Microsoft Teams vs Slack: Which Team Chat Tool is Right for You?

Compare Microsoft Teams and Slack for team communication. See pricing, features, and which platform works best for your team size and workflow.

Updated 2026-10 · 2026

Microsoft Teams

Enterprise chat bundled with Microsoft 365

Free (limited) or $4/user/monthper user/month

Strengths

+Included free with Microsoft 365 subscriptions
+Deep integration with Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
+Built-in video conferencing with up to 300 participants

Weaknesses

-Interface can feel cluttered and overwhelming
-Slower performance compared to Slack
-Search functionality less intuitive

Best for

Organizations already using Microsoft 365 or enterprises needing tight Office integration

Slack

Fast, searchable team communication platform

Free (limited) or $7.25/user/monthper user/month

Strengths

+Intuitive, clean interface with minimal learning curve
+Superior search functionality across messages and files
+Extensive third-party app integrations (2,600+)

Weaknesses

-Free plan limited to 90 days of message history
-More expensive than Teams for paid plans
-Video calls require separate integration or paid plan

Best for

Tech-savvy teams prioritizing speed, search, and app integrations over Office suite integration

Feature Comparison

Feature	Microsoft Teams	Slack
Free Plan Message History	Unlimited	90 days only
Starting Price (Paid)	$4/user/month	$7.25/user/month
Video Conferencing	Built-in, up to 300 participants	Built-in on paid plans, up to 50 participants
File Storage (Free)	2GB per user	5GB total for team
Third-Party Integrations	~700 apps	2,600+ apps
Office Suite Integration	Native, seamless	Via third-party apps
Search Quality	Basic, slower	Advanced, very fast
Screen Sharing	Included on all plans	Included on all plans
Guest Access	Yes, with limitations	Yes, multi-channel guests on paid
Mobile App Quality	Good, but heavier	Excellent, lightweight
Custom Workflows/Automation	Power Automate integration	Workflow Builder (paid plans)
Enterprise Security	Enterprise-grade, extensive compliance	Enterprise-grade on Enterprise Grid

The Verdict

If you're already paying for Microsoft 365, Teams is the obvious choice—it's essentially free and integrates seamlessly with Office apps. For teams prioritizing speed, search, and best-in-class integrations, Slack justifies its higher price. Small teams on a budget should start with Teams' free plan for unlimited history, while tech startups typically prefer Slack's superior UX.

How to switch from Microsoft Teams to Slack

Full Microsoft Teams export guide →

1Export Teams chat history using Microsoft Purview eDiscovery (Content Search) to generate PST files for 1:1 and group conversations, and separately download each channel's files as a ZIP from its linked SharePoint document library.
2Create your Slack workspace and rebuild your team/channel structure to mirror your Teams layout, including private channels for anything that was a private Teams channel.
3Upload the exported channel files into the matching Slack channels, or connect Slack's SharePoint/OneDrive app so files stay linked rather than duplicated.
4Rebuild any Power Automate flows as Slack Workflow Builder workflows, or reconnect existing automations through Zapier/Make if Workflow Builder can't replicate them.
5Bulk-invite your team to Slack via CSV import under workspace settings, and set a cutover date where Teams becomes read-only for historical reference only.
6Run both tools in parallel for 1-2 weeks for critical teams, then redirect meeting links and calendar integrations to Slack-connected video tools before fully retiring Teams.

Microsoft Teams vs Slack: common questions

How do I export my chat history and files from Microsoft Teams?+

Admins can run a Content Search in Microsoft Purview eDiscovery to export 1:1 and group chat messages as PST files. Channel conversations and files live in the team's connected SharePoint site, so you download each channel's document library as a ZIP directly from SharePoint or OneDrive.

What do I lose when switching from Teams to Slack?+

You lose native, in-line editing of Word/Excel/PowerPoint files inside chat threads, since Slack only links out to Microsoft 365 or Google files rather than embedding them. You also lose direct Power Automate triggers and built-in meeting recordings tied to Stream/SharePoint, which need to be rebuilt using Slack Workflow Builder and a separate meeting tool.

Is Slack's free plan enough for a small team?+

For teams under 10 people who don't need searchable history past 90 days, the free plan usually works fine day-to-day. If you rely on searching old conversations or decisions, the 90-day cutoff will bite you within a quarter, so budget for Pro ($7.25/user/month billed annually) once that becomes a problem.

Can I keep my Microsoft 365 apps connected after moving to Slack?+

Yes. Slack has official apps for Outlook, SharePoint, and OneDrive that let you get notifications and share files without leaving Slack. You'll still open Office apps separately rather than editing documents inline, which is the main workflow change.

Will Slack cost more than Teams as my team grows?+

Yes, per seat Slack Pro runs $7.25/user/month versus $4/user/month for Teams Essentials, and that gap multiplies with headcount. If your org already pays for Microsoft 365 Business plans that include Teams, switching to Slack adds a new line-item cost instead of using something you're already paying for.