TL;DR
Slack for professional team communication. Discord for community and informal teams. Teams if you're in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Slack | Discord | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free-$8/user | Free-$10/mo | Free-$4/user |
| Best for | Business teams | Communities | Microsoft shops |
| Threads | Yes | Forum channels | Yes |
| Video calls | Huddles | Go Live | Full meetings |
| Integrations | 2,600+ | Limited | Microsoft 365 |
1. Slack
The standard for startup team communication. Channels, threads, huddles, and 2,600+ integrations. Free tier limits message history to 90 days. Essential for remote teams.
2. Discord
Started for gaming, adopted by developer communities and informal teams. Free unlimited history, voice channels, and community features. Less professional but more fun.
3. Microsoft Teams
Integrated with Microsoft 365. Full video conferencing, document collaboration, and enterprise security. Makes sense if your organization already uses Office 365.
How We Chose These Tools
We evaluated communication features, pricing, integrations, and fit for startup team culture (formal vs informal).
Key Takeaways
- Professional remote team: Slack.
- Community + team: Discord.
- Microsoft 365 already: Teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Slack worth paying for?+
Yes when you need message history beyond 90 days or more than 10 integrations.