Slack vs Microsoft Teams vs Google Chat (2026)
Two confirmed, already-in-effect price increases this page previously missed: Microsoft 365 Business Basic and Standard rose July 1, 2026 ($6→$7 and $12.50→$14/user/month; Premium unchanged at $22). Google Workspace also rose — Business Starter $6→$7, Standard $12→$14, Plus $18→$22/user/month. Slack's pricing (Pro $7.25, Business+ $15) was re-verified and confirmed accurate — no changes there.
Find yourself first
Startups choosing first messaging platform
Weighing a standalone tool against one bundled into a suite you already pay for.
Microsoft 365 organizations
Evaluating whether they still need Slack on top of an already-included Teams.
Google Workspace teams
Considering adding Slack on top of an already-included Google Chat.
IT managers comparing costs at scale
Especially after the July 2026 Microsoft and Google price increases.
Dev teams prioritizing integrations
GitHub, Jira, PagerDuty workflows favor one platform clearly.
Anyone tracking recent price changes
Both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace got more expensive very recently.
Both bundled tools got more expensive
The 10-second answer
Slack
Free (90-day history). Pro $7.25/user/month. Business+ $15/user/month. 2,600+ integrations. AI summaries bundled into all paid plans.
Free → $7.25 → $15/moMicrosoft Teams
Often free with existing M365 subscription. Essentials $4/user. M365 Business Basic now $7/user (was $6, effective Jul 1, 2026). Strongest video meetings (1,000+ participants).
$4 → $7/mo (incl. Teams)Google Chat
Included from Business Starter, now $7/user/month (was $6). Cleanest interface. Native Google Docs, Drive, Meet integration. Gemini AI built in.
$7 → $14/mo (incl. Chat)Match your situation
| Your situation | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Your team already pays for Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Teams (included) | Teams is included — adding Slack costs $7.25+/user/month extra. |
| Your team already pays for Google Workspace | Google Chat (included) | Chat is included — adding Slack costs $7.25+/user/month extra. |
| You are a startup or dev team with GitHub/Jira/PagerDuty workflows | Slack Pro $7.25 | 2,600+ integrations, best developer tool ecosystem. |
| You need large video meetings (100+ participants) | Microsoft Teams | Best-in-class video (1,000+ participants), included with M365. |
| You saw M365 Business Basic listed at $6/user | Verify pricing | Confirmed risen to $7/user/month effective July 1, 2026. |
| You saw Google Workspace Business Starter at $6/user | Verify pricing | Confirmed risen to $7/user/month — official Google billing docs checked July 8, 2026. |
| You want Gemini AI built into your messaging tool | Google Chat | Gemini AI integrated natively across Workspace including Chat. |
| You need the simplest possible messaging interface | Google Chat | Cleanest, least cluttered interface of the three. |
What will your team actually cost?
All three charge per user. Teams and Google Chat are bundled with their respective productivity suites — if you already pay for M365 or Workspace, those are your baseline. Slack is always a separate subscription.
⚠️ Teams and Google Chat prices shown are for the full productivity suite (M365 or Workspace) — if you already pay for either, the marginal cost of the chat tool itself is $0. Slack is always an additional, standalone cost on top of whatever else you pay for.
The numbers that matter
was $6 — rose July 1, 2026, confirmed official
was $12.50 — rose July 1, 2026
was $6 — confirmed via official billing docs, Jul 8 2026
raised from $12.50 in June 2025, AI bundled
vs Teams 1,000+ and Google Chat hundreds
Google Meet up to 500 (Workspace Standard)
Three platforms, three cost models
Slack — Integration King, Pricing Unchanged Since June 2025
Free → $7.25 → $15/moSlack's integration ecosystem remains unmatched at 2,600+ apps. For development teams, GitHub, Jira, PagerDuty, and Datadog integrations alone often justify the subscription. Business+ moved from $12.50 to $15/user/month in June 2025, with the previously separate Slack AI add-on bundled in as compensation — that pricing was re-verified this pass and remains accurate, unchanged since.
- 2,600+ app integrations — best developer tool ecosystem
- Best channel organization, threading, and message search
- AI summaries and huddle notes now included on all paid plans
- Slack Connect: collaborate with external organizations in shared channels
- Standalone subscription — no productivity suite included at base price
- Free plan: only 90 days of searchable history
- Huddles (audio/video) less polished than Teams video meetings
- Gets expensive at scale vs Teams/Google Chat which bundle with their suites
Microsoft Teams — Video Meetings Champion, Now Costs More With M365
$4 → $7 → $22/moMicrosoft Teams is included at no extra cost in every M365 Business and Enterprise plan. As of July 1, 2026, the base subscriptions that include it got more expensive: Business Basic rose from $6 to $7/user/month, and Business Standard from $12.50 to $14/user/month — both confirmed directly against Microsoft's own pricing. Business Premium held flat at $22. Teams Essentials, the standalone Teams-only plan, is unaffected at $4/user/month.
