Webex vs Slack 2026: Video Conferencing vs Messaging
Webex is a video conferencing platform optimized for meetings with up to 40,000 participants and advanced security features, while Slack is a team messaging platform designed for asynchronous communication and workflow integration. They serve different primary purposes but increasingly overlap in functionality.
Cisco Webex
Enterprise video conferencing platform with integrated messaging and collaboration features.
Large enterprises, government agencies, healthcare providers, and organizations requiring large-scale meetings with enterprise security compliance.
Quick Answer
AI SummaryWebex is a video conferencing platform optimized for meetings with up to 40,000 participants and advanced security features, while Slack is a team messaging platform designed for asynchronous communication and workflow integration. They serve different primary purposes but increasingly overlap in functionality.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose Webex if your organization prioritizes video conferencing, needs to host large meetings (100+ participants), or requires enterprise-grade security and compliance features like FedRAMP authorization. Choose Slack if you need a primary messaging hub with deep workflow automation, extensive app integrations, or want to manage asynchronous communication with a low cost-per-user for large teams. For optimal collaboration, many organizations use both: Slack for daily messaging and Webex for scheduled meetings.
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Choose Cisco Webex if
Large enterprises, government agencies, healthcare providers, and organizations requiring large-scale meetings with enterprise security compliance.
Choose Slack if
Best pickSmall to mid-size teams, startups, and organizations prioritizing messaging-first workflows with heavy app integrations and automation.
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Key Differences at a Glance
- Primary Function:Video conferencing & meetings vs Team messaging & collaboration
- Max Meeting Participants (Free Plan):✓ Cisco Webex wins(100 participants, 40 min limit vs Not applicable (messaging platform))
- Max Meeting Participants (Paid Plan):✓ Cisco Webex wins(40,000 participants vs Not applicable (messaging platform))
Key Facts & Figures
163 numeric metrics compared
| Metric | Cisco Webex | Slack | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Meeting Participants (Free)(participants) | 100 participants | 3 participants | |
| Maximum Meeting Participants (Paid)(participants) | 40,000 participants | Unlimited (slide deck view only) | — |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD per user) | $15.99 | $8.75 | |
| Available Integrations(integrations) | 200+ integrations | 2,000+ | |
| Monthly Active Users (MAU)(millions) | 220M | — | — |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD) | $15.99 | $8.75 (annual) | |
| Meeting Recording Retention (Free)(days) | 30 days | — | — |
| Maximum Meeting Participants(participants) | 1000 participants | — | — |
| Free Plan Duration | 40 minutes unlimited users | — | — |
| Standard Plan Price(USD/user/month) | $14.99 | — | — |
| Global Market Share(%) | 16.5% | 65% | |
| Starting Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $15.99 | $6.67 | |
| Native Integrations Available(count) | 200+ | 2200+ | |
| Minimum Bandwidth (HD Video)(Mbps) | 1.5 Mbps | — | — |
| Annual Recording Storage (Per User)(GB) | 40GB | — | — |
| Fortune 500 Adoption Rate(%) | 43% | — | — |
| Enterprise Setup Time(days) | 14-28 days | — | — |
| Daily Active Users(millions) | 70 million | 21 million | |
| Starting Price (Professional Plan)(USD/user/month) | $17.95 | — | — |
| Mobile App Rating (iOS)(stars out of 5) | 4.4/5.0 | — | — |
| Free Meeting Duration Limit(minutes) | 40 minutes (3+ participants) | — | — |
| Free Group Call Duration Limit(minutes) | 40 minutes | — | — |
| Maximum Participants(participants) | 40,000 (webinar mode) | — | — |
| Real-Time Captions Languages(languages) | 80+ languages | — | — |
| Google Meet Mobile App Rating(stars) | 4.5/5.0 | — | — |
| End-to-End Encryption Launch Year(year) | 2020 | — | — |
| Cross-Platform Native Support(platforms) | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android | — | — |
