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Best Cheap Alternatives to Slack in 2026

By James Whitfield · 7 min read · 7+ tools tested Updated April 2026

Slack's paid plans start at $8.75/user/month — which adds up fast for growing teams. We tested 7 alternatives that offer channels, DMs, and integrations at lower price points or for free.

"Microsoft Teams (free with Microsoft 365), Discord (free), Lark (generous free plan) are the top Slack alternatives."

🏆 Our Top 3 Picks

Microsoft Teams
Microsoft 365 users and enterprises
Try Teams Free →
Lark
Teams wanting all-in-one at lower cost
Try Lark Free →
Notion
Teams wanting a flexible all-in-one workspace
Try Notion Free →

All Tools Compared

Tool Pricing Rating Best For
Top Pick Microsoft Teams
Free / from $6/mo ★★★★ 4.2 Microsoft 365 users and enterprises Try Teams Free →
Lark
Free / from $12/mo ★★★★ 4.3 Teams wanting all-in-one at lower cost Try Lark Free →
Notion
Free / from $10/mo ★★★★½ 4.7 Teams wanting a flexible all-in-one workspace Try Notion Free →
Zoom
Free / from $15.99/mo ★★★★½ 4.5 Video meetings and webinars Try Zoom Free →
Loom
Free / from $15/mo ★★★★½ 4.6 Async-first remote teams Try Loom Free →
Google Drive
Free 15GB / from $3/mo ★★★★½ 4.6 Anyone in the Google ecosystem Try Google Drive Free →
Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams

Top Pick
Communication · Free / from $6/mo · ★★★★ 4.2

Microsoft's team collaboration platform. Deep integration with Office 365 makes it the default for enterprise and Microsoft-first teams.

✓ Pros

  • Free with Microsoft 365
  • Deep Office integration
  • Good video meetings
  • Strong compliance tools

✗ Cons

  • Clunky UI vs Slack
  • Slow performance
  • Complex for small teams

Stackmap Verdict

Microsoft 365 users and enterprises. Microsoft's team collaboration platform. Deep integration with Office 365 makes it the default for e.

Try Teams Free → Free trial available · No credit card required
Lark

Lark

Collaboration · Free / from $12/mo · ★★★★ 4.3

All-in-one collaboration suite combining messaging, video, docs, sheets, and project management. Strong Slack alternative.

✓ Pros

  • All-in-one platform
  • Generous free plan
  • Built-in docs and sheets
  • Good video meetings

✗ Cons

  • Less polished than Slack
  • Smaller integration ecosystem
  • Less known in Western markets

Stackmap Verdict

Teams wanting all-in-one at lower cost. All-in-one collaboration suite combining messaging, video, docs, sheets, and project management. Str.

Try Lark Free → Free trial available · No credit card required
Notion

Notion

Project Management · Free / from $10/mo · ★★★★½ 4.7

All-in-one workspace combining notes, wikis, databases, and project tracking. Highly flexible and beloved by knowledge workers.

✓ Pros

  • Incredibly flexible
  • Great for knowledge management
  • Beautiful interface
  • Generous free plan

✗ Cons

  • Can be overwhelming to set up
  • Offline mode limited
  • Not built for task management specifically

Stackmap Verdict

Teams wanting a flexible all-in-one workspace. All-in-one workspace combining notes, wikis, databases, and project tracking. Highly flexible and be.

Try Notion Free → Free trial available · No credit card required
Zoom

Zoom

Communication · Free / from $15.99/mo · ★★★★½ 4.5

The most reliable video conferencing tool. 40-minute meetings free, with webinars, phone, and team chat on paid plans.

✓ Pros

  • Best video quality
  • Most reliable
  • Easy to join
  • Webinar features

✗ Cons

  • 40-min limit on free plan
  • Privacy concerns historically
  • Gets expensive for webinars

Stackmap Verdict

Video meetings and webinars. The most reliable video conferencing tool. 40-minute meetings free, with webinars, phone, and team c.

Try Zoom Free → Free trial available · No credit card required
Loom

Loom

Communication · Free / from $15/mo · ★★★★½ 4.6

Async video messaging tool. Record your screen and camera to share updates, feedback, or demos without a meeting.

✓ Pros

  • Eliminates unnecessary meetings
  • Fast to record and share
  • Great for feedback
  • Good free plan

✗ Cons

  • Not for live meetings
  • Video limit on free plan
  • Editing tools basic

Stackmap Verdict

Async-first remote teams. Async video messaging tool. Record your screen and camera to share updates, feedback, or demos witho.

Try Loom Free → Free trial available · No credit card required
Google Drive

Google Drive

Cloud Storage · Free 15GB / from $3/mo · ★★★★½ 4.6

Google's cloud storage with Docs, Sheets, and Slides built in. 15GB free and deeply integrated with Gmail and Google Workspace.

✓ Pros

  • Best value storage
  • Docs/Sheets/Slides included
  • Excellent collaboration
  • Google Search integration

✗ Cons

  • Privacy concerns
  • 15GB shared with Gmail
  • Desktop app basic

Stackmap Verdict

Anyone in the Google ecosystem. Google's cloud storage with Docs, Sheets, and Slides built in. 15GB free and deeply integrated with .

Try Google Drive Free → Free trial available · No credit card required

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Slack alternative?
Microsoft Teams if you're already in Microsoft 365 (included free). Discord for smaller teams. Lark for a generous free all-in-one.
Is Microsoft Teams free?
Yes — Teams has a free plan with unlimited messages, meetings, and 5GB storage. Full features included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
Can Discord replace Slack for business?
For small teams, yes. Discord is free, has voice channels, and supports integrations. It lacks Slack's enterprise compliance features.
What is Lark?
Lark (by ByteDance) is an all-in-one messaging, docs, and video platform. Generous free plan with competitive features vs Slack.
Is Slack's free plan usable?
Slack free limits message history to 90 days and allows 10 third-party integrations. For small teams, it's workable but limiting.