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Who is Slack's biggest competitor?
Is there a Google alternative to Slack?
Tired of Slack’s rising costs and limitations? Explore team communication tools that fit your workflow and budget better. This guide reveals top Slack alternatives for 2025.
Looking for a better way to keep your team connected without Slack’s limitations? You're not alone. Many teams today feel stuck with rising costs, capped message history, or tools that just don’t fit how they work.
This guide is for managers, remote teams, and IT leads exploring Slack alternatives that improve team communication, offer better value per user, and support real team collaboration. You'll find clear comparisons, pricing insights, and features that match what your team needs—from video calls to task management. Ready to find a platform that fits? Let’s get to it.
Although Slack remains a go-to team chat app, many users hit roadblocks with pricing, limits on message history, or missing built in task management. Unlike Slack, newer apps offer deeper integrations, support for unlimited users, and stronger security features like end to end encryption.
Here’s what modern team communication tools offer today:
Advanced video calls and audio calls
Built-in task managers to manage projects inside the chat
Higher data control and privacy
Affordable per-user pricing with better limits on message history and file sharing
Microsoft Teams has rapidly evolved into a solid Slack alternative, especially for technical teams and organizations using Microsoft 365.
Key Features:
Video conferencing for large and small meetings
Integrated Microsoft Teams channel for each project
Real-time file sharing with Office apps
Reliable screen sharing and voice, and video calls
Why switch? For companies already using Office, Microsoft Teams offers team collaboration and chat apps in a single ecosystem. Teams allows both public and private channels, with one-to-one conversations and group chats easily organized by project.
Pricing:
Free tier available
Paid plans start around $4–$12 per user, depending on features
Designed specifically for Google Workspace users, Google Chat integrates seamlessly with Gmail, Google Docs, Google Drive, and Calendar.
Why it's popular:
Deep integration with Google Workspace
Easy sharing of Google Docs in chat
Tight coupling with Google Meet for instant video calls
Effective for small teams already embedded in the Google ecosystem
Standout Features:
Built-in task manager
Smooth screen sharing during video conferencing
Direct access to past conversations
Pricing:
Included in all Google Workspace plans
Free tier available with basic chat and group conversations
ClickUp stands out as a project management tool that adds chat functionality for internal team communication.
Top Benefits:
Combining project management and team chat
Supports task management directly in chat threads
Easy to track progress with timelines and lists
Great for team members who manage multiple workflows
Why it beats Slack:
Fully integrated chat feature with built-in task management
Offers video calls and screen sharing
Useful for remote teams needing tighter team collaboration
Pricing:
Free tier with generous features
Paid plans from $5 per user
Focused on privacy-first organizations, Mattermost is often chosen by technical teams looking for data control and full end-to-end encryption.
Why Mattermost?
Open-source with private hosting options
Offers unlimited message history
Strong integration with third-party apps and other tools
Reliable for one-to-one conversations, group chats, and file sharing
Great For:
Security-focused companies
Development teams using Git, CI/CD tools
Pricing:
Free plan available
Paid starts around $10 per user
Originally built for gamers, Discord has become a serious Slack alternative for small teams and startups.
Why Teams Like It:
Always-on voice and video calls
Organized channels and direct messages
Great screen sharing and voice messages
Strong community features with roles and permissions
Considerations:
Less enterprise-focused than Microsoft Teams
Lacks built-in task management or integration with Google Workspace
Pricing:
Free version available
Nitro upgrades start at $9.99/month (not per user)
Built by the creators of Todoist, Twist is designed for calmer communication—ideal for teams tired of constant pings and alerts.
Core Philosophy:
Thread-based team conversations reduce noise
Strong async messaging features for distributed teams
Integrated task management via Todoist
Standouts:
Full message history
Fewer distractions than real-time chat apps
Well-suited for long-term team collaboration
Pricing:
Free plan with limited features
Premium from $8 per user
| App | Best For | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Teams | Enterprise & Microsoft 365 users | Microsoft Teams channel, Office integrations, video conferencing |
| Google Chat | Google Workspace users | GDocs, Meet integration, screen sharing |
| ClickUp | Team collaboration & projects | Built-in task management, chat apps |
| Mattermost | Privacy-focused teams | End-to-end encryption, open source |
| Discord | Small teams, casual use | Voice and video calls, roles, chats |
| Twist | Async teams | Threaded chats, integrated with Todoist |
Choosing from the top Slack alternatives in 2025 comes down to your needs—whether it’s integrated project management, secure team communication, or better collaboration tools. Tools like microsoft teams, google chat, and ClickUp prove that modern platforms can offer the same features as Slack—unlike Slack, often at a lower per user cost, with more control over message history, screen sharing, and integrations with third party tools.
Teams today need more than just messaging. They need platforms that allow them to automate workflows, manage tasks, and support team productivity without missing context from past chats. Find the right fit, and your entire message history becomes a productive archive, not a data hostage.
