A robust business messaging app is the backbone of a well-oiled workflow, and Slack has emerged as one of the most popular options. Think of it as a virtual office where your team can drop by for water cooler talk, important announcements, or to wish each other a happy birthday. ?
Besides enabling effortless communication, Slack can foster a sense of community through various integrations and mitigate some of the isolation that comes with remote work.
Still, Slack is far from perfect—it’s not for everyone’s pocket, and an extra few project tracking and management features wouldn’t hurt.
To help you find an app that lets you gather your team in one place without juggling additional platforms or breaking the bank, we’ll show you the 10 best Slack competitors worth checking out.
- Understanding Slack: Limitations & Review
- What Should You Look for in Slack Competitors?
- The 10 Best Slack Competitors to Use in 2024
- 1. ClickUp – Best for real-time collaboration
- A. ClickUp Chat: Integrated communication and collaboration
- B. Comments for task-centric discussions
- C. Shared Docs: Centralized knowledge sharing
- D. Task Management: Delegating work and tracking progress
- 2. Microsoft Teams – Best for Microsoft users
- 3. Discord – Best for community building
- 4. Rocket.Chat – Best for open-source customization
- 5. Google Chat – Best for Google Workspace users
- 6. Flock – Best for simplicity & ease of use
- 7. Troop Messenger – Best for security-conscious teams
- 8. Chanty – Best for small teams
- 9. Ryver – Best for forum communication
- 10. Twist – Best for asynchronous teams
Summarize this article for me pleaseUnderstanding Slack: Limitations & Review
Before we dive into the detailed universe of Slack competitors, it’s essential to understand Slack itself, including its strengths and weaknesses. Slack, as a collaboration tool, has become popular for its ability to streamline communication within teams. Its interface is intuitive, making real-time collaboration, file sharing, and message archiving simple. However, like any other platform, Slack has its limitations.
Slack Limitations
- Cost: One of the most significant gripes users have with Slack is its pricing structure. While there is a free version, it has many constraints, such as a limited message history and restricted integration. To access full functionality, teams must upgrade to pricey premium plans.
- Interface issues: Although Slack’s interface is generally user-friendly, it can become cluttered and difficult to navigate with multiple channels and conversations. There’s no way to organise channels into categories, which can lead to confusion and missed messages.
- Limited video conferencing: While Slack does support video calls, it’s geared primarily towards chat. The video conferencing function lacks advanced features found in other video conferencing platforms, such as break-out rooms or advanced muting controls.
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Should You Look for in Slack Competitors?
Each team communication app comes with unique selling points, and the features you should expect largely depend on your workflow. Still, there are a few boxes every platform should check:
- User-friendly interface: When choosing a messaging app, feel free to judge a book by its cover—a well-designed UI ensures you can navigate and use the app regardless of your tech skills
- Cross-platform support: Make sure your chosen app offers robust desktop and mobile support so that your team can reach you whether they’re working from the office, their home, or the beach ?️
- File sharing: A solid communication platform goes beyond plain text and can serve as a home for your project briefs, teambuilding photos, and other files and media types you’ll want to share
- Real-time collaboration: From shared calendars and databases to task delegation and overviews, your app should be packed with a bunch of features that ensure your team stays on the same page
- Integrations: A messaging app is only one piece of your workflow’s puzzle. Make sure it connects seamlessly to other platforms you use, allowing you to create a cohesive ecosystem
- Screen sharing: A messaging app with file sharing, group chats, and voice and video calls should also have screen-sharing capabilities
Summarize this article for me pleaseThe 10 Best Slack Competitors to Use
If Slack doesn’t float your boat, don’t worry—there are plenty of other options to explore. Let’s go over the 10 most capable ones. ?
1. ClickUp – Best for real-time collaboration
ClickUp is a Swiss Army knife for project management and collaboration, and instant messaging is one of its sharpest tools. With ClickUp Chat view, you can create communication channels for specific projects or bring cross-functional teams together and collaborate in real-time.
