Slack vs Microsoft Teams: which is better for your team?
A plain comparison of Slack and Microsoft Teams by ecosystem, cost model, meetings and AI, with a third option for teams that want control.
The short answer
Slack is chat-first with the largest app ecosystem. Teams is strongest where Microsoft 365 is already the center of work. Neither can be self-hosted, and both charge per user on paid plans.
We do not quote prices or limits for either, because they change; use each vendor's pricing page.
Slack vs Microsoft Teams at a glance
| Slack | Microsoft Teams | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Slack's cloud | Microsoft's cloud |
| Cost model | Per user | Per user, often bundled with Microsoft 365 |
| Strongest at | Chat, integrations and bots | Meetings and Office integration |
| Best fit | Teams that want the biggest app marketplace | Organisations already on Microsoft 365 |
| Weak spot | Meetings and docs often come from other tools | Heavy for small teams |
Who should pick which
Pick Slack if
You value the integration marketplace and a chat-first experience.
Pick Microsoft Teams if
You already pay for Microsoft 365 and use Word, Excel and SharePoint daily.
Pick Dock if
You want a flat cost, your own server, and chat, meetings, docs and tasks with agents connected to Notion, GitHub, Claude and Codex.
What makes Dock different: it connects to your tools
Dock connects the places your team already works. Notion: connect your Notion pages, then type @notionpage_ in any chat to tag a page; everyone gets a preview card and your AI agents can read it. GitHub: link GitHub read-only, pin repositories to a chat, tag them with @github_ and ask the AI about them. Claude and Codex: use your own Claude or Codex plan inside Dock chats, or connect any MCP agent to your workspace with a token.
All of this sits next to chat, video meetings (with recording, transcripts and AI summaries), docs, tables, calendar, tasks and a drive, in a self-hosted app with no per-seat licence. You run the server yourself, and some integrations are young, so check the setup guides for what each one covers.
Questions
Is Slack or Microsoft Teams cheaper?
Both charge per user on paid plans, and prices change. Check each vendor's pricing page and count the other tools each one replaces.
Can I switch from Slack or Microsoft Teams?
Pilot a new tool beside your current one. Dock imports Lark history; for others, export what you can and keep it as an archive.
Do I need a self-hosted tool?
Only if you want data on your own server or a flat cost. It means you run the server.