| Starting Price (Per User/Month)(USD) | $13.50 | — | — |
| Record Transcription Languages Supported(languages) | 100+ | — | — |
| Estimated Global Active Users(millions) | 650+ million | — | — |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost per User(USD) | $9.99 | $12.50 | |
| Mobile App Store Rating(stars) | 4.1 (1.8M reviews) | — | — |
| Enterprise Security Certifications(count) | HIPAA, FedRAMP, SOC 2, ISO 27001 | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR | |
| Monthly Active Users (2024)(millions) | 205 million | — | — |
| Free Plan Maximum Participants(participants) | 300 | — | — |
| Free Plan Group Meeting Duration(minutes) | 40 | — | — |
| Free Plan Video Participants(participants) | 100 participants | 2 participants | |
| Free Plan Meeting Duration Limit(minutes) | 40 minutes | 60 minutes | |
| Message History (Pro Plan)(days) | 90 days | Unlimited | — |
| Third-Party Integrations Available(integrations) | 500+ | 2,000+ | |
| App Integrations(count) | 2,600+ | 2,600+ | |
| Paid Starting Price(USD/user/mo) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Standalone Monthly Pricing (Pro Tier)(USD per user per month) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Annual Cost per User (Pro Tier)(USD) | $87 (billed yearly) | $87 (billed yearly) | |
| Third-Party App Integrations(count) | 2,400+ | 2,400+ | |
| Video Meeting Capacity(participants) | Up to 2,000 (with paid plan) | Up to 2,000 (with paid plan) | |
| Mobile App Feature Parity | 95% | 95% | |
| Monthly Cost per 20-Person Team(USD) | $3,600 (Pro plan at $15/user) | $3,600 (Pro plan at $15/user) | |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | 7 days | 7 days | |
| Message History Retention on Free Plan(count) | 10,000 most recent | 10,000 most recent | |
| Base Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $8.25 (Pro plan, min 3 users) | $8.25 (Pro plan, min 3 users) | |
| Free Tier Meeting Participant Limit(participants) | Unlimited (Slack Huddles for video limited to 50 participants) | Unlimited (Slack Huddles for video limited to 50 participants) | |
| Asynchronous Communication Strength(scale 1-5) | 5 out of 5 (core feature with channels, threads, and history) | 5 out of 5 (core feature with channels, threads, and history) | |
| Google Workspace Integration Level | 2 out of 5 (available via integration, not native) | 2 out of 5 (available via integration, not native) | |
| AI Features Count (2026)(features) | 30+ (CRM tools, meeting summaries, automation, SlackBot enhancements) | 30+ (CRM tools, meeting summaries, automation, SlackBot enhancements) | |
| Base Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Business+ Tier Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $12.50 | $12.50 | |
| Available Integrations(integrations) | 2000+ | 2000+ | |
| Price Stability (2024-2026)(months) | No increases for 33 months | No increases for 33 months | |
| Free Tier Cost(USD) | Free | Free | |
| Pro/Standard Monthly Cost(USD per user/month) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Third-party Integrations(integrations) | 2000+ | 2000+ | |
| Minimum Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Third-Party Integrations Available(count) | 2,000+ | 2,000+ | |
| Years Price Stable (2026)(months) | 33+ months | 33+ months | |
| Pro Plan Annual Cost(USD) | $150 (billed monthly) | $150 (billed monthly) | |
| Free Tier Message History Retention(days) | 90 days | 90 days | |
| AI Transcription Languages Supported(languages) | 0 (not native feature) | 0 (not native feature) | |
| Enterprise Uptime SLA(%) | 99.99% | 99.99% | |
| User Workspace Limit (Free Tier)(workspaces) | 1 workspace | 1 workspace | |
| Monthly Cost (Pro Plan)(USD) | $12.50 per user/month | $12.50 per user/month | |
| Free Message History(days) | 90 days maximum | 90 days maximum | |
| Voice Audio Codec Quality(kHz) | 16 kHz | 16 kHz | |
| Third-Party Integrations(integrations) | 2,000+ | 2,000+ | |
| Maximum Video Call Participants(people) | 15 participants | 15 participants | |
| Total Registered Users(millions) | 750 million | 750 million | |
| Enterprise Plan Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $12.50 | $12.50 | |
| Free Plan Message History Retention(days) | 90 days | 90 days | |
| Paid Plan Starting Price(USD/month) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Cloud Storage (Base Plan)(GB) | 10 GB | 10 GB | |
| Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $8-12.50 (Pro/Business+) | $8-12.50 (Pro/Business+) | |
| Active Workspaces(workspaces) | 750,000+ | 750,000+ | |
| Message History Searchable(years) | 10 years standard | 10 years standard | |
| Workflow Automation Steps(built-in steps) | 50+ | 50+ | |
| Native App Integrations Available(count) | 2,400+ apps | 2,400+ apps | |
| Monthly Cost (Pro Plan, 50 users)(USD) | $412.50/month | $412.50/month | |
| Paid Workspaces/Users (Enterprise Adoption)(workspaces) | 750,000+ paid workspaces | 750,000+ paid workspaces | |
| Monthly Cost (10 Users, Annual)(USD) | $150/month ($1,800/year) | $150/month ($1,800/year) | |
| Pre-Built Integrations(count) | 2,400+ integrations | 2,400+ integrations | |
| Message History on Free Plan(days) | 90-day limited access | 90-day limited access | |
| Active Global Workspaces/Deployments(count) | 750,000+ active workspaces | 750,000+ active workspaces | |
| Uptime SLA Guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | 99.99% | |
| Price Per User Per Month (Pro/Standard)(USD) | $12.50/user (Pro plan) | $12.50/user (Pro plan) | |
| Base Monthly Cost (10-person team)(USD) | $80-150 | $80-150 | |
| Cost for 50-person team(USD/month) | $400-750 | $400-750 | |
| Real-time Messaging Speed(ms (message delivery latency)) | 50-100ms (instant) | 50-100ms (instant) | |
| File Storage Included(GB) | 5GB (Free), varies by plan | 5GB (Free), varies by plan | |
| Setup Time for New Team(days) | 0.5-1 hour | 0.5-1 hour | |
| Max Video Conference Participants(people) | 1000 | 1000 | |
| Voice Codec Quality Rating(score (1-10)) | 7.5 | 7.5 | |
| Time to Deploy(seconds (average)) | 3-7 | 3-7 | |
| Uptime Guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | 99.99% | |
| Video Conference Max Participants(participants) | 150 | 150 | |
| Free Tier File Storage(GB per user) | 1 GB shared workspace | 1 GB shared workspace | |
| Message Search History (Free Tier)(days) | 90 days | 90 days | |
| Annual Subscription Cost (Pro, 100 users)(USD) | $10,500 | $10,500 | |
| Desktop App Memory Usage(MB) | 280 MB | 280 MB | |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro Plan)(USD) | $12.50 | $12.50 | |
| Native Third-Party Integrations(count) | 2,000+ | 2,000+ | |
| Message Search Response Time(seconds) | 2-4 seconds | 2-4 seconds | |
| User interface satisfaction rating(out of 10) | 9.2/10 | 9.2/10 | |
| Maximum video call participants (free tier)(people) | 100 participants | 100 participants | |
| Service uptime SLA guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | 99.99% | |
| Message history retention (free plan)(days) | 90 days searchable | 90 days searchable | |
| Enterprise app marketplace size(applications) | 2,000+ apps (Slack App Directory) | 2,000+ apps (Slack App Directory) | |
| Team Size Cost Efficiency Threshold(team members) | Cost-effective until ~12 users | Cost-effective until ~12 users | |
| Average User Adoption Time(days) | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | |
| Global Active Users(millions) | 750+ million messages daily across 750k+ organizations | 750+ million messages daily across 750k+ organizations | |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro/Standard)(USD) | $8.25 | $8.25 | |
| Message Delivery Latency(milliseconds) | <100ms | <100ms | |
| File Upload Limit(GB) | 20GB | 20GB | |
| Message History Retention (Free Tier)(days) | 90 days | 90 days | |
| G2 Ease of Use Rating (2024)(stars) | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | |
| Video Meeting Participant Limit(participants) | 2000 | 2000 | |
| File Storage Per User(GB) | 100 (workspace) | 100 (workspace) | |
| Free Group Video Call Duration Limit(minutes) | 40 | 40 | |
| Maximum Video Conference Participants (Free)(people) | Limited (typically 3-4) | Limited (typically 3-4) | |
| G2 User Interface Rating(out of 5) | 4.6/5 (12,400 reviews) | 4.6/5 (12,400 reviews) | |
| Message History (Free Plan)(days) | 90 days | 90 days | |
| Cost Per User (Annual, Lowest Paid Tier)(USD/month) | $8/month | $8/month | |
| Organizations Using Platform(count (thousands)) | 750,000+ | 750,000+ | |
| Monthly Cost Per User (Standard Tier, Annual Billing)(USD) | $7.25 | $7.25 | |
| Cloud Storage Included Per User(GB) | 0 GB (integrations only) | 0 GB (integrations only) | |
