Best Slack Alternatives & Competitors in 2026
12 alternatives to Slack • Updated January 2026
Slack revolutionized team communication but it's not for everyone. The per-user pricing adds up fast, the notification overload can hurt productivity, and some teams find channel sprawl creates information silos. Whether you're looking to cut costs, simplify your stack, or find something that better fits how your team actually works, there are strong alternatives worth considering.
12
Alternatives
10
Free Options
87
Top Score
2026
Updated
Common Reasons Teams Leave Slack
Cost at Scale
Slack's $8.75-15/user/month adds up quickly. A 100-person team pays $10,500-18,000/year just for chat. Many alternatives offer better value.
Notification Fatigue
Slack's always-on culture can overwhelm teams. The constant pings, threads, and DMs create pressure to be available 24/7.
Information Silos
Important discussions get buried in channels. Search helps but doesn't solve the fundamental problem of scattered information.
Microsoft 365 Overlap
If you're paying for Microsoft 365, Teams is included. Paying for both Slack and M365 is redundant for many organizations.
What Slack Does Well
- +Best-in-class user experience and design polish
- +Superior third-party integrations (2,600+ apps)
- +Excellent for cross-company collaboration (Slack Connect)
- +Strong developer and startup ecosystem adoption
Common Pain Points
- -Expensive at scale ($8.75-15/user/month)
- -Can create always-on communication culture
- -Channel sprawl makes information hard to find
- -Video calling good but not best-in-class
What to Look For in a Slack Alternative
Integration Support
Slack's integration ecosystem is unmatched. Verify your critical integrations work with any alternative.
Threading Model
Different apps handle threaded conversations differently. Test how conversations flow in your team's style.
External Collaboration
If you use Slack Connect with clients/vendors, ensure alternatives support similar external sharing.
Search Quality
Slack's search is excellent. Test how well alternatives surface old conversations.
Migration Considerations
Slack migration is primarily about habits, not data. Export your workspace for reference, but don't expect perfect data migration—message history doesn't transfer cleanly to other platforms. Focus on channel structure recreation and integration re-setup. Plan 2-3 weeks for team transition including parallel running period.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Slack alternative?
Based on our analysis, Zoom is currently the top-rated Slack alternative with a score of 87/100. That said, the "best" alternative depends on your specific needs, budget, and use case. We recommend trying free trials before making a decision.
Is there a free alternative to Slack?
Yes! Zoom, Miro, Krisp offer free or freemium pricing. Free alternatives often have limitations on features or usage, but they can be perfect for individuals or small teams.
How difficult is it to switch from Slack?
Switching difficulty varies depending on how much data you have and how deeply integratedSlack is in your workflow. Most modern tools support data export/import in standard formats. Plan for a transition period where you might run both tools in parallel to ensure a smooth switch.