Slack revolutionized workplace communication, but its per user pricing and message history limits on the free plan push many teams to explore alternatives. Whether you need better video, lower costs, or self hosting, there are strong options.
| Feature | Slack | Microsoft Teams | Discord | Rocket.Chat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Message History | 90 days | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited (self hosted) |
| Video Calls | Huddles (15 min free) | Full meetings | Built in | Jitsi integration |
| File Storage | 5GB free | 5GB free | Unlimited (self hosted) | 15GB (Google Drive) |
| Self Hosting | No | No | No | Yes |
| App Integrations | 2,400+ | 700+ | Bots and webhooks | 100+ |
| Voice Channels | Huddles | No | Always on | No |
Enterprise communication hub integrated with Microsoft 365.
Seamless integration with Outlook, Word, Excel, and SharePoint
Community platform with voice channels, threads, and bots.
Always on voice channels and the best community engagement features
Open source team messaging you can self host with full control.
Complete data sovereignty with on premise deployment and full source access
Simple messaging built into Google Workspace.
Native integration with Gmail, Drive, Meet, and Docs
Decentralized, encrypted messaging built on the Matrix protocol.
End to end encryption by default with decentralized architecture
Slack's free plan now limits message history to 90 days, making it impractical for long term knowledge.
Per user pricing at $7.25 per month adds up quickly for larger teams.
Video calling and screen sharing are limited compared to dedicated tools like Teams or Zoom.
Microsoft Teams is the strongest Slack alternative for organizations using Microsoft 365. It offers unlimited message history on the free plan, built in video meetings, and deep Office integration. The trade off is that it can feel heavier and less playful than Slack.
Discord is increasingly used by startups and tech teams for its always on voice channels and strong community features. It lacks some enterprise features like compliance tools and SSO on lower tiers, but its free plan is more generous than Slack for small teams.
Rocket.Chat and Element (Matrix) both offer self hosted options with full data control. Rocket.Chat is the more traditional Slack like experience, while Element uses a decentralized protocol that can federate across organizations.
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Take the QuizLast updated: April 2026