| Maximum Video Conference Participants (Standard Plan)(participants) | 2 | 2 | |
| Third-Party App Integrations Available(apps) | 2,300+ | 2,300+ | |
| Message Search History(messages) | 10,000 (free tier); unlimited (paid) | 10,000 (free tier); unlimited (paid) | |
| Base Cost Per User/Month(USD) | $8.99 | $8.99 | |
| Native Integrations(count) | 2,000+ | 2,000+ | |
| Active Workspaces/Deployments(count) | 750,000 | 750,000 | |
| iOS App Rating(stars out of 5) | 4.7 | 4.7 | |
| Monthly Cost Per User (Standard)(USD) | $8-15 | $8-15 | |
| Active Organizational Users(organizations) | 750,000+ workspaces | 750,000+ workspaces | |
| Message History Search (Self-Hosted)(messages) | 10,000 (free), unlimited (paid) | 10,000 (free), unlimited (paid) | |
| Enterprise Support SLA | 1-4 hours (Enterprise Grid) | 1-4 hours (Enterprise Grid) | |
| File Storage (Free Plan)(GB) | 5GB | 5GB | |
| Base Monthly Pricing (Annual Billed)(USD per user) | $8 | $8 | |
| Active Workspaces (2024)(thousands) | 750,000+ workspaces | 750,000+ workspaces | |
| Paying Organizations/Enterprise Customers(thousands) | 750 (in thousands = 750,000 paying orgs) | 750 (in thousands = 750,000 paying orgs) | |
| Free Plan App Integrations(apps) | 10 maximum | 10 maximum | |
| Pro/Standard Plan Cost per User/Month(USD) | $12.50/user/month | $12.50/user/month | |
| Countries Supported(countries) | 150+ | 150+ | |
| Languages Supported(languages) | 10+ | 10+ | |
| Time to Operational Team Setup(hours) | Less than 1 hour | Less than 1 hour | |
| Monthly Cost Per User (Pro Plan)(USD) | $8.75 | $8.75 | |
| Message Search Quality Score(1-10 scale) | 9.5 | 9.5 | |
| Max Group Video Call Participants(users) | 3 (free tier) | 3 (free tier) | |
| Setup Time for New Teams(minutes) | 15-20 | 15-20 | |
| User Base Size(millions of developers) | 21 million daily active | 21 million daily active | |
| Voice Call Audio Quality Score(1-10 scale) | 7.5 | 7.5 | |
| Maximum Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $12.50 | $12.50 | |
| Daily Active Users Worldwide(users) | 750,000+ | 750,000+ | |
| Message History Searchability | Limited on free plan (10,000 messages); full search on paid | Limited on free plan (10,000 messages); full search on paid | |
| Video Conference Capacity(participants) | 15 | 15 |
Sourced from publicly available data ·
Key Differences
7 attributes compared head-to-head
- Video conferencing & meetingsPrimary FunctionTeam messaging & collaboration
- 100 participants, 40 min limit(winner)Max Meeting Participants (Free Plan)Not applicable (messaging platform)
- 40,000 participants(winner)Max Meeting Participants (Paid Plan)Not applicable (messaging platform)
- Unlimited(winner)Message History (Free Plan)90 days / 10,000 messages
- $15.99/user/monthStarting Price (Monthly, Annual)$8.75/user/month(winner)
- 200+ integrationsIntegrations Available2,000+ integrations(winner)
- Yes, available on all plans(winner)End-to-End Encryption (Meetings)Not applicable (messaging platform)
- Primary Function
Cisco Webex
Video conferencing & meetings
Slack
Team messaging & collaboration
- Max Meeting Participants (Free Plan)
Cisco Webex
100 participants, 40 min limit(winner)
Slack
Not applicable (messaging platform)
- Max Meeting Participants (Paid Plan)
Cisco Webex
40,000 participants(winner)
Slack
Not applicable (messaging platform)
- Message History (Free Plan)
Cisco Webex
Unlimited(winner)
Slack
90 days / 10,000 messages
- Starting Price (Monthly, Annual)
Cisco Webex
$15.99/user/month
Slack
$8.75/user/month(winner)
- Integrations Available
Cisco Webex
200+ integrations
Slack
2,000+ integrations(winner)
- End-to-End Encryption (Meetings)
Cisco Webex
Yes, available on all plans(winner)
Slack
Not applicable (messaging platform)
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Slack | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Meeting Participants (Free)(participants) | 100 participants(winner) | 3 participants |
| Maximum Meeting Participants (Paid)(participants) | 40,000 participants | Unlimited (slide deck view only) |
| Free Plan Message History(days) | Unlimited | 90 days |
| AI Meeting Summaries | Yes, Business plan+ | — |
| Native Integrations Available(count) | 200+ | 2200+(winner) |
| Virtual Backgrounds on Free Tier | Included free | — |
