Slack
Team messaging with a generous free tier
Our Verdict
Slack's free plan is a functional team messaging tool, but it's one of the more restricted free tiers on this list. The biggest limitation is the 90-day message history — after 90 days, messages disappear from view (though Slack retains them). You also get only 10 app integrations and no Huddles (audio/video calls). For small teams or communities who don't need deep history, it works fine. But the message retention limit means important information gets lost unless you actively save it elsewhere.
About Slack
Slack is the most popular team messaging platform, and its free plan supports unlimited users, 90 days of message history, and integrations with other tools. For small teams and communities, the free plan covers daily communication needs with channels, direct messages, file sharing, and voice huddles.
Pros
- +Clean, intuitive interface that most people already know
- +Channels and threads keep conversations organized
- +10 app integrations included free (Google Drive, GitHub, etc.)
- +Searchable message history (within 90-day window)
- +Works on web, desktop, and mobile with good sync
- +Strong notification controls to reduce distraction
Cons
- −90-day message history limit — older messages become hidden
- −Only 10 app integrations on free plan
- −No Huddles (audio/video calls) on free tier
- −No guest access for external collaborators
- −1-to-1 video calls only (no group video)
- −Storage limit of 5GB total for the entire workspace
Key Features
- ✓Channels & threads
- ✓File sharing
- ✓App integrations
- ✓Huddles (voice)
- ✓Search
Use Cases
- •Team messaging
- •Community building
- •Project coordination
- •Remote collaboration
Best For
Small teams (under 10 people) and communities who need organized messaging and don't rely on long message history.
Alternatives to Slack
Completely free with unlimited history, voice channels, and no integration limits — better for communities
More generous free tier with video conferencing and better Office 365 integration
Open-source and self-hostable with no message limits
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Slack's free plan delete old messages?
- Not exactly — Slack retains your messages but hides them from view after 90 days. If you upgrade to a paid plan, all history becomes visible again. But on the free plan, you effectively lose access to anything older than 90 days, which can be a serious issue for teams that need to reference past conversations.
- Is Slack free good enough for a startup?
- For a very early-stage team (2-5 people) in the first few months, yes. Once you have more than 10 integrations, need message history beyond 90 days, or want video calls, you'll need Pro ($7.25/user/month). Most startups outgrow the free plan within 3-6 months.