Slack vs Microsoft Teams
Slack and Microsoft Teams are the dominant workplace communication platforms. Both offer messaging, video calls, and integrations — but they serve different ecosystems and have different strengths for business automation.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Slack | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Messaging UX | Superior — threaded, organised | Good — can get cluttered |
| Video Calls | Huddles (basic), third-party for more | Excellent — full Teams Meetings |
| File Storage | 10GB free, integrates with cloud storage | 1TB via SharePoint/OneDrive |
| Pricing | Free tier, from £5.75/user/mo | Free tier, from £3.30/user/mo (or included in M365) |
| Integrations | 2,600+ apps in marketplace | 1,000+ apps, deep Microsoft integration |
| Bot/Automation | Excellent Workflow Builder | Power Automate integration |
| Best For | Tech teams, startups, agencies | Enterprises already using Microsoft 365 |
| Search | Excellent message search | Good, improving |
Our Verdict
Choose Slack if your team values clean, organised messaging and you use diverse SaaS tools. Choose Teams if your business already uses Microsoft 365 — it's included in most M365 plans, making it essentially free. For automation, Slack's Workflow Builder is more flexible, while Teams benefits from deep Power Automate integration. Selvam Digital builds bot-powered workflows inside whichever platform you use — turning your communication tool into an active part of your operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platform is better for automation workflows?
Slack's Workflow Builder is more accessible for non-technical users and supports custom triggers, forms, and multi-step automations natively. Teams relies on Power Automate for advanced automation — powerful but requires more setup. For AI-powered automations, both have excellent bot frameworks.
Can I use Slack and Teams together?
Yes, though it creates communication fragmentation. Many businesses use Teams for video calls and document collaboration (leveraging M365) while using Slack for day-to-day messaging and bot-powered workflows. Integration tools can bridge messages between them.
Which is more cost-effective for small businesses?
If you already pay for Microsoft 365, Teams is effectively free. If not, Slack's free tier is more generous for small teams. For businesses under 10 people, Slack's free tier often provides everything needed.
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