| Breakout Rooms (Free Tier)(rooms) | Unlimited | — |
Show 39 more attributesApp Integrations(count) 2,600+ — Third-Party App Integrations(count) 2,400+ — Video Meeting Capacity(participants) Up to 2,000 (with paid plan) — Native Office Integration Limited (third-party connectors) — AI Copilot Features Slack AI (summarization, search, assisted writing) — Message History Retention on Free Plan(count) 10,000 most recent — Free Tier Meeting Participant Limit(participants) Unlimited (Slack Huddles for video limited to 50 participants) — Native Video Conferencing Huddles for brief video, limited to 50 participants; requires external tool for full conferencing — Meeting Recording & Auto-Transcription Not native; requires integration with Otter.ai or similar third-party services — Asynchronous Communication Strength(scale 1-5) 5 out of 5 (core feature with channels, threads, and history) — Third-Party Integrations Available(count) 2,000+ — Enterprise AI Features Advanced AI assistant, smart summaries, automation — Free Message History(days) 90 days maximum — Third-Party Integrations(integrations) 2,000+ — Free Plan Message History Retention(days) 90 days — Free Plan External Guest Collaboration(capacity) Unlimited external guests via workspace invite — Email Service Included No — Message History Searchable(years) 10 years standard — Workflow Automation Steps(built-in steps) 50+ — Pre-Built Integrations(count) 2,400+ integrations — Message History on Free Plan(days) 90-day limited access — Message History Retention(status) 10,000 messages (free); unlimited (paid) — Built-in Project Management(status) No (requires integrations) — Max Video Conference Participants(people) 1000 — Video Conference Max Participants(participants) 150 — Message Search History (Free Tier)(days) 90 days — Message Search Speed (Free Tier)(indexing scope) All messages indexed instantly — Message History Retention (Free Tier)(days) 90 days — Video Meeting Participant Limit(participants) 2000 — Self-Hosting Capability Not available — Cloud Storage Included Per User(GB) 0 GB (integrations only) — Maximum Video Conference Participants (Standard Plan)(participants) 2 — Message History Search (Self-Hosted)(messages) 10,000 (free), unlimited (paid) — File Storage (Free Plan)(GB) 5GB — Free Plan App Integrations(apps) 10 maximum — Max Group Video Call Participants(users) 3 (free tier) — Voice Call Audio Quality Score(1-10 scale) 7.5 — Offline Message Functionality(yes/no) Limited — Message History Searchability Limited on free plan (10,000 messages); full search on paid — | ||
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD per user) | $15.99 | $8.75(winner) |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD) | $15.99 | $8.75 (annual)(winner) |
| Standard Plan Price(USD/user/month) | $14.99 | — |
| Starting Monthly Cost Per User(USD) | $15.99 | $6.67(winner) |
| Starting Price (Professional Plan)(USD/user/month) | $17.95 | — |
Show 36 more attributesStarting Price (Per User/Month)(USD) $13.50 — Free Plan Available Yes (40-min group meetings) — Pro Plan Monthly Cost per User(USD) $9.99 $12.50 Standalone Monthly Pricing (Pro Tier)(USD per user per month) $7.25 — Annual Cost per User (Pro Tier)(USD) $87 (billed yearly) — Monthly Cost per 20-Person Team(USD) $3,600 (Pro plan at $15/user) — Base Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $8.25 (Pro plan, min 3 users) — Base Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $7.25 — Business+ Tier Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $12.50 — Price Stability (2024-2026)(months) No increases for 33 months — Free Tier Cost(USD) Free — Pro/Standard Monthly Cost(USD per user/month) $7.25 — Minimum Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $7.25 — Years Price Stable (2026)(months) 33+ months — Pro Plan Annual Cost(USD) $150 (billed monthly) — Monthly Cost (Pro Plan)(USD) $12.50 per user/month — Enterprise Plan Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $12.50 — Paid Plan Starting Price(USD/month) $7.25 — Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $8-12.50 (Pro/Business+) — Monthly Cost (Pro Plan, 50 users)(USD) $412.50/month — Monthly Cost (10 Users, Annual)(USD) $150/month ($1,800/year) — Price Per User Per Month (Pro/Standard)(USD) $12.50/user (Pro plan) — Base Monthly Cost (10-person team)(USD) $80-150 — Cost for 50-person team(USD/month) $400-750 — Annual Subscription Cost (Pro, 100 users)(USD) $10,500 — Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro Plan)(USD) $12.50 — Team Size Cost Efficiency Threshold(team members) Cost-effective until ~12 users — Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro/Standard)(USD) $8.25 — Cost Per User (Annual, Lowest Paid Tier)(USD/month) $8/month — Monthly Cost Per User (Standard Tier, Annual Billing)(USD) $7.25 — Base Cost Per User/Month(USD) $8.99 — Monthly Cost Per User (Standard)(USD) $8-15 — Base Monthly Pricing (Annual Billed)(USD per user) $8 — Pro/Standard Plan Cost per User/Month(USD) $12.50/user/month — Monthly Cost Per User (Pro Plan)(USD) $8.75 — Maximum Monthly Cost Per User(USD) $12.50 — | ||
| Available Integrations(integrations) | 200+ integrations | 2,000+(winner) |
| Third-Party Integrations Available(integrations) | 500+ | 2,000+(winner) |
| Available Integrations(integrations) | 2000+ | — |
| Native Third-Party Integrations(count) | 2,000+ | — |
| Third-Party App Integrations Available(apps) | 2,300+ | — |
Show 1 more attributeNative Integrations(count) 2,000+ — | ||
| End-to-End Encryption Available | Yes, all plans | DMs only, Enterprise+ plan |
| End-to-End Encryption Availability | All paid tiers | — |
| HIPAA Compliance Certification(yes/no) | Yes (BAA available) | — |
| End-to-End Encryption Launch Year(year) | 2020 | — |
| Enterprise Security Certifications(count) | HIPAA, FedRAMP, SOC 2, ISO 27001(winner) | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR |
Show 4 more attributesGDPR & Data Sovereignty Compliance Compliant but data on Salesforce servers — End-to-End Encryption Default(null) Not available — Source Code Availability Proprietary/closed — End-to-End Encryption Partial (DMs only, beta feature) — | ||
| AI Meeting Assistant | Webex Assistant (transcription, summary) | Slack AI (search, summarization, drafting) |
| AI Meeting Assistant Cost(USD/month) | Included free | — |
| AI Assistant Capability | Slack AI (optional on paid plans) | — |
| AI Transcription Languages Supported(languages) | 0 (not native feature) | — |
| AI Transcription Included(support level) | No native feature | — |
| FedRAMP Authorization(Yes/No) | Yes | No |
| FedRAMP Certification | Yes | — |
| HIPAA Compliance Certified | Yes (Business+ plan required) | — |
| Monthly Active Users (MAU)(millions) | 220M | — |
| Active Workspaces(workspaces) | 750,000+ | — |
| Active Workspaces/Deployments(count) | 750,000 | — |
| GitHub Stars (Community)(stars) | N/A (proprietary) | — |
| Active Organizational Users(organizations) | 750,000+ workspaces | — |
Show 1 more attributeUser Base Size(millions of developers) 21 million daily active — | ||
| Maximum Video Resolution(pixels) | 4K (3840×2160) | Requires 3rd party |
| Meeting Recording Retention (Free)(days) | 30 days | — |
| Annual Recording Storage (Per User)(GB) | 40GB | — |
| Cloud Recording Storage (Free)(GB) | 40 minutes worth per month | — |
| Storage Per User (Standard Plan)(GB) | Variable by plan | — |
| Cloud Storage (Base Plan)(GB) | 10 GB | — |
Show 5 more attributesFile Storage Included(GB) 5GB (Free), varies by plan — Free Tier File Storage(GB per user) 1 GB shared workspace — Message history retention (free plan)(days) 90 days searchable — File Upload Limit(GB) 20GB — File Storage Per User(GB) 100 (workspace) — | ||
| Native Microsoft Office Integration | Limited (manual upload required) | — |
| Google Workspace Native Integration | Limited (requires custom setup) | — |
| Supported Operating Systems(platforms) | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Web | — |
| Cross-Platform Interoperability | Good (Slack, Teams, Google) | — |
| Cross-Platform Native Support(platforms) | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android | — |
| Monthly Active Users(millions) | 250 million(winner) | ~50 million (daily active) |
| Maximum Meeting Participants(participants) | 1000 participants | — |
| Free Plan Duration | 40 minutes unlimited users | — |
| Global Market Share(%) | 16.5% | 65%(winner) |
| Native Salesforce Integration | Yes, deep native integration | — |
| Third-party Integrations(integrations) | 2000+ | — |
| Native Microsoft 365 Integration | API-based (basic) | — |
| Minimum Bandwidth (HD Video)(Mbps) | 1.5 Mbps | — |
