Slack vs Google Chat

Microsoft Teams

Connecteam

Google Workspace

Microsoft Teams is a chat-based workspace in Microsoft 365 which lets users collaborate on documents, make voice & video conference calls, view chat logs, and more. Teams has replaced Skype for Business as Microsoft's online meeting solution.

An all-in-one employee app that's both powerful, affordable and easy to use, especially for the mobile workforce.

Google Workspace is a suite of applications from Google which offers a number of tools to communicate and collaborate with colleagues, store files, and manage data from all devices.

Slack is a single workspace that connects users with the people and tools they work with everyday, no matter where they are or what they do

Access Controls/Permissions

Activity/News Feed

Activity Tracking

AI/Machine Learning

Alerts/Notifications

Archiving & Retention

Audio Calls

Audio Capture

Authentication

Brainstorming

Calendar Management

Call Conferencing

Call Recording

Call Routing

Chatbot

Chat/Messaging

Collaboration Tools

Commenting/Notes

Communication Management

Compliance Management

Conferencing

Contact Management

Content Management

Content Sharing

Customizable Templates

Discussions/Forums

Document Management

Drag & Drop

Employee Directory

Employee Engagement

Encryption

Feedback Management

File Sharing

File Transfer

Filtering

For Developers

For Sales Teams/Organizations

Full Text Search

Group Management

Group Messaging

Interaction Tracking

Knowledge Base Management

Live Chat

Meeting Management

Meeting Notes

Member Directory

@mentions

Messaging

Mobile Access

Moderation

Monitoring

Multi-Channel Communication

Multiple Data Sources

Multi-User Collaboration

Natural Language Processing

Notes Management

Presentation Streaming

Prioritization

Private Chat

Productivity Tools

Projections

Read Receipts

Real-Time Chat

Real-time Consumer-facing Chat

Real-Time Data

Real-Time Notifications

Real Time Synchronization

Real-Time Updates

Recording

Reminders

Remote Access/Control

Remote Support

Reporting/Analytics

Reporting & Statistics

Scheduling

Screen Capture

Screen Recording

Screen Sharing

Search/Filter

Server Monitoring

Single Sign On

SSL Security

Support Ticket Management

Surveys & Feedback

Tagging

Task Management

Team Collaboration

Third-Party Integrations

To-Do List

Transcripts/Chat History

Troubleshooting

Two-Factor Authentication

Two Way Audio & Video

Two-Way Audio & Video

User Management

Version Control

Video Chat

Video Conferencing

Reviews for Slack come from a wide variety of industries, including computer software (15% of reviewers), information technology and services (11%), and marketing and advertising (8%). The most frequent use case for Slack cited by reviewers is team communication (72% of reviewers).

Users and use cases

Some users say Slack’s free plan is generous for small teams, and reviewers appreciate its basic features for testing. However, some users report quickly hitting limitations, and reviewers feel upgrades are costly, especially for larger organizations.

Value for money

The Slack integrations most frequently cited by reviewers are: Google Drive (a cloud storage product rated 4.8 out of 5 for its integration with Slack), Google Calendar (a scheduling product, 4.9), and Jira (an IT project management product, 4.6).

Integrations

Slack is a team communication solution offering key features such as chat/messaging, real-time notifications, mobile access, and file sharing, among others.

Proprietary

Slack

Web-based

iPad

Android

iPhone

Windows

Google Meet

Trello

Discord

Zoom Workplace

Basecamp

Google Chat

Workplace from Meta

WhatsApp

Rocket.Chat

Asana

Webex Suite

Microsoft Viva Engage

Mattermost

Cisco Jabber

Telegram

Zoho Cliq

Free

Business+

Enterprise Grid

Frequent glitches and crashes

Student

Usually, I face glitches and errors that don't enable Slack to launch, and this problem is not fixed until now.

The least that i like about this is that it has some bugs and it needs to be updated to fix the bugs in this software.

