Slack review

Slack is the most capable chat app on this list for professional groups, but it was built for companies, not open communities. Channels, threads, canvases, lists and huddles for audio, video and screen sharing are well designed, and the App Directory lists over 2,600 apps, from Jira and Google Drive to AI assistants. Slack Connect lets a community share channels with partner organizations. The free plan is the sticking point: messages are searchable for only 90 days, workspaces are limited to 10 apps, and huddles are 1:1 only, so a free community loses its history and group voice. Paid plans are priced per user, which works for a paid membership or a company-run customer group but not for a large free server. Slack showed EUR prices from our location, so the USD check is pending. Slack ranks lower here on value, not on capability.

Who it is for

Professional and paid communities whose members already use Slack at work.

Price

See vendor pricing (USD check pending); free plan with 90 days of message history.

US price check pending. See the vendor pricing page.

Key features

• Channels, threads and Slack Connect for outside partners
• Huddles for audio and video with screen sharing
• Canvases and lists inside channels
• 2,600+ apps in the Slack App Directory
• SAML single sign-on and SCIM on higher plans

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Polished apps that many professionals already use daily
• Strength: The largest app directory on this list
• Strength: Strong search and organization on paid plans
• Weakness: Free plan keeps only 90 days of message history
• Weakness: Huddles are 1:1 only on the free plan
• Weakness: Per-user pricing gets expensive for large open communities

Key facts

• Free plan history: 90 days
• Free plan apps: Up to 10
• Free huddles: 1:1 only
• App directory: Over 2,600 apps
• Paid plans: Pro and Business+ among others

Where it ranks

Slack is No. 7 in our Best Discord Alternatives verdict.