Workplace from Meta vs Slack

A factual comparison of Workplace from Meta and Slack for team communication, updated for teams forced to migrate ahead of Workplace's shutdown.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

Workplace from Meta

Facebook-style enterprise social network, being discontinued by Meta

8user/month (Enterprise tier, last published pricing)

Strengths

+Familiar Facebook-like feed and groups interface for non-technical staff
+Strong for company-wide broadcast posts and town halls
+Built-in live video and org-wide announcements

Weaknesses

-Meta has discontinued the product; no new customers and a hard shutdown date already set
-Weak for real-time, threaded work conversations compared to chat-first tools
-Limited developer/API ecosystem and integrations

Best for

Companies still running legacy Workplace instances that now must migrate before Meta shuts it down

Slack

Channel-based business messaging app

0user/month (Free plan; Pro from $7.25/user/month billed annually)

Strengths

+Free plan works fine for small teams with 90-day message history
+Deep integration ecosystem (2,600+ apps in Slack App Directory)
+Threads, huddles, and workflow builder for real automation

Weaknesses

-Free plan message history limit (90 days) can be restrictive
-Costs scale fast per seat at Pro/Business+ tiers
-Can get noisy without channel discipline

Best for

Small to mid-size teams that need fast, searchable, threaded chat with integrations

Feature Comparison

Feature	Workplace from Meta	Slack
Free tier	No (paid only, being sunset)	Yes, unlimited users with 90-day history
Company-wide broadcast/social feed	Yes, core feature	Limited (announcement channels only)
Threaded conversations	Basic comment threads	Full message threading
Video calls/huddles	Yes, live video and rooms	Yes, huddles + Slack Connect calls
App integrations	Limited (a few dozen)	2,600+ in App Directory
Workflow automation	Minimal	Workflow Builder included from free tier
External partner chat	Multi-company groups (limited)	Slack Connect
Admin data export	CSV/JSON export via admin panel	Export via Slack export tools (plan-dependent)
Mobile app	Yes	Yes
Future product roadmap	None; discontinued by Meta	Actively developed by Salesforce

The Verdict

Workplace from Meta is being shut down, so this isn't really a choice — it's a forced migration. Slack is the more mature, chat-first alternative with a real free tier and an integration ecosystem Workplace never built. Teams using Workplace mainly for company-wide announcements should also evaluate whether an intranet tool fits better, but for day-to-day team communication, Slack is the direct replacement.

How to switch from Workplace from Meta to Slack

1In Workplace, go to Admin Panel > Export Data and export all groups, posts, comments, and files as CSV/JSON before your account's shutdown deadline; download and store these archives outside Workplace.
2Create your Slack workspace and set up channels that mirror your most-used Workplace groups, using the exported group list as a reference for structure and membership.
3Import archived files into shared drives (Google Drive/SharePoint) linked to Slack channels, since Slack doesn't natively import Workplace post history — treat exported posts as reference archives, not live migrated content.
4Rebuild any custom Workplace integrations or bots using Slack's API, Workflow Builder, or existing App Directory apps (Google Workspace, Zoom, Jira, etc.).
5Recreate admin roles, user groups, and notification/announcement channels in Slack, then run both platforms in parallel for 1-2 weeks so employees can find old content while adjusting to Slack.
6Send a company-wide announcement (in both Workplace and Slack) with the cutover date, deactivate posting in Workplace, and finalize the switch before Meta's shutdown deadline.

Workplace from Meta vs Slack: common questions

How do I export my data from Workplace before it shuts down?+

Workplace admins can use the built-in 'Export Data' tool in the Admin Panel to download group posts, comments, files, and member lists as CSV and JSON files. Meta has published shutdown timelines and export deadlines directly to admins via email and the admin panel banner — export well before the cutoff since bulk exports can take time to process for large groups.

What do we lose by switching from Workplace to Slack?+

You lose the Facebook-style social feed, native org chart integration, and the built-in live video broadcast format Workplace used for town halls. Slack replaces this with channels and Workflow Builder, but company-wide 'social' posting with reactions/comments feels different and less feed-like.

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

Yes for most teams under ~50 people who don't need long message history — the free plan includes unlimited users, 1:1 and group huddles, and 90 days of searchable history. If your team relies on searching old posts or files from Workplace archives, you'll want Pro ($7.25/user/month annually) for unlimited history.

Can I connect the same tools we used with Workplace to Slack?+

Most common integrations (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoom, Asana, Jira) exist as native Slack apps in the App Directory, unlike Workplace's narrower integration list. Custom Workplace API integrations will need to be rebuilt using Slack's API or Workflow Builder, so audit any custom bots or webhooks before cutover.

Will switching to Slack cost more than Workplace long-term?+

It depends on team size and history needs — Slack's free plan costs $0 versus Workplace's ~$4-$8/user/month, so smaller teams often pay less. Larger teams needing unlimited history and admin controls on Slack Pro ($7.25/user/month annually) or Business+ ($12.50/user/month annually) may land close to or above what Workplace charged.