48% of reviewers feel negative about Slack’s bugs and issues. Some users report experiencing glitches, crashes, and technical problems across different devices and operating systems. Reviewers mention that app updates sometimes introduce new bugs, and that certain features may break or behave unpredictably. They say server outages and compatibility issues can disrupt communication, and occasional problems with plugins or integrations add to user frustration. Many feel that while some bugs are quickly addressed, recurring issues impact reliability.

Thread management confusion

45% of reviewers feel negative about Slack’s thread functionality. Some users find that threads are unintuitive and can make it difficult to track conversations, especially in busy channels with multiple discussions. Reviewers mention that replies can get buried, notifications for threads are easily missed, and switching between threads and main channels can be cumbersome. They say inconsistent use of threads among team members leads to confusion, lost messages, and challenges in staying organized, particularly in large or fast-moving workspaces.

Resource usage and slowdowns

74% of reviewers feel negative about Slack’s performance and speed. Some users report that Slack consumes significant memory and CPU, especially on older or less powerful devices, leading to slow load times, crashes, and lag during calls or heavy usage. Reviewers mention that the desktop and mobile apps can be resource-intensive, sometimes causing system slowdowns or freezing. They also note issues with connectivity, service outages, and data usage, which can disrupt workflow and make the app less reliable for critical communication.

High cost and free plan limits

Adjunct Instructor

With the free version of this product, the number of messages and images that can be saved on the server is limited which became quite a hassle in the ways that my organization used this product.

47% of reviewers feel negative about Slack’s pricing. Some users think the paid plans are expensive, especially for larger teams or organizations with tight budgets. Reviewers highlight that the free version has strict limits on message history and file storage, which they say can hinder recordkeeping and force upgrades. Many express frustration with the per-user pricing model and the lack of affordable options for small teams. They also mention that alternative tools may offer similar features at a lower cost or as part of bundled software packages.

Overwhelming and inconsistent alerts

Software Engineer

The mobile app notifications are really annoying as when 5 messages are delivered at once, it vibrates and pings 5 times in a matter of milliseconds instead of just once even when it's coming from the same slackbot or person.

Owner

I have the mobile version as well to receive messages on the go, however the notifications seem to be hit-or-miss. Although I'm always signed in to Slack on my phone, I don't always receive notifications of new messages resulting in my missing urgent requests.

59% of reviewers feel negative about Slack’s notifications. Some users say notification settings are confusing and lack sufficient customization, resulting in either too many alerts or missing important messages. Reviewers indicate that notifications can be overwhelming in busy workspaces, causing distractions and reduced productivity. They also mention inconsistencies between desktop and mobile notifications, delayed or missed alerts, and difficulty managing notifications across multiple devices or channels, making it challenging to stay informed without constant checking.

Expressive communication tools

Additionally, Slack's ability to react to messages with emojis, share messages with specific individuals, create private or public channels, and send group messages to team members creates an environment that encourages collaboration and communication in a way that feels organic and intuitive.

94% of reviewers feel positive about Slack’s emoji features. Some reviewers find that custom emojis, GIFs, and reactions make conversations more engaging and fun, helping to inject personality into work chats. They say the ability to create and use personalized emojis supports team culture and quick feedback, such as voting or acknowledging messages without lengthy replies. Users appreciate that emojis help lighten the mood, foster rapport, and make communication more efficient, especially in remote or distributed teams where nonverbal cues are missing.

Connecting distributed teams

98% of reviewers feel positive about Slack’s remote team communication. Reviewers indicate Slack enables seamless, real-time communication for distributed teams, helping them stay connected regardless of location. They appreciate features like organized channels, instant messaging, and the ability to create dedicated spaces for projects or departments. Users say integrations with other tools and mobile support help remote workers collaborate efficiently and feel included in company culture. Many find that Slack bridges the gap created by physical distance, supporting both formal work discussions and informal social interactions to foster a sense of belonging.