With screen-sharing capabilities, you improve team communication directly in the platform, so it’s easier to share screen recordings—making this one of the best Slack competitors with its task management features included.
From screen-sharing capabilities to embed various types of content like webpages, videos, documents, and spreadsheets, ClickUp ensures all communication is productive and action-driven.
Let’s explore how ClickUp Chat and its collaboration tools redefine teamwork:
A. ClickUp Chat: Integrated communication and collaboration
ClickUp Chat View transforms messaging into a powerful collaboration tool by connecting every conversation directly to tasks and projects. It’s designed not just for communication, but to serve as a centralized hub where discussions seamlessly drive actionable outcomes and streamline workflows.
Key features of ClickUp Chat:
- Project-Specific Channels: Create channels tailored to specific projects or cross-functional teams, ensuring discussions stay focused. Invite team members to chats on a need-to-know basis for secure communication
- Embedded Content: Go beyond plain text with embedded webpages, videos, documents, and spreadsheet databases. Add formatted text, checklists, banners, and more using / Slash Commands for quick customization
- Turn Messages into Tasks: Convert any message into a task with AI-powered automation. Link it to relevant projects, assign responsibilities, and add due dates—all without leaving the chat
- FollowUps™ for Accountability: Assign chat messages as FollowUps to teammates to ensure no action item gets missed
- SyncUps for Real-Time Collaboration: Start voice or video calls, share your screen, and collaborate directly in the chat
- AI Catch Me Up: Missed conversations while OOO? AI summarizes key discussions so you’re up to speed in minutes
With ClickUp Chat, all communication is tied to tasks and projects, streamlining teamwork and eliminating app-switching
B. Comments for task-centric discussions
ClickUp Comments bring focus to discussions within tasks:
- Assigned Comments: Instantly bring someone’s attention to action items and ensure accountability
- Threaded Discussions: Keep conversations organized with nested replies
- Quote Comments: Highlight specific text for precise feedback or questions
- Reminders: Turn comments into reminders to follow up at the right time
Comments in ClickUp ensure that every discussion is actionable and organized, making collaboration more effective.
Bonus: Create or assign tasks from the Chat window! Select the message as shown below and select the ‘Create or Assign’ button! And your task is created ?
C. Shared Docs: Centralized knowledge sharing
ClickUp Docs make creating, sharing, and collaborating on robust wikis and knowledge bases effortless:
- Real-Time Collaboration: Edit Docs with your team in real time, leave comments, and add suggestions
- Seamless Integration: Link Docs to tasks or Chat channels to provide full context
- Embed Content: Add videos, charts, and even interactive elements directly into your Docs
Docs provide a single source of truth for your team, ensuring everyone stays informed and aligned.
D. Task Management: Delegating work and tracking progress
ClickUp’s Tasks are deeply integrated into its collaboration tools:
- Customizable Workflows: Use statuses, priorities, and deadlines to match your team’s needs
- Multiple Views: Track progress visually with views like List, Board, Calendar, and Timeline
- Task Relationships: Link related tasks, Docs, and Chats for instant access to all relevant information
ClickUp Tasks ensure no idea or discussion gets lost, keeping your team focused on deliverables.
If you need help developing an effective communication framework, we’ve got you covered! Use the ClickUp Internal Communication Strategy and Action Plan Template to set communication goals and develop an elaborate strategy without manual labor.
ClickUp best features
- ClickUp Clips: Share screen recordings for clear, visual communication.
- Robust Text Formatting and File Sharing: Enhance messages with advanced text options and attach files effortlessly.
- Grouped Links and Attachments: Keep relevant resources organized for easy access.
- Real-Time Communication: Collaborate in the moment through Chat, calls, and comments.
- Comprehensive Task Management: Delegate tasks, set goals, and monitor progress from one platform.
- Company-Wide and Project-Specific Chats: Organize conversations based on team or project needs.
- Email Integration: Send and receive emails directly from ClickUp.
- Collaborative Docs: Create shareable Docs with permission controls for secure teamwork.
- Communication Plan Templates: Use pre-built templates to establish effective collaboration systems.