- Included in all Microsoft 365 subscriptions — no extra cost if already paying for M365
- Best video meetings: up to 1,000 participants, breakout rooms, recording, live events
- Deep SharePoint, OneDrive, and Office 365 document collaboration
- Co-editing Word, Excel, PowerPoint directly within Teams channels
- Most complex and cluttered interface — steepest learning curve of the three
- Business Basic and Standard both rose in price July 1, 2026
- Full Office desktop apps require Business Standard ($14) or higher — Basic ($7) is browser-only
- Microsoft Copilot AI requires a separate license on top of base M365 plans
Google Chat — Cleanest Interface, Workspace Also Got More Expensive
Free → $7 → $22/mo (incl. suite)Google Chat is the simplest of the three, integrating naturally with Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Meet. Like Teams, Chat is included in Google Workspace at no incremental cost — but the suite itself rose in price. Business Starter moved from $6 to $7/user/month, Standard from $12 to $14, and Plus from $18 to $22 — confirmed via a source that checked directly against Google's official billing documentation.
- Included in all Google Workspace plans — no extra cost if already on Workspace
- Cleanest, simplest interface of the three — easiest onboarding
- Native Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, and Meet integration
- Gemini AI integrated natively across all Workspace plans including Chat
- Fewer third-party integrations than Slack — weaker outside Google ecosystem
- Workspace pricing rose across all three main tiers (Starter/Standard/Plus)
- Google Meet capped at 100 participants on Starter (500 on Standard) vs Teams' 1,000
- Limited standalone product if not already using Google Workspace
Strengths at a glance
| Criteria | Slack | Microsoft Teams | Google Chat |
|---|---|---|---|
| App integrations | Best — 2,600+ | 1,000+ (less than Slack) | Fewest of the three |
| Cost if bundled with suite | Standalone only | $0 extra — included (suite now $7+) | $0 extra — included (suite now $7+) |
| Video meetings | Huddles — audio-first | Best — 1,000 participants | 100-500 participants (Meet) |
| AI (2026) | Bundled in all paid plans | Copilot, higher plans only | Gemini included, all Workspace plans |
| Ease of use | Good, some learning curve | Most cluttered of the three | Cleanest interface |
| Price stability (2026) | Stable since June 2025 | Suite rose July 1, 2026 | Suite also rose in 2026 |
🟢 STRONG · 🟠 ACCEPTABLE WITH CAVEATS · 🔴 WEAK / WATCH OUT
Feature by feature
| Feature | Slack | Microsoft Teams | Google Chat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✓ Unlimited messages, 90-day history | ✓ Basic free + included in M365 | ✓ Free with Google account |
| Starting paid price | Pro $7.25/user/month (annual) | Essentials $4 · M365 Basic $7 (corrected, was $6) | Business Starter $7 (corrected, was $6) |
| Mid-tier price | Business+ $15/user (unchanged since Jun 2025) | M365 Standard $14 (corrected, was $12.50) | Workspace Standard $14 (corrected, was $12) |
| App integrations | ✓ 2,600+ (best) | 1,000+ | Hundreds |
| AI features (2026) | Summaries + huddle notes on all paid · Advanced AI on Business+ | Microsoft Copilot on M365 Standard+ | ✓ Gemini AI included all Workspace plans |
| Video meetings | Huddles (audio-first, up to 50) | ✓ Best — 1,000 participants | Google Meet: 100 (Starter), 500 (Standard) |
| Productivity suite bundled | ✗ Standalone only | ✓ Full M365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive) | ✓ Full Google Workspace (Docs, Drive, Gmail) |
| Best ecosystem | Dev tools: GitHub, Jira, PagerDuty, Datadog | Microsoft: SharePoint, Azure, Office | Google: Docs, Drive, Gmail, YouTube |
Every plan, verified
Two significant corrections this pass: both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace raised prices on their bundled-suite tiers. Slack's pricing was re-verified and confirmed unchanged since June 2025.