Efficient colleague interaction

95% of reviewers feel positive about Slack’s colleague communication. Users think Slack streamlines workplace messaging, allowing instant and organized exchanges with coworkers, clients, and vendors. They find features like direct messaging, group chats, and channel creation essential for keeping everyone informed and engaged. Reviewers appreciate being able to share files, updates, and feedback quickly, which they say reduces reliance on email and speeds up problem-solving. Many mention that Slack’s communication tools help maintain professionalism while also supporting informal, morale-boosting conversations.

Engineer

However, managing constant notifications can be overwhelming at times, and finding older messages in a busy channel can be tricky. While it improves team connectivity, the volume of communication can become distracting, making it essential to manage notifications effectively for a smoother experience.

Lead Designer

Not only is it helpful for communication purposes, but the project management features, collaborative workflow tools and customized add-ons make it great as a tool where every project can be seamlessly managed, without relying on too many apps.

Technical Support Engineer

There are many features I love about slack, such as the threads feature to categorize conversations, huddle feature to quickly hop on a call with colleagues, and the activity tab to see the latest activities to follow up and keep up to date with information.

Training and Development Manager

We were able to integrate our TrackVia account with Slack through Workato integrations, which allowed a discussion to start in a specific channel when a record was updated or added into a view in TrackVia.

Engineering

I love using slack This tool organizes team communication into focused, topic-specific channels, cutting down on email overload by consolidating discussions, files, and data in one place.

Customer Support

It allows us to share screens and call others when needed and we can even export channels to gather data for our teams.

I use slack literally everyday during for my work, where I direct message my colleagues, comment on threads, and keep up to date with channels and groups.

Transfer Sales Agent

It made communication feel organized and efficient, especially with the managers‑only group where important information was shared and our campaign page where we stayed connected as a team.

Medical Fronter

Being in a large team, the volume of my pings and channel alerts became overwhelming, leading to constant notifications and fragmented attention that actually decreased my deep-work productivity.

Software Analyst

The things that I disliked about the Slack are depicted below The important messages can sometimes did not get in focus, when there are too many active channels or notification popping out at the same time. When there is a large teams or active workplaces, messages from multiple channels ,threads , and direct message can become overwhelming making it difficult to focus on high priority conversations.

Full stack developer

The ability to quickly share files, schedule huddles, and track project updates makes teamwork much smoother. Despite minor drawbacks, it’s one of the best communication tools available.

Overall my experience with Slack has been great, it is a great tool to keep all team communication organized and clear, plus the customization, like the use of bots for scheduled messages, was a great tool to foster rapport amongst the team.

Accounting Assistant

I liked how quickly information can be shared and how easy it is to collaborate in real time, especially with integrations that bring other tools into one place. While it can feel overwhelming in busy workspaces, it becomes much more manageable with good notification and channel settings.

The best thing I like about slack is the connectivity through online chats, meetings and much more valuable tools that keeps my team connected and in touch!

IT Operations Manager

Message history/export for admins is only available on the enterprise or Grid subscription and even when you do get it, it comes as JSON file that you still have to parse through.

QA Lead

Another pain point is that important information can get trapped in threads and DMs; if something isn’t documented elsewhere, it can become hard to rediscover later, especially when channel volume is high and older context gets buried.

Fullstack web developper

The Pro and Business pricing model proves expensive for small teams while users experience difficulties in locating specific historical files and messages through the search function.

IT Manager

Channels keep project work, on-call updates and support conversations organized, and scheduled messages help automate routine reminders.

Medical Assistance Specialist

I hate the notification overload when the shift is very busy and at times, there are bugs which makes me revisit the messages twice so that I am not missing anything important.

Integration with other software tools like Google Drive ,Zoom and other workplace apps are generally considered as a big advantage for me ,as everything can be managed from one platform .

Slack vs Google Chat Comparison (2026)

Slack

Google Chat

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives