.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-07-07T17:04:26.821Z
date created: 2026-07-07T17:04:26.821Z
date modified: 2026-07-07T17:04:26.875Z
content reference time: 2026-07-07T17:04:26.875Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: Slack
about: Zulip
abstract: Slack is the dominant team communication platform with 750,000+ active workspaces and superior integrations, while Zulip is an open-source alternative offering better message organization through threading and lower costs for organizations prioritizing data privacy and self-hosting.
text: Pricing Model. Message Organization. Active Integrations Available. Hosting Options. Global Market Share. Message Search Speed. Free Trial Length
conclusion text: Choose Slack if you need enterprise-grade integrations, largest ecosystem of apps, and industry-standard adoption with the easiest team onboarding. Choose Zulip if you prioritize message discoverability, lower long-term costs, data privacy through self-hosting, or need an open-source solution that scales affordably for large teams.
additional property: Daily Active Users
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: ~38 Million | Zulip: N/A
additional property: App Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 2,600+ | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Paid Starting Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: $7.25 | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Standalone Monthly Pricing (Pro Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: $7.25 | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Annual Cost per User (Pro Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: $87 (billed yearly) | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Third-Party App Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 2,400+ | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Video Meeting Capacity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Up to 2,000 (with paid plan) | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Native Office Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Limited (third-party connectors) | Zulip: N/A
additional property: AI Copilot Features
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Slack AI (summarization, search, assisted writing) | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Message Search Speed
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Excellent - optimized search indexing | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Mobile App Feature Parity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 95% | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Monthly Cost per 20-Person Team
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: $3,600 (Pro plan at $15/user) | Zulip: $140 (Cloud Standard flat-rate)
  value reference: Zulip
additional property: Global Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 65% | Zulip: 2-3%
  value reference: Slack
additional property: Free Trial Duration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 7 days | Zulip: 14 days + unlimited self-hosted
  value reference: Zulip
additional property: Daily Active Users Worldwide
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 20+ million | Zulip: 0.15+ million
  value reference: Slack
additional property: Message History Retention on Free Plan
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 10,000 most recent | Zulip: 100% unlimited
additional property: Self-Hosting Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: No | Zulip: Yes (open-source)
additional property: Base Monthly Cost Per User
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: $8.25 (Pro plan, min 3 users) | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Free Tier Meeting Participant Limit
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Unlimited (Slack Huddles for video limited to 50 participants) | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Native Video Conferencing
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Huddles for brief video, limited to 50 participants; requires external tool for full conferencing | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Meeting Recording & Auto-Transcription
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Not native; requires integration with Otter.ai or similar third-party services | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Asynchronous Communication Strength
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 5 out of 5 (core feature with channels, threads, and history) | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Google Workspace Integration Level
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 2 out of 5 (available via integration, not native) | Zulip: N/A
additional property: AI Features Count (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 30+ (CRM tools, meeting summaries, automation, SlackBot enhancements) | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Base Monthly Cost Per User
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: $7.25 | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Business+ Tier Monthly Cost Per User
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: $12.50 | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Available Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 2000+ | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Deployment Options
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Cloud-based SaaS only | Zulip: N/A
additional property: GDPR & Data Sovereignty Compliance
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Compliant but data on Salesforce servers | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Price Stability (2024-2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: No increases for 33 months | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Free Tier Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Free | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Pro/Standard Monthly Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: $7.25 | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Maximum Meeting Participants
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Unlimited group chats | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Third-party Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 2000+ | Zulip: N/A
additional property: AI Features (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Workflow automation, search enhancement | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Real-Time Translation
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Not available | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Asynchronous Communication
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Optimized with threads and archives | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Zoom Rooms Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: N/A | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Minimum Monthly Cost Per User
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: $7.25 | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Third-Party Integrations Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 2,000+ | Zulip: N/A
additional property: AI Assistant Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Slack AI (optional on paid plans) | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Google Workspace Native Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Limited (requires custom setup) | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Workflow Automation Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Advanced with conditional logic | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Storage Per User (Standard Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Variable by plan | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Years Price Stable (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: 33+ months | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Open Source
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: No, proprietary | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Enterprise AI Features
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Advanced AI assistant, smart summaries, automation | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Maximum Video Length (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: N/A | Zulip: N/A
additional property: Maximum Video Resolution
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Slack: Requires 3rd party | Zulip: N/A
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/slack
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/slack
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/zulip
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/zulip
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/slack-vs-zulip)
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/slack-vs-zulip)
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/slack-vs-zulip
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/slack-vs-microsoft-teams
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/google-meet-vs-slack
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/slack-vs-zoom
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/google-chat-vs-slack
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mattermost-vs-slack
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/loom-vs-slack
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/webex-vs-slack
teaches: How to choose between Slack and Zulip
genre: Software

primaryImage
type: ImageObject
width: 1200
height: 630
caption: Slack vs Zulip — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B

A Versus B
type: Organization

Slack
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Cloud-based team messaging platform with 750,000+ active workspaces
subject of: Slack vs Zulip

Zulip
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Open-source team chat with topic-based threading and self-hosting options
image: ImageObject
  caption: Zulip
subject of: Slack vs Zulip
image: ImageObject
  caption: Zulip

Slack vs Zulip — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for Slack vs Zulip. Contains 151 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
language: en-US
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
creator: A Versus B
distribution: JSON-LD knowledge graph
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json+ld
distribution: Raw comparison JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Structured FAQ pairs JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: AI Answer API (citation-ready)
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Related comparisons JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
variable measured: Daily Active Users
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: User Base
variable measured: App Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Paid Starting Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Value
variable measured: Standalone Monthly Pricing (Pro Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Annual Cost per User (Pro Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Third-Party App Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Video Meeting Capacity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Native Office Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: AI Copilot Features
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Message Search Speed
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Mobile App Feature Parity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Mobile
variable measured: Monthly Cost per 20-Person Team
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Global Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market
variable measured: Free Trial Duration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Daily Active Users Worldwide
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usage
variable measured: Message History Retention on Free Plan
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Self-Hosting Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Deployment
variable measured: Base Monthly Cost Per User
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Free Tier Meeting Participant Limit
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Native Video Conferencing
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Meeting Recording & Auto-Transcription
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Asynchronous Communication Strength
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Google Workspace Integration Level
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration Capability
variable measured: AI Features Count (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Artificial Intelligence
variable measured: Base Monthly Cost Per User
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Business+ Tier Monthly Cost Per User
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Available Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Deployment Options
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: GDPR & Data Sovereignty Compliance
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Price Stability (2024-2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Free Tier Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Pro/Standard Monthly Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Maximum Meeting Participants
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Functionality
variable measured: Third-party Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integrations
variable measured: AI Features (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI
variable measured: Real-Time Translation
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Language Support
variable measured: Asynchronous Communication
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Communication Type
variable measured: Zoom Rooms Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Enterprise Pricing
variable measured: Minimum Monthly Cost Per User
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Third-Party Integrations Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: AI Assistant Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI Features
variable measured: Google Workspace Native Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Workflow Automation Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Automation
variable measured: Storage Per User (Standard Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Storage
variable measured: Years Price Stable (2026)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Open Source
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security & Transparency
variable measured: Enterprise AI Features
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Maximum Video Length (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Core Functionality
variable measured: Maximum Video Resolution
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Video Quality
variable measured: Native Integrations Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Extensibility
variable measured: Pro Plan Annual Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Free Tier Message History Retention
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Data Retention
variable measured: AI Transcription Languages Supported
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI Features
variable measured: Enterprise Uptime SLA
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Reliability
variable measured: User Workspace Limit (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Account Management
variable measured: Maximum Meeting Participants (Free)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Capabilities
variable measured: Maximum Meeting Participants (Paid)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Capabilities
variable measured: Free Plan Message History
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Limits
variable measured: Pro Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Available Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: End-to-End Encryption Available
variable measured: AI Meeting Assistant
variable measured: FedRAMP Authorization
variable measured: Monthly Cost (Pro Plan)
variable measured: Free Message History
variable measured: Voice Audio Codec Quality
variable measured: Third-Party Integrations
variable measured: Maximum Video Call Participants
variable measured: SOC 2 Type II Certified
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/slack-vs-zulip)

Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Slack vs Zulip.
has defined term: User Base
has defined term: Integration
has defined term: Value
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Mobile
has defined term: Market
has defined term: Usage
has defined term: Deployment
has defined term: Integration Capability
has defined term: Artificial Intelligence
has defined term: Infrastructure
has defined term: Security
has defined term: Functionality
has defined term: Integrations
has defined term: AI
has defined term: Language Support
has defined term: Communication Type
has defined term: Enterprise Pricing
has defined term: AI Features
has defined term: Automation
has defined term: Storage
has defined term: Security & Transparency
has defined term: Core Functionality
has defined term: Video Quality
has defined term: Extensibility
has defined term: Data Retention
has defined term: Reliability
has defined term: Account Management
has defined term: Capabilities
has defined term: Pricing & Limits
has defined term: Compliance
has defined term: Security & Compliance
has defined term: Enterprise Features
has defined term: Scalability
has defined term: Scale
has defined term: Content
has defined term: Adoption
has defined term: Architecture
has defined term: Development Model
has defined term: Communication Features
has defined term: Integration Ecosystem
has defined term: Market Adoption
has defined term: Transparency
has defined term: Ease of Use
has defined term: Audio
has defined term: Time to Value
has defined term: Developer Experience
has defined term: Community
has defined term: User Experience
has defined term: Video Conferencing
has defined term: Search & Discovery

User Base
type: DefinedTerm
term code: user-base
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Value
type: DefinedTerm
term code: value
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ecosystem
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: performance
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Mobile
type: DefinedTerm
term code: mobile
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Usage
type: DefinedTerm
term code: usage
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Deployment
type: DefinedTerm
term code: deployment
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration Capability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration-capability
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Artificial Intelligence
type: DefinedTerm
term code: artificial-intelligence
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Infrastructure
type: DefinedTerm
term code: infrastructure
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Security
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Functionality
type: DefinedTerm
term code: functionality
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integrations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integrations
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

AI
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ai
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Language Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: language-support
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Communication Type
type: DefinedTerm
term code: communication-type
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Enterprise Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: enterprise-pricing
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

AI Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ai-features
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Automation
type: DefinedTerm
term code: automation
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Storage
type: DefinedTerm
term code: storage
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Security & Transparency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security-&-transparency
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Core Functionality
type: DefinedTerm
term code: core-functionality
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Video Quality
type: DefinedTerm
term code: video-quality
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Extensibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: extensibility
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Data Retention
type: DefinedTerm
term code: data-retention
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Reliability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: reliability
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Account Management
type: DefinedTerm
term code: account-management
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Capabilities
type: DefinedTerm
term code: capabilities
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing & Limits
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing-&-limits
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Compliance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: compliance
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Security & Compliance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security-&-compliance
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Enterprise Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: enterprise-features
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scalability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scalability
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scale
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scale
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Content
type: DefinedTerm
term code: content
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: adoption
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Architecture
type: DefinedTerm
term code: architecture
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Development Model
type: DefinedTerm
term code: development-model
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Communication Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: communication-features
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration-ecosystem
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market-adoption
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Transparency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: transparency
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ease of Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ease-of-use
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Audio
type: DefinedTerm
term code: audio
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Time to Value
type: DefinedTerm
term code: time-to-value
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Developer Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: developer-experience
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

User Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: user-experience
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Video Conferencing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: video-conferencing
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Search & Discovery
type: DefinedTerm
term code: search-&-discovery
in defined term set: Slack vs Zulip — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-07-07T17:04:26.875Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: slack-vs-zulip)
main entity: Is Zulip really 25x cheaper than Slack for large teams?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: For a 100-person team, Slack costs ~$18,000/month (at $15/user Pro plan) vs Zulip's $300/month flat-rate on Cloud Standard—that's 60x cheaper for cloud, or essentially free if self-hosted. However, Slack's integration ecosystem may reduce costs elsewhere by eliminating need for custom integrations, so true ROI depends on your toolchain.
    language: en-US
main entity: Why can't I find messages in Slack like I can in Zulip?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Slack uses chronological chat where replies thread within conversations but don't create separate indexed topics. Zulip organizes every message by stream + topic, creating a persistent filing system. Studies show users find messages 3.2x faster in Zulip because each topic is discrete and searchable. Slack's linear model works better for quick synchronous chat but worse for async deep work.
    language: en-US
main entity: Can I migrate from Slack to Zulip without losing messages?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Yes. Zulip offers a built-in Slack import tool that transfers all messages, files, users, and channel structure. However, Slack limits access to message history (Free plan shows only 10,000 recent messages), so you may not migrate your full archive. Most teams export before switching.
    language: en-US
main entity: Does Zulip have all the security certifications that Slack has?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Slack has SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, FedRAMP, ISO 27001, and PCI-DSS. Zulip Cloud has SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001. For self-hosted Zulip, security depends entirely on your infrastructure—you control the data, eliminating vendor risk but requiring your own security management.
    language: en-US
main entity: Will my team accept Zulip if they're used to Slack?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Adoption depends on team size and habits. Small teams (<20 people) adapt quickly. Larger teams or those heavily using Slack integrations face 2-4 week adjustment. Zulip's different threading model confuses Slack veterans initially but improves async communication once learned. Budget 4-6 weeks for full organizational onboarding.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between Slack and Zulip
type: HowTo
description: Slack is the dominant team communication platform with 750,000+ active workspaces and superior integrations, while Zulip is an open-source alternative offering better message organization through threading and lower costs for organizations prioritizing data privacy and self-hosting.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Pricing Model
step: Consider: Message Organization
step: Consider: Active Integrations Available
step: Consider: Hosting Options
step: Consider: Global Market Share
step: Consider: Message Search Speed
step: Consider: Free Trial Length
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Choose Slack if you need enterprise-grade integrations, largest ecosystem of apps, and industry-standard adoption with the easiest team onboarding. Choose Zulip if you prioritize message discoverability, lower long-term costs, data privacy through self-hosting, or need an open-source solution that scales affordably for large teams.

Consider: Pricing Model
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Pricing Model: Slack has $8-15 per user/month (Pro-Business+), while Zulip has $100-300 per month flat-rate or self-hosted free.

Consider: Message Organization
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Message Organization: Slack has Linear chronological chat with thread replies, while Zulip has Topic-based threading with stream organization.

Consider: Active Integrations Available
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Active Integrations Available: Slack has 2,400+ third-party integrations, while Zulip has 150+ integrations.

Consider: Hosting Options
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: Hosting Options: Slack has Cloud-only SaaS, while Zulip has Cloud SaaS + self-hosted open-source.

Consider: Global Market Share
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Global Market Share: Slack has 65% of enterprise team chat market (2024), while Zulip has 2-3% of enterprise team chat market.

Consider: Message Search Speed
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Message Search Speed: Slack has 2-4 seconds average search response, while Zulip has Sub-1 second due to threading indexing.

Consider: Free Trial Length
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Free Trial Length: Slack has 7 days with limited history, while Zulip has 14-day free trial or unlimited self-hosted.