- 1,000+ Integrations: Seamlessly connect with tools like Google Workspace, Zoom, and Salesforce.
ClickUp limitations
- No audio or video meetings (though you can use ClickUp Clips to share screen recordings within Chat view)
- A notable learning curve due to extensive task management features
ClickUp pricing
- Free Forever
- Unlimited: $7/month per user
- Business: $12/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
- ClickUp AI: Available on all paid plans for $7 per Workspace member per month
*All listed prices refer to the annual billing model
ClickUp ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (9,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (3,800+ reviews)
Compare Slack Vs ClickUp!
2. Microsoft Teams – Best for Microsoft users
Many tech giants have released collaboration apps, but Microsoft’s option stands out for several reasons. Teams is a feature-rich app focused on conferencing over simple messaging, as it lets you host large meetings with up to 300 participants. Sessions can last up to 30 hours, and you get various handy features, such as:
- Customized backgrounds
- Noise suppression
- Scheduled meetings
If you still prefer to let your fingers handle the communication instead of your voice, you can leverage a clean, user-friendly chat interface. Sadly, you can’t get creative with fonts and styles because text editing features are pretty limited—there are three text sizes to choose from alongside basic formatting options (bold, italic, etc.).
On the bright side, you can share various file types and coauthor documents through the Microsoft 365 app, which encompasses Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. ?
Microsoft Teams best features
- Up to 300 chat or video meeting participants
- Real-time collaboration
- Meeting participation without an account
- Live captions and annotations for meetings
Microsoft Teams limitations
- No advanced task or project management features
- Limited text formatting options
Microsoft Teams pricing
- Microsoft Teams Essentials: $4/month per user
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $6/month per user
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $12.50/month per user
*All listed prices refer to the annual billing model
Microsoft Teams ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.3/5 (14,400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (9,300+ reviews)
Check out these Microsoft Teams alternatives!
3. Discord – Best for community building
If you’re looking for a simple chat platform without bells and whistles, Discord can be a fun and useful app (and no, it’s not only for gamers). ?
The way it works is pretty simple—you create a server, which you can split into topic-based channels while leaving the main group chat for company-wide announcements and/or casual conversations.
Channels are invite-based, and you can set different permissions and use moderation tools to decide who can contribute to the chat and how. For example, you can create a channel dedicated to updates that only you can send messages to, while others can read the messages and react to them.
Discord also offers audio and video calls, though it’s nowhere near as capable as dedicated conferencing tools—it only allows up to 25 users, which might be too limiting for large teams.
Discord best features
- Low-latency video and audio calls
- Public and private channels
- Up to 500 MB per-file upload limit
- Custom emojis and reactions
Discord limitations
- Not suitable for comprehensive project management
- There have been complaints about audio call quality on mobile devices
Discord pricing
- Free Version
- Nitro Basic: $2.99/month
- Nitro: $9.99/month
- Server boost: $4.99/server per month
Discord ratings and reviews
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (370 reviews)
- TrustRadius: 8.7/10 (160 reviews)
Check out these Discord alternatives!
4. Rocket.Chat – Best for open-source customization
If we only focus on team collaboration, Rocket.Chat might not seem mind-blowing at first glance—you get some standard features seen in most platforms, such as:
- Private and public channels alongside one-on-one chats
- File sharing
- Read receipts
- Search history
Despite the seemingly basic features, this app surely deserves a spot on our list for one reason—customer-facing chat functionalities. Specifically, it offers omnichannel customer interactions to let you chat with consumers, no matter which messaging platform they’re using. All communication is funneled into Rocket.Chat, which can streamline your customer support efforts.
If that’s not impressive enough, you can also use the Rocket.Chat API to embed a chat engine into your website or mobile app! ?
All in all, this platform aims to serve as a unified solution for all your internal and external chat needs. It’s also end-to-end encrypted, which is a security measure privacy-conscious users will appreciate.
