Stay free if you only need 90-day message and file history and 10 integrations with third-party apps. Upgrade if you need unlimited message history and search and unlimited app integrations. Most solo builders can start free.
Why it matters: Free plan's 90-day message history limitation forces upgrades quickly as teams grow and need access to institutional knowledge and past decisions
Available from: Pro ($7.25/user/month)
Why it matters: Notification management requires disciplined configuration and training—can create productivity drain without proper channel governance and notification settings
Available from: Pro ($7.25/user/month)
Why it matters: Advanced AI features (daily recaps, workflow generation, message translation) require Business+ at $15/user/month—100% premium over Pro pricing
Available from: Pro ($7.25/user/month)
Why it matters: 3-user minimum billing on paid plans increases effective costs for very small teams—you pay for 3 seats regardless of actual users
Available from: Pro ($7.25/user/month)
Why it matters: File storage limitations (5GB total on Free, 10GB per user on Pro) require cloud storage integration for teams sharing large files regularly
Available from: Pro ($7.25/user/month)
Why it matters: Advanced feature not available in free plan.
Available from: Pro ($7.25/user/month)
That's $3.63 per feature per month
💡 Great value
Basic AI features (conversation summaries, intelligent search, huddle transcription) are included on Pro plans starting at $7.25/user/month. Advanced AI (daily recaps, message translation, AI workflow generation) requires Business+ at $15/user/month. No separate AI subscription needed.
Slack Pro ($7.25/user/month) includes unlimited history, AI features, and 2,000+ integrations. Teams Essentials costs $4/user/month but lacks Slack's integration depth and AI capabilities. Teams is included with Microsoft 365 ($22/user/month), but you're paying for the full Office suite.
The free plan works initially for teams under 10 people, but the 90-day message history limit becomes problematic as institutional knowledge accumulates. Most growing teams upgrade to Pro within 3-6 months when they need to reference older conversations or onboard new members.
Slack maintains SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3, ISO 27001, and GDPR compliance. Business+ adds SAML SSO and advanced security controls. Enterprise Grid includes Enterprise Key Management and Data Loss Prevention for regulated industries like healthcare and financial services.
Slack's 2,000+ pre-built integrations eliminate development time and maintenance overhead for common business tool connections. Custom solutions require ongoing development resources, while Slack integrations are maintained by the app providers and Slack's platform team.
Start with the free plan — upgrade when you need more.
Get Started Free →Still not sure? Read our full verdict →
Last verified March 2026