| Message Search Speed(seconds) | Excellent - optimized search indexing | — |
| Voice Audio Codec Quality(kHz) | 16 kHz | — |
| Maximum Video Call Participants(people) | 15 participants | — |
| Real-time Messaging Speed(ms (message delivery latency)) | 50-100ms (instant) | — |
Show 5 more attributesTime to Deploy(seconds (average)) 3-7 — Uptime Guarantee(percent) 99.99% — Desktop App Memory Usage(MB) 280 MB — Message Search Response Time(seconds) 2-4 seconds — Message Delivery Latency(milliseconds) <100ms — | ||
| Fortune 500 Adoption Rate(%) | 43% | — |
| Enterprise Setup Time(days) | 14-28 days | — |
| Daily Active Users(millions) | 70 million(winner) | 21 million |
| Free Plan Cloud Recording Storage(GB) | Unlimited (1-month retention) | — |
| Mobile App Rating (iOS)(stars out of 5) | 4.4/5.0 | — |
| Mobile App Store Rating(stars) | 4.1 (1.8M reviews) | — |
| User interface satisfaction rating(out of 10) | 9.2/10 | — |
| Average User Adoption Time(days) | 1-3 days | — |
| G2 Ease of Use Rating (2024)(stars) | 4.5/5 | — |
Show 2 more attributesG2 User Interface Rating(out of 5) 4.6/5 (12,400 reviews) — iOS App Rating(stars out of 5) 4.7 — | ||
| Free Meeting Duration Limit(minutes) | 40 minutes (3+ participants) | — |
| Free Group Call Duration Limit(minutes) | 40 minutes | — |
| Maximum Video Length (Free Plan)(minutes) | N/A | — |
| Free Tier Video Storage(videos) | Unlimited (90-day history) | — |
| Maximum Participants(participants) | 40,000 (webinar mode) | — |
| Users Per Workspace(count) | Unlimited | — |
| Real-Time Captions Languages(languages) | 80+ languages | — |
| Google Meet Mobile App Rating(stars) | 4.5/5.0 | — |
| Enterprise SSO Support | Multiple integrations (Okta, Azure AD, etc.) | — |
| Custom Workflow Automation | Advanced (Workflow Builder, automations) | — |
| Default Video Resolution(pixels) | 1080p HD native | — |
| Native Maximum Video Resolution(p/fps) | 1080p60fps | — |
| Office 365 App Integration Level(integration depth) | Third-party integration required | — |
| Native PSTN Phone System | No (add-on required) | — |
| Record Transcription Languages Supported(languages) | 100+ | — |
| Estimated Global Active Users(millions) | 650+ million | — |
| Paid Workspaces/Users (Enterprise Adoption)(workspaces) | 750,000+ paid workspaces | — |
| Active Global Workspaces/Deployments(count) | 750,000+ active workspaces | — |
| Active Workspaces (2024)(thousands) | 750,000+ workspaces | — |
| Daily Active Users Worldwide(users) | 750,000+ | — |
| Monthly Active Users (2024)(millions) | 205 million | — |
| Free Plan Maximum Participants(participants) | 300 | — |
| Free Plan Group Meeting Duration(minutes) | 40 | — |
| Free Plan Video Participants(participants) | 100 participants(winner) | 2 participants |
| Free Plan Meeting Duration Limit(minutes) | 40 minutes | 60 minutes(winner) |
| Meeting Recording Storage (Pro)(storage capacity) | Unlimited cloud | N/A |
| Screen Sharing Quality(resolution) | 4K (30 fps) | 1080p (30 fps) |
| Maximum video call participants (free tier)(people) | 100 participants | — |
Show 1 more attributeMaximum Video Conference Participants (Free)(people) Limited (typically 3-4) — | ||
| Message History (Pro Plan)(days) | 90 days | Unlimited |
| Real-Time Chat Capability(support level) | Full-featured messaging | — |
| Paid Starting Price(USD/user/mo) | $7.25 | — |
| Mobile App Feature Parity | 95% | — |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | 7 days | — |
| Self-Hosting Available | No | — |
| Self-Hosted/On-Premises Option | No (cloud-only) | — |
| Time to Operational Team Setup(hours) | Less than 1 hour | — |
| Self-Hosting/On-Premises Option | Not available (cloud-only) | — |
| Google Workspace Integration Level | 2 out of 5 (available via integration, not native) | — |
| AI Features Count (2026)(features) | 30+ (CRM tools, meeting summaries, automation, SlackBot enhancements) | — |
| Deployment Options | Cloud-based SaaS only | — |
| Deployment Options | Cloud-only SaaS | — |
| Maximum Meeting Participants(participants) | Unlimited group chats | — |
| Built-in Task Management(features) | No: messaging-only, requires integrations | — |
| AI Features (2026) | Workflow automation, search enhancement | — |
| Real-Time Translation | Not available | — |
| Asynchronous Communication | Optimized with threads and archives | — |