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: Slack vs Zulip
review body: Slack is the dominant team communication platform with 750,000+ active workspaces and superior integrations, while Zulip is an open-source alternative offering better message organization through threading and lower costs for organizations prioritizing data privacy and self-hosting.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: Slack vs Zulip

Native Integrations Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 2200+ | Zulip: N/A

Pro Plan Annual Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $150 (billed monthly) | Zulip: N/A

Free Tier Message History Retention
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 90 days | Zulip: N/A

AI Transcription Languages Supported
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 0 (not native feature) | Zulip: N/A

Enterprise Uptime SLA
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 99.99% | Zulip: N/A

User Workspace Limit (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 1 workspace | Zulip: N/A

Maximum Meeting Participants (Free)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 3 participants | Zulip: N/A

Maximum Meeting Participants (Paid)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Unlimited (slide deck view only) | Zulip: N/A

Free Plan Message History
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 90 days | Zulip: N/A

Pro Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $8.75 | Zulip: N/A

Available Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 2,400+ | Zulip: 150+
value reference: Slack

End-to-End Encryption Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: DMs only, Enterprise+ plan | Zulip: N/A

AI Meeting Assistant
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Slack AI (search, summarization, drafting) | Zulip: N/A

FedRAMP Authorization
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: No | Zulip: N/A

Monthly Cost (Pro Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $12.50 per user/month | Zulip: N/A

Free Message History
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 90 days maximum | Zulip: N/A

Voice Audio Codec Quality
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 16 kHz | Zulip: N/A

Third-Party Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 2000+ integrations | Zulip: N/A

Maximum Video Call Participants
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 15 participants | Zulip: N/A

SOC 2 Type II Certified
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Yes | Zulip: N/A

Custom Workflow Automation
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Advanced (Workflow Builder, automations) | Zulip: N/A

Users Per Workspace
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Unlimited | Zulip: N/A

Total Registered Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 750 million | Zulip: N/A

Enterprise Plan Monthly Cost Per User
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $12.50 | Zulip: N/A

Free Plan Message History Retention
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 90 days | Zulip: N/A

Third-Party Integrations Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 2,300+ integrations | Zulip: N/A

Daily Posts Published (Organic)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: N/A | Zulip: N/A

Free Plan External Guest Collaboration
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Unlimited external guests via workspace invite | Zulip: N/A

Paid Plan Starting Price
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $7.25 | Zulip: N/A

Email Service Included
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: No | Zulip: N/A

Cloud Storage (Base Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 10 GB | Zulip: N/A

Monthly Cost Per User
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $8-12.50 (Pro/Business+) | Zulip: $0 self-hosted / $100-500 flat cloud
value reference: Zulip

Active Workspaces
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 750,000+ | Zulip: 5,000-10,000 estimated
value reference: Slack

Native Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 2,300+ | Zulip: ~400
value reference: Slack

Message History Searchable
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 10 years standard | Zulip: Unlimited (self-hosted)

Threading Model
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Channel-based threads (contextual loss in active channels) | Zulip: Topic-based (complete conversation isolation within streams)

Open Source
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Proprietary (closed-source) | Zulip: Apache 2.0 open-source

Mobile App Type
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Native iOS/Android with feature-parity | Zulip: Web-based with limited native apps

Workflow Automation Steps
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 50+ | Zulip: Custom via integrations (~15 standard)
value reference: Slack

Native Video/Audio Calls
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Yes (Slack Huddles) | Zulip: N/A

Native App Integrations Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 2,400+ apps | Zulip: N/A

End-to-End Encryption Default
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Not available | Zulip: N/A

Monthly Cost (Pro Plan, 50 users)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $412.50/month | Zulip: N/A

Self-Hosting Capability
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: No, cloud-only | Zulip: N/A

Paid Workspaces/Users (Enterprise Adoption)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 750,000+ paid workspaces | Zulip: N/A

Source Code Availability
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Proprietary/closed | Zulip: N/A

Monthly Cost (10 Users, Annual)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $150/month ($1,800/year) | Zulip: N/A

Pre-Built Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 2,400+ integrations | Zulip: N/A

Message History on Free Plan
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 90-day limited access | Zulip: N/A

Active Global Workspaces/Deployments
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 750,000+ active workspaces | Zulip: N/A

Self-Hosted/On-Premises Option
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: No (cloud-only) | Zulip: N/A

Uptime SLA Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 99.99% | Zulip: N/A

HIPAA Compliance Certified
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Yes (Business+ plan required) | Zulip: N/A

Price Per User Per Month (Pro/Standard)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $12.50/user (Pro plan) | Zulip: N/A

Base Monthly Cost (10-person team)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $80-150 | Zulip: N/A

Cost for 50-person team
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $400-750 | Zulip: N/A

Message History Retention
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 10,000 messages (free); unlimited (paid) | Zulip: N/A

Built-in Project Management
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: No (requires integrations) | Zulip: N/A

Real-time Messaging Speed
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 50-100ms (instant) | Zulip: N/A

File Storage Included
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 5GB (Free), varies by plan | Zulip: N/A

Setup Time for New Team
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 0.5-1 hour | Zulip: N/A

Max Video Conference Participants
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 1000 | Zulip: N/A

Message History (Free Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 90 | Zulip: N/A

Voice Codec Quality Rating
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 7.5 | Zulip: N/A

Enterprise Security Certifications
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP, GDPR | Zulip: N/A

Time to Deploy
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 3-7 | Zulip: N/A

Learning Curve
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 2 | Zulip: N/A

Uptime Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 99.99% | Zulip: N/A

Monthly Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 0.75 million | Zulip: N/A

Pro Plan Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $8.75 | Zulip: N/A

Video Conference Max Participants
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 150 | Zulip: N/A

Free Tier File Storage
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 1 GB shared workspace | Zulip: N/A

Message Search History (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 90 days | Zulip: N/A

Annual Subscription Cost (Pro, 100 users)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $10,500 | Zulip: N/A

Desktop App Memory Usage
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 280 MB | Zulip: N/A

Monthly subscription cost (Pro plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $12.50 | Zulip: N/A

Native third-party integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 100+ | Zulip: N/A

Message Search Response Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 2-4 seconds | Zulip: <1 second
value reference: Zulip

User interface satisfaction rating
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 9.2/10 | Zulip: N/A

Maximum video call participants (free tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 100 participants | Zulip: N/A

Service uptime SLA guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 99.99% | Zulip: N/A

Message history retention (free plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 90 days searchable | Zulip: N/A

Enterprise app marketplace size
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 2,000+ apps (Slack App Directory) | Zulip: N/A

Team Size Cost Efficiency Threshold
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Cost-effective until ~12 users | Zulip: N/A

Built-in Task Management
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: No: messaging-only, requires integrations | Zulip: N/A

Message History Searchability
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 90 days (Free/Pro), unlimited with Enterprise | Zulip: N/A

Average User Adoption Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 1-3 days | Zulip: N/A

Global Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 750+ million messages daily across 750k+ organizations | Zulip: N/A

Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro/Standard)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $8.25 | Zulip: N/A

Message Delivery Latency
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: <100ms | Zulip: N/A

Message Search Speed (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: All messages indexed instantly | Zulip: N/A

File Upload Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 20GB | Zulip: N/A

Message History Retention (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 90 days | Zulip: N/A

Native Microsoft 365 Integration
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: API-based (basic) | Zulip: N/A

G2 Ease of Use Rating (2024)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 4.5/5 | Zulip: N/A

Video Meeting Participant Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 2000 | Zulip: N/A

Pro Plan Monthly Cost Per User
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: $12.50 | Zulip: N/A

File Storage Per User
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 100 (workspace) | Zulip: N/A

Free Group Video Call Duration Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 40 | Zulip: N/A

Maximum Video Conference Participants (Free)
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Limited (typically 3-4) | Zulip: N/A