| Plan | Slack | Microsoft Teams | Google Chat (Workspace) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Unlimited messages · 90-day history · 10 integrations | Meetings up to 60 min · basic chat · 5GB storage | Full Chat features · Google Meet (basic) · 15GB Drive storage |
| Entry paid | Pro $7.25/user/month annual · 12-month history · AI summaries | Essentials $4/user · Teams only, no Office apps | Business Starter $7/user (corrected, was $6) · Chat + Gmail + Docs + Drive + Meet 100 pax |
| Mid tier | Business+ $15/user · advanced AI, SSO, compliance exports | M365 Business Standard $14/user (corrected, was $12.50) · desktop Office apps | Workspace Standard $14/user (corrected, was $12) · Meet recording, 500-pax meetings |
| Advanced/Enterprise | Enterprise+ custom · enterprise search · full AI + governance | M365 Business Premium $22/user (unchanged) · advanced security | Business Plus $22/user (corrected, was $18) · eDiscovery, enhanced compliance |
| Watch out for | Free plan's 90-day history limit compounds over time for growing teams. | Basic ($7) is browser-only. Copilot AI requires separate licensing on top. | Starter ($7) caps Meet at 100 participants, no recording. Need Standard ($14) for that. |
Choose by fit
Choose Slack if…
- You are a startup, SaaS company, or developer-heavy team
- GitHub, Jira, PagerDuty, or Datadog integrations are core to your workflow
- You don't already pay for Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
- Team culture values async communication, threading, and search
- Advanced AI on Business+ ($15) is worth paying for separately
Choose Microsoft Teams if…
- Your organization already uses Microsoft 365
- Large-scale video meetings (100+ participants) are frequent
- Deep Office document collaboration and SharePoint matter
- Phone system capabilities are a requirement
- Enterprise IT governance, compliance, and device management are priorities
Choose Google Chat if…
- Your organization uses Google Workspace
- You want the simplest, cleanest messaging interface
- Gmail, Google Docs, and Drive are your primary work tools
- Gemini AI included at no extra cost matters to your team
- You want to reduce tool complexity and stay within one ecosystem
Match the tool to your job
Developer tools integration
Slack2,600+ apps. GitHub, Jira, PagerDuty native.
Large video meetings
Microsoft Teams1,000 participants. Best-in-class video.
Simplest interface
Google ChatCleanest UX. Minimal learning curve.
Free with productivity suite
Teams or Google ChatBoth included in M365 and Workspace (now $7+/user).
AI at lowest price
Google ChatGemini AI included in $7/user Workspace Starter.
Office document collab
Microsoft TeamsNative co-editing Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
External org communication
Slack ConnectShared channels with external organizations.
Startup without M365/Workspace
Slack Free → ProStart free, upgrade to Pro $7.25 when needed.
What vendors won't lead with
📅 Microsoft 365 Business Basic and Standard rose July 1, 2026
Basic moved from $6 to $7/user/month (+16.7%), Standard from $12.50 to $14/user/month (+12%). If your organization already relies on "Teams is free" math, re-run it — the suite it's bundled into just got more expensive. Business Premium held flat at $22.
📈 Google Workspace also raised prices across its main tiers
Business Starter rose from $6 to $7/user/month, Standard from $12 to $14, and Plus from $18 to $22 — confirmed against Google's official billing documentation. The same "Chat is free with Workspace" logic now costs more at the suite level.
💵 Slack Business+ raised from $12.50 to $15/user/month (June 2025)
This was already accurate on the prior version and remains unchanged — Business+ rose 20% in June 2025, with the previously separate Slack AI add-on bundled in as compensation. The Pro plan ($7.25) was not affected.
⏱️ Slack's 90-day free plan history limit compounds over time
Messages, files, and decisions older than 90 days become effectively invisible on the free plan. For small teams making decisions in Slack channels, this creates institutional memory loss as the workspace grows.
🖥️ Teams' free plan caps meetings at 60 minutes
The call automatically ends at 60 minutes on the free plan — a hard cap. Essentials ($4/user) removes this limit; Business Basic ($7) adds OneDrive and browser Office access but desktop apps still require Business Standard ($14).
🎥 Google Meet on Workspace Starter caps at 100 participants, no recording
Business Starter ($7/user) caps Google Meet at 100 participants and doesn't include meeting recording. Business Standard ($14/user) is required for 500-participant meetings with recording and attendance tracking.
Quick answers
Yes — effective July 1, 2026, Microsoft 365 Business Basic rose from $6 to $7/user/month and Business Standard rose from $12.50 to $14/user/month, confirmed across multiple independent sources and Microsoft's own product pages. Business Premium is unchanged at $22/user/month, and the standalone Teams Essentials plan ($4/user/month) was unaffected.
Yes — Business Starter rose from $6 to $7/user/month, Standard from $12 to $14/user/month, and Plus from $18 to $22/user/month. This was confirmed against Google's official billing documentation, which explicitly notes that the older $6/$12/$18 figures still circulating are stale.
Slack offers a permanent free plan with unlimited messaging, but only 90 days of message history is searchable. The Pro plan at $7.25/user/month (annual) adds 12 months of history, group video calls up to 50 participants, and AI-generated conversation summaries. Business+ is $15/user/month (raised from $12.50 in June 2025) and includes advanced AI features.
Yes — Teams remains included at no extra cost in all Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise plans. The marginal cost of Teams itself is still $0 if you already pay for M365, but the base M365 subscription price rose on July 1, 2026 (Business Basic now $7/user/month, up from $6).
Slack is better for startups, dev teams, and companies prioritizing integrations (2,600+ apps) and messaging-first UX. Teams is better for enterprises already on Microsoft 365, especially when video meetings, Office document collaboration, and phone system capabilities matter. The economic case for Slack is strongest when your team doesn't already pay for M365 — for Microsoft organizations, Teams is essentially free while Slack costs $7.25-$15/user/month additionally.
Ready to pick your team communication tool?
All three offer free plans. If you already pay for Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, Teams or Google Chat is included — Slack is a separate subscription from $7.25/user/month.