Rocket.Chat best features
- Complete message history
- Message templates
- Workflow automation
- Real-time analytics for omnichannel customer chats
- Open-source and end-to-end encrypted
Rocket.Chat limitations
- Might be too complex for an average user
- Some users have reported significant bugs
Rocket.Chat pricing
- Community: Free
- Enterprise (for internal communication): $7/month per user with a minimum of 25 users
- Enterprise (for external communication): $35/month per agent with a minimum of five agents
Rocket.Chat ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.2/5 (320+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (140+ reviews)
5. Google Chat – Best for Google Workspace users
If you use other apps from the Google Workspace suite (Gmail, Google Docs, etc.), Google Chat might make perfect sense because it’s a part of the same ecosystem. It’s a lightweight app without too many advanced features that should be robust enough for an average team chat app.
Besides one-on-one chats, you can create group spaces accommodating up to 50,000 participants! That definitely unlocks some possibilities for big team communication. This alone makes the app worth considering if you want to ensure scalability from the perspective of your team’s size. ?
Other notable features of Google Chat include:
- Smart Compose and autocorrect
- Voice chats and video meetings
- Integration with other Google Workspace apps and third-party platforms (Asana, Workday, etc.)
- Custom emojis, in-line GIFs, and reactions
A small but notable perk of Google Chat is in-line threading, which lets you start a thread related to an individual message without leaving the chat window. The thread will appear next to the main chat so that you can stay on top of both.
Google Chat best features
- Minimalistic interface
- Guest access to chats
- Automated chat summarization
- Various native and third-party integrations
- Free version is highly versatile compared to other alternatives to Slack
Google Chat limitations
- Useful features are kept behind a paywall (Smart Compose, data loss prevention, etc.)
- Messages can’t be longer than 4,096 characters
Google Chat pricing
- Free
- Google Workspace Business Starter: $6/month per user
- Google Workspace Business Standard: $12/month per user
- Google Workspace Business Plus: $18/month per user
- Google Workspace Business Enterprise: Custom
*All listed prices refer to the annual billing model
Google Chat ratings and reviews
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (2,200+ reviews)
- TrustRadius: 8.0/10 (140+ reviews)
6. Flock – Best for simplicity & ease of use
Flock is a simple, well-designed app that checks all the essential boxes of team communication apps—group chats, audio calls, and video conferences. When you dig beneath the surface, you’ll also uncover several valuable features that help you stay productive, such as:
- Built-in polls that speed up decision-making
- Integrated search that lets you find specific messages, files, links, etc.
- Voice notes for when typing is too much of a hassle
The platform also offers a rich app library that includes integrations with Google Docs, Dropbox, social media apps, and other popular platforms. You’ll also find useful developer tools that let you do everything from adding code snippets to being notified about crashes or bugs. ?
If you don’t find what you need in the app library, you can create your own Flock apps to further expand the platform’s functionality.
Flock best features
- Various ways to communicate (text, audio notes and calls, and video conferences)
- Dozens of third-party integrations and apps
- Comprehensive search
- To-do’s with due dates and reminders
Flock limitations
- No private channels with the free plan unlike other Slack competitors
- Limited storage (up to 20 GB per member, even with the highest tier)
Flock pricing
- Starter: Free (for up to 20 users)
- Pro: $4.5/month per user (with annual billing)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Flock ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (240+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (320+ reviews)
Check out these Flock alternatives!
7. Troop Messenger – Best for security-conscious teams
Troop Messenger is an advanced app focused on collaboration and organization. When you create a channel, you’ll see lots of useful tools on top of messaging and file sharing, most notably:
- Chat filters that let you separate images, docs, and other files from the main chat
- Code Editor that lets multiple developers write code at the same time
- Message editing and recall (which deletes the message for both the sender and recipient)
A particularly handy feature is Forkout, which lets you send messages and files to multiple people or groups without creating a new channel. This can be useful when sending one-off updates or docs that aren’t worth a dedicated chat.
If a team member is feeling down, you can leverage the Burnout feature that opens a private window and lets you chat one-on-one with them. All messages vanish once the pre-defined timer expires, so everything said remains confidential. ?