G2 User Interface Rating
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: 4.6/5 (12,400 reviews) | Zulip: N/A

Message Search Capability
type: PropertyValue
value: Slack: Full-text indexed across all messages | Zulip: N/A

SpeakableSpecification
css selector: #short-answer
css selector: #verdict
css selector: #key-differences
css selector: #faq
xpath: //*[@id='short-answer']
xpath: //*[@id='verdict']

Slack — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Zulip — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Compare Slack vs Zulip
type: Action
additional type: CompareAction
target: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/slack-vs-zulip)
object: Slack
object: Zulip

End-to-End Encryption Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

AI Meeting Assistant
type: PropertyValue
value reference: AI Features

FedRAMP Authorization
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compliance

Monthly Cost (Pro Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Free Message History
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Voice Audio Codec Quality
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Third-Party Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integrations

Maximum Video Call Participants
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

SOC 2 Type II Certified
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security & Compliance

Custom Workflow Automation
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Enterprise Features

Users Per Workspace
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Total Registered Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scale

Enterprise Plan Monthly Cost Per User
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Free Plan Message History Retention
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Third-Party Integrations Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Functionality

Daily Posts Published (Organic)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Content

Free Plan External Guest Collaboration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Paid Plan Starting Price
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Email Service Included
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Cloud Storage (Base Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Storage

Monthly Cost Per User
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Active Workspaces
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Native Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integrations

Message History Searchable
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Threading Model
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Architecture

Open Source
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Development Model

Mobile App Type
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Mobile

Workflow Automation Steps
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Native Video/Audio Calls
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Communication Features

Native App Integrations Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration Ecosystem

End-to-End Encryption Default
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Monthly Cost (Pro Plan, 50 users)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Self-Hosting Capability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Deployment

Paid Workspaces/Users (Enterprise Adoption)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market Adoption

Source Code Availability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Transparency

Monthly Cost (10 Users, Annual)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Pre-Built Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integrations

Message History on Free Plan
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Active Global Workspaces/Deployments
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market Adoption

Self-Hosted/On-Premises Option
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Deployment

Uptime SLA Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability

HIPAA Compliance Certified
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compliance

Price Per User Per Month (Pro/Standard)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Base Monthly Cost (10-person team)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Cost for 50-person team
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Message History Retention
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Built-in Project Management
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Real-time Messaging Speed
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

File Storage Included
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Storage

Setup Time for New Team
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Max Video Conference Participants
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Message History (Free Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Voice Codec Quality Rating
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Audio

Enterprise Security Certifications
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Time to Deploy
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Time to Value

Learning Curve
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Developer Experience

Uptime Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability

Monthly Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community

Pro Plan Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Video Conference Max Participants
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Free Tier File Storage
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Storage

Message Search History (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Annual Subscription Cost (Pro, 100 users)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Desktop App Memory Usage
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Monthly subscription cost (Pro plan)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Native third-party integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration

Message Search Response Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

User interface satisfaction rating
type: PropertyValue
value reference: User Experience

Maximum video call participants (free tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Video Conferencing

Service uptime SLA guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability

Message history retention (free plan)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Storage

Enterprise app marketplace size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Extensibility

Team Size Cost Efficiency Threshold
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Built-in Task Management
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Functionality

Message History Searchability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Functionality

Average User Adoption Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: User Experience

Global Active Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro/Standard)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Message Delivery Latency
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Message Search Speed (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

File Upload Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Storage

Message History Retention (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Native Microsoft 365 Integration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration

G2 Ease of Use Rating (2024)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: User Experience

Video Meeting Participant Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Pro Plan Monthly Cost Per User
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

File Storage Per User
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Storage

Free Group Video Call Duration Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Video Conferencing

Maximum Video Conference Participants (Free)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Video Conferencing

G2 User Interface Rating
type: PropertyValue
value reference: User Experience

Message Search Capability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Search & Discovery