Zulip
Focus: team chat, threads and open source. Also in Communication and Collaboration, like Slack. Rated 4.5 (Slack: 4.2).
Web AppFree planWeb, macOS
4.5Visit
Web App
Slack
Team communication organised into channels.
Rating
4.2 / 5
Pricing
Freemium
Difficulty
Beginner
Works on
Web, macOS, Windows
Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com
What is Slack?
Slack keeps team conversation searchable and organised by channel, with integrations that pull alerts and workflows into one place. Best with clear norms about when not to use it.
Pros: what Slack does well
- Great integrations
- Searchable history
Cons: where it falls short
- Can become a distraction engine
- Free tier limits history
Compare Slack
See how Slack stacks up, side by side, plus the lists it made.
Slack alternatives
Not sold on Slack? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.
Mattermost
Focus: team chat, self-hosted and open source. Also in Communication and Collaboration, like Slack. Rated 4.4 (Slack: 4.2).
Web AppFree planWeb, Windows
4.4Visit
Discord
Focus: voice chat, community and screen sharing. Shares chat with Slack. Rated 4.5 (Slack: 4.2).
Web AppFree planWeb, Windows
4.5Visit
Pumble
Focus: team chat, messaging and free plan. Shares channels with Slack. Rated 4.4 (Slack: 4.2).
Web AppFree planWeb, macOS
4.4Visit
Loom
Focus: async, screen recording and video. Also in Communication and Remote Work, like Slack. Adds Chrome. Rated 4.5 (Slack: 4.2).
Web AppFree planWeb, macOS
4.5Visit
Miro
Focus: whiteboard, workshops and diagrams. Also in Collaboration and Remote Work, like Slack. Rated 4.5 (Slack: 4.2).
Web AppFree planWeb, macOS
4.5Visit
Free alternatives to Slack
Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.
Screenity
Focus: screen recorder, loom alternative and annotation. Also in Communication and Collaboration, like Slack. A browser extension, not a web app. Free (Slack: Freemium). Adds Chrome. Rated 4.7 (Slack: 4.2).
Browser ExtensionFreeChrome
4.7Visit
NetBird
Focus: vpn, private network and wireguard. Also in Remote Work and Team Productivity, like Slack. A desktop app, not a web app. Free (Slack: Freemium). Rated 4.6 (Slack: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.6Visit
Mumble
Focus: voice chat, audio and self-hosted. Also in Communication and Collaboration, like Slack. A desktop app, not a web app. Free (Slack: Freemium). Rated 4.4 (Slack: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.4Visit
TaskView
Focus: self-hosted, task management and project management. Shares teams with Slack. Free (Slack: Freemium). Rated 4.3 (Slack: 4.2).
Web AppFreeWeb, Cross-Platform
4.3Visit
Microsoft Teams (free)
Focus: video meetings, microsoft and personal. Shares chat with Slack. Free (Slack: Freemium). Rated 4.0 (Slack: 4.2).
Web AppFreeWeb, Windows
4.0Visit
Syncplay
Focus: watch together, video sync and remote teams. Shares chat with Slack. A desktop app, not a web app. Free (Slack: Freemium). Rated 4.4 (Slack: 4.2).
Desktop AppFreeCross-Platform
4.4Visit
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