The battle between collaboration software frontrunners – Microsoft Teams and Slack – is heating up. We’re taking a closer look to see which of the two team communication services is right for you and your team.
1. Messaging Capabilities
Both Microsoft Teams and Slack have similar layout and design for creating conversation threads – smaller vertical panels on the left side for contacts and a larger panel for conversations on the right side.
However, Microsoft Teams does more in this regard. It has advanced formatting for sending messages, with functionalities for various features and actions (e.g. Activity, Files, and even its own meme generator and automatic integration with GIPHY) that are not available in Slack.
2. Pricing
Both services have freemium models, which is excellent news for start-ups and SMEs that are on a tight budget, but paid versions are also available if you want to enjoy all functionalities to the fullest.
If you’re looking to save money in the long run, Microsoft Teams on a $5/user/month plan is what you need because it also gives you access to Office 365. Slack’s Standard plan at $6.67/user/month is the least expensive option they offer.
Plus, teams is typically included in your Office 365 subscription so, if you’re paying for Office you likely already have a free copy of Teams.
3. File Sharing
Uploading via Slack is capped at 1GB while Microsoft Teams comes with a whopping 15GB size limit. That’s not all. If, for example, you need to upload a video file – you can watch it directly on Teams, share it with your colleagues, and collaborate on OneDrive documents or work on Office without leaving the app. With Slack, the video must be downloaded in order for it to play.
4. Storage Limits
The free versions of Slack and Teams offer 5GB and 10GB of file storage, respectively, for an organization. Slack’s paid plan comes with a just between 10GB and 20GB of online storage for the whole team while Teams provide up to 1TB of total shared storage.
5. Integrated Apps
Slack offers 800+ app integration options for its paid versions – a great feature if your office uses other productivity apps.
Teams pairs with fewer than 200 apps; however, if Office 365 is an essential tool for your business, then it is the leading factor in your decision to go with Teams in the first place.
6. Web Conferencing
Slack’s free plan allows 1-on-1 voice or video calls only and up to 15 people for its paid version. While Teams provides voice or video conferencing capabilities for up to 250 people all at the same time – even on its free plan!
Plus, you’re allowed to record the meetings via Teams (not available via Slack) and screen sharing is also available on all tiers for Teams (restricted for higher plans only for Slack).
Summary
Both apps have a lot to offer for businesses with different needs. Slack may be a good choice for very small teams that aren’t interested in Office 365. However, for any business with more than three people the obvious choice is Microsoft Teams with Office 365 as the cherry on top (or is it the other way around?). If you need more information about Teams or expert assistance for setting it up in your office, contact ClinkIT Solutions today.
