Slack vs Zoom
Slack is a team messaging platform built around channels, threads and huddles, while Zoom is a video meeting platform that has grown into Zoom Workplace with Team Chat, Whiteboard, Notes and an AI Companion. They are compared because each now covers some of the other's ground: Slack offers audio and video huddles, and Zoom bundles chat with meetings. Slack suits teams whose work runs through chat and many connected tools, and Zoom suits teams whose work runs through scheduled meetings, external calls, classes and webinars.
Which should you choose?
Choose Slack if
- Technology and product teams that live in chat and connect many tools
- Companies collaborating with agencies or clients through Slack Connect
- Organizations that want a mature admin, security and compliance toolset
Choose Zoom if
- Teams that host external meetings, sales calls or classes with guests
- Organizations that need webinars and large events on the same platform
- Companies wanting AI meeting summaries without a third-party notetaker
Cheapest to start
Not confirmed
Free plan
Slack, Zoom
Highest editor rating
Slack · 4.6
| Compare | Slack |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes |
| Starting price | From $8.75/mo |
| Editor rating | 4.6 |
| Ease of use | Very easy (5/5) |
| Category | Communication |
| Pricing model | Free plan with 90-day message history; Pro is $8.75 per user per month ($7.25 billed annually), Business+ approximately $15 per user per month billed annually, Enterprise Grid pricing is custom. |
| Plans |
|
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, API |
| Integrations | Asana, GitHub, Google Meet, Google Workspace, Jira, Outlook, Salesforce, Trello, Zapier, Zoom |
| Best for |
|
| Pros |
|
| Cons |
|
| AI assistant | Yes |
| API access | Yes |
| Audit logs | Yes |
| Channels & threads | Yes |
| Desktop app | No |
| Guest & client access | Yes |
| Meeting recording & transcripts | No |
| Mobile app | No |
| Roles & permissions | Yes |
| Screen sharing | Yes |
| SSO / SAML | Yes |
| Two-factor authentication | Yes |
| Video calls | Yes |
| Webhooks | Yes |
| Webinars | No |
| Workflow automation | Yes |
Common questions
- Does Slack or Zoom have a free plan?
- Both do. Slack and Zoom each offer a free tier, so you can try either without paying.
- How long is the Slack and Zoom free trial?
- Slack offers a 30-day free trial. Zoom does not offer one.
Our verdict
Choose Slack if messaging is the center of your team's day and you want channels, threads, search, Slack Connect with outside companies and a large integration ecosystem; Pro is $8.75 per user per month ($7.25 billed annually), with a 30-day trial and a free plan that shows 90 days of history and allows one-to-one huddles. Choose Zoom if you host meetings with guests, sales calls, classes or webinars and want reliable audio and video plus AI meeting summaries on paid plans; Pro is $15.99 per user per month ($13.33 billed annually), and the free Basic plan allows 100 participants but ends group meetings after 40 minutes. Both score 5 out of 5 for ease of use, integrate with each other, and connect to Google Workspace, Outlook, Salesforce and Zapier. Zoom's bundled chat is lighter than Slack's, and Slack's huddles do not include Zoom's meeting recording or webinar features.