Troop Messenger best features
- Convenient organization through common and favorite groups
- File and screen sharing with attachment previews
- Airtime Groups for broadcasting announcements
- Chat backgrounds for personalization and screen-sharing options
- Group chats available
Troop Messenger limitations
- No free plan
- Restricted media sharing (up to five MB per photo and 20 MB per video) which stands out compared to other alternatives to Slack
Troop Messenger pricing
- Enterprise: $5/month per user
- Superior: $9/month per user
- Premium: $25/month per user
Troop Messenger ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (70+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.8/5 (15+ reviews)
8. Chanty – Best for small teams
Chanty is a clean, intuitive app that easily organizes your workspace. When you enter the app, you’ll see the so-called Teambook—a centralized hub from which you can open the team’s tasks, public and private channels, shared files and links, and everything else the app offers.
When you create a channel, you can decide who can send messages and who can only read them. You can also create tasks right from the chat, which makes delegation a breeze. Tasks can then be displayed on a Kanban board for a comprehensive overview.
Chanty integrates with multiple software, including popular cloud solutions and other project management apps like Asana and Trello. Zapier is pre-installed in the app, letting you connect it with other platforms beyond native integrations. ?
Chanty best features
- Centralized access to chats, tasks, and other features
- Voice and video calls
- Task delegation and management
- Channel roles and permissions
- Group chat options
Chanty limitations
- Not many native integrations
- Potential issues with notifications
Chanty pricing
- Free
- Business: $3/month per user (with annual billing)
Chanty ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5/5 (30+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (30+ reviews)
9. Ryver – Best for forum communication
Ryver is a lesser-known but capable app that lets you keep your conversations neatly structured. There are three types of chats you’ll see divided in the left-hand menu:
- Forums for open discussions with the entire team
- Teams for dedicated private channels
- People for one-on-one chats
When you create a channel, you can further split it into topics, allowing your team to contribute to the relevant ones. You can also single out all tasks within a channel, so you don’t need to hunt for them throughout the chat history. ✅
The app also offers audio and video calls, but they’re still in beta as of this writing. While you do get useful features like screen sharing, your calls can only have up to five participants, which is far too limiting for large teams.
Ryver best features
- Various chat organization options
- Integration with cloud services and Zapier
- Task management
- Unlimited file sharing
Ryver limitations
- Only five participants per call
- No free plan
Ryver pricing
- Medium Pack: $4/user
- Starter: $69/month (up to 12 users)
- Standard: $129/month (up to 30 users)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Ryver ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (150+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (40+ reviews)
10. Twist – Best for asynchronous teams
Twist aims to make asynchronous team communication more laid back. Unlike most apps, it doesn’t centralize chats or give you insight into your team’s availability. You get a forum-like interface, where channels are split into topics your team can contribute to.
This can be a double-edged sword—sure, it creates a relaxed environment, but it might not be ideal when you’re on a deadline or need to reach someone quickly. There’s no real-time collaboration or audio/video calls, so you’re limited to basic async chats. ?
When threads are no longer needed, you can mark them as completed so they don’t clutter the inbox. You can also save specific threads to access them more easily, which may come in handy if you create lots of them.
Twist best features
- Thread-based async communication
- Emoji reactions, GIFs, and file attachments
- Thread saving and sharing
- Thorough search
Twist limitations
- No real-time collaboration
- No availability status for team members
Twist pricing
- Free
- Unlimited: $6/month per user (with annual billing)
Twist ratings and reviews
- G2: 3.9/5 (10+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (30+ reviews)
Summarize this article for me pleaseStart Collaborating with the top Slack Competitors
It’s easy to encounter analysis paralysis when browsing alternatives to Slack, as there are so many options to choose from. If you want the most well-rounded one, let us set modesty aside for a second and recommend ClickUp. ?
Not only do you get all the features you’d expect from a full-fledged team communication platform, but you can also manage all sorts of projects from start to finish through an array of additional features.
If you want a hassle-free way to tighten your workflow, create a free ClickUp account.
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
