Slack vs Microsoft Teams
Communication pricing comparison · 2026
Slack has a free plan, then $8.75–$45/user/mo, while Microsoft Teams has a free plan, then from $4/user/mo. Microsoft Teams is typically 61% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.
Sources & confidence
Every dollar amount and contract clause below traces back to a sourced fact. We don't manufacture composite scores.
Plans at a glance
Every tier per product. Lock one to drive the cost row above and reveal a tier-specific outbound CTA.
Contract terms
The fine print, surfaced. Green = buyer-friendly. Each clause backed by a quoted source.
What users say
Aggregated, with sample sizes. We use whichever review platform has data.
Slack and Microsoft Teams dominate workplace communication, but they serve different ecosystems. Slack pioneered modern team chat with its intuitive interface and extensive app integrations, while Microsoft Teams leverages deep Microsoft 365 integration to offer a unified collaboration platform.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | Slack | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free /month | Free /user/month |
| Pro | $8.75 /user/month | Free /month |
| Business+ | $18 /user/month | Custom |
| Enterprise+ | Custom | $7 /user/month |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot | — | $23.50 /user/month |
| Microsoft Teams Enterprise (E3/E5) | — | Custom |
Cost at Scale
Total cost of ownership — licenses, implementation, and hidden costs included.
Slack
3 scenariosMicrosoft Teams
2 scenariosMarket Intelligence
Slack
- Average negotiated discount
- 14%
Microsoft Teams
- Median annual cost
- $399
- Based on
- 344 deals
Contract Terms
| Term | Slack | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | Yes | Yes |
| Cancellation | 30 days written notice before subscription term end. Either party can give notice of non-renewal at least 30 days before the end of a subscription term to stop auto-renewal. For Enterprise contracts, the deadline is typically 30-90 days before contract end. Monthly plans receive renewal notices 30 days before billing date; annual plans receive 60-90 days notice. | — |
| Minimum commitment | Pro and Business+ have no published minimum seat count, but even 2-person teams pay for a minimum of 3 seats. Enterprise+ requires annual commitment, typically 1-3 year terms. Legacy Enterprise Select required a minimum of 9 users on annual agreements only. | Annual (required for advertised per-user prices) |
| Price escalation | Since the Salesforce acquisition, Slack enforces a mandatory 9% year-over-year price increase at renewal unless specific conditions are met: demonstrating 15-20% ARR growth, committing to multi-year contracts, or adding new Salesforce products. Compounded over four years, the 9% annual uplift raises cumulative subscription cost substantially for a mid-size deployment. Business+ pricing increased in 2025 to reflect bundled AI features. Enterprise Select and Enterprise Grid were consolidated into Enterprise+ in August 2024. Annual contracts often include language allowing 5-7% price increases at renewal. | Users report 10-30% annual price increases through tier restructuring and list price increases on Azure and Microsoft 365 products |
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Our Verdict
Choose Slack if you prioritize a best-in-class messaging experience, work with many external partners, use diverse third-party tools, or want a communication platform that stays focused on chat and channels without feature bloat.
Choose Microsoft Teams if your organization already uses Microsoft 365, you need built-in video conferencing and file collaboration, want to consolidate tools into one platform, or need enterprise-grade security and compliance that integrates with Azure AD.
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Which has better integrations: Slack or Teams?
Slack has more third-party integrations (2,400+) and is often considered the integration leader. Teams has fewer native integrations but offers deeper Microsoft 365 integration including SharePoint, OneDrive, and Office apps. Choose based on your existing tech stack.
02 Can Slack and Microsoft Teams work together?
Yes, but with limitations. There are third-party bridges that sync messages between platforms, and both support common integrations. However, most organizations choose one as their primary platform to avoid fragmentation and confusion.
03 Which free plan is more generous: Slack or Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams Free includes unlimited chat and 60-minute group meetings. Slack Free includes searchable message history for the last 90 days and 1-on-1 video calls. Teams Free is generally more generous for small teams that need video conferencing.
04 Does Microsoft Teams require a Microsoft 365 subscription?
No. Microsoft Teams offers a standalone free plan and a Teams Essentials plan at $4/user/month. However, the Business Basic ($6/user/month) and Business Standard ($12.50/user/month) plans bundle Teams with Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, and OneDrive.