| Zoom Rooms Cost(USD per room/month) | N/A | — |
| Workflow Automation Complexity | Advanced with conditional logic | — |
| Open Source | No, proprietary | — |
| Maximum Video Length (Free Tier)(minutes) | N/A | — |
| Free Tier Message History Retention(days) | 90 days | — |
| Enterprise Uptime SLA(%) | 99.99% | — |
| Uptime SLA Guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | — |
| Service uptime SLA guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | — |
| User Workspace Limit (Free Tier)(workspaces) | 1 workspace | — |
| SOC 2 Type II Certified | Yes | — |
| Total Registered Users(millions) | 750 million | — |
| Global Active Users(millions) | 750+ million messages daily across 750k+ organizations | — |
| Paying Organizations/Enterprise Customers(thousands) | 750 (in thousands = 750,000 paying orgs) | — |
| Daily Posts Published (Organic)(millions) | N/A | — |
| Threading Model | Channel-based threads (contextual loss in active channels) | — |
| Open-Source | No (proprietary) | — |
| Mobile App Type | Native iOS/Android with feature-parity | — |
| Native Video/Audio Calls | Yes (Slack Huddles) | — |
| Native App Integrations Available(count) | 2,400+ apps | — |
| Setup Time for New Team(days) | 0.5-1 hour | — |
| Learning Curve(difficulty rating) | 2 | — |
| Message Search Quality Score(1-10 scale) | 9.5 | — |
| Voice Codec Quality Rating(score (1-10)) | 7.5 | — |
| Enterprise app marketplace size(applications) | 2,000+ apps (Slack App Directory) | — |
| Free Group Video Call Duration Limit(minutes) | 40 | — |
| Message Search Capability(text) | Full-text indexed across all messages | — |
| Message History (Free Plan)(days) | 90 days | — |
| Message Search History(messages) | 10,000 (free tier); unlimited (paid) | — |
| Organizations Using Platform(count (thousands)) | 750,000+ | — |
| GDPR Compliance | Certified (SOC 2 Type II, GDPR) | — |
| Enterprise Support SLA | 1-4 hours (Enterprise Grid) | — |
| Asynchronous Workflow Optimization(design focus) | Secondary feature | — |
| Countries Supported(countries) | 150+ | — |
| Languages Supported(languages) | 10+ | — |
| Setup Time for New Teams(minutes) | 15-20 | — |
| AI-Powered Features(count) | Slack AI assistant included | — |
| Threading Model Type | Channel + Reply threads | — |
| Video Conference Capacity(participants) | 15 | — |
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Pros & Cons
10 pros·6 cons across both
Cisco Webex
Pros
- Supports up to 40,000 participants on paid plans with crystal-clear HD/4K video
- Unlimited message history and file storage on free plan
- Built-in end-to-end encryption on all video meetings
- FedRAMP and HIPAA compliant for regulated industries
- Webex Assistant AI provides real-time transcription and meeting summaries
Cons
- Fewer integrations (200+) compared to competing messaging platforms
- Higher per-user cost at $15.99/month minimum for Pro plan
- Less focused on asynchronous workflow automation
Slack
Pros
- 2,000+ native integrations enable deep workflow automation and app ecosystem
- Lower starting price at $8.75/user/month for Pro plan
- Superior for asynchronous communication with persistent conversation threads
- Canvas feature allows collaborative document creation within channels
- Slack AI (Claude-powered) provides intelligent search, summarization, and drafting
Cons
- Free plan limits message history to 90 days and 10,000 most recent messages
- Video meetings limited to 3 participants on free plan; paid plans support larger groups but not enterprise scale
- Not optimized for large scheduled presentations or webinars (100+ participants)
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questions
Not entirely. Webex excels at scheduled video meetings and large-scale presentations, while Slack dominates daily team messaging and workflow automation. Most organizations use both together: Slack for ongoing communication and Webex for formal meetings. Slack has added video calling (up to 50 participants on paid plans), but it's not optimized for presentations. Webex has added messaging, but it lacks Slack's integration depth.
Resources & Learn More
Curated sources to dive deeper
Where to Buy
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Wikipedia
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