Slack vs Discord for a team, a community, or both
What each one is built for, what it costs, and where each one wins, taken from Slack's and Discord's own pages and dated.
Slack vs Discord comes down to what your group is for: Slack is built for work, Discord for talking, playing and hanging out. Slack's free plan shows the last 90 days of messages, and its Pro and Business+ plans are priced per user. Discord is free to use, with voice, video and streaming built in.
What are Slack and Discord built for?
Both run on channels, direct messages and threads. What differs is the day each one was built for.
Slack: the operating system for work
That is how Slack describes itself. Work happens in channels that bring together the right internal and external people. More than 2,600 apps in the Slack Marketplace connect other services to it. Its pricing page puts it plainly: choose a paid plan built for businesses.
Discord: a place to talk, play and hang out
Discord calls itself great for playing games and chilling with friends, or even building a worldwide community. Its home page is about voice, video and text chat, streaming, and games and videos you share with the group.
How much do Slack and Discord cost?
Slack: a free plan, then a price per user
Slack's free plan shows the last 90 days of messages, allows 10 apps and keeps huddles to two people. Above it sit three paid plans. Pro and Business+ are priced per user per month, and Enterprise+ goes through sales. Under its Fair Billing Policy, a paid workspace is billed for every active member, and single-channel guests are free.
We print no Slack figure. On the day we read its pricing page, a 50% discount for the first three months was running.
Slack for Nonprofits
Eligible workspaces with 250 or fewer members get Pro free, and larger ones get 85% off. Business+ is 85% off at any size. Eligibility needs charitable status with the IRS, a local tax service or charity commission, or a TechSoup partner. The exclusions include political and religious organizations, schools, colleges and alumni groups, government offices, hospitals and private foundations.
Discord: free to use, with paid extras
Discord's terms say it won't charge you a fee to use the basic functionality. Nitro and Nitro Basic are optional subscriptions for individual users. Nitro adds perks such as bigger uploads, HD streaming and two Server Boosts. Discord says the cost varies by country and plan, so we print no figure.
Charging members: Server Subscriptions
A server owner can charge members through Server Subscriptions, but only if they are 18 or older and can give Stripe US banking information and identification. Discord states that Server Subscriptions will not be available outside of the United States. Its Creator Revenue FAQ describes a 90/10 split: the owner receives 90% of each membership payment, and Discord keeps 10%. Its Monetization Terms calculate that 10% from the payment less transaction taxes, processing fees and transaction fees. The same terms take a 6% payment processing fee on desktop and in the browser.
How long do Slack and Discord keep your messages?
Slack: 90 days on view, and a one year clock
On the free plan you can view and search messages and files from the last 90 days. Older ones are hidden to make room for new ones, and they come back if the workspace upgrades. Slack says messages and files more than one year old will be permanently deleted from free workspaces, on a rolling basis since 26 August 2024. Paid plans keep unlimited message history.
Search covers messages, files, people, channels and canvases, and takes modifiers such as in: for a channel and from: for a person.
Discord: kept until someone deletes it
Discord says it won't delete your messages until you decide to. Anything sent in a server stays there to refer back to, as far back as the day the server was created. Server owners, and admins or moderators with the Manage Messages permission, can delete messages too.
Search runs within the server you are in, and indexes every message back to the first one in each channel. Filters such as from:, in:, mentions: and has: narrow it down.
Which is better for voice, video and screen sharing?
Slack: huddles
A huddle is a call with audio, video and screen sharing. On the free plan a huddle holds two people. Paid plans allow up to 50 in any channel or DM, with video on for 25 of them at a time. Up to two people can share a screen at once.
Discord: voice channels you drop into
Members hop in and out of voice channels without calling or inviting anyone. Video calls work in DMs and in server voice channels. Go Live streams a window or a whole screen, and Nitro adds HD streaming.
Without paying anything, the gap is wide: two people in a Slack huddle, against open voice channels, video calls and screen streaming on Discord.
How do apps, bots and integrations compare?
Slack: a catalogue built around work software
Slack lists more than 2,600 apps in the Slack Marketplace, and its APIs connect a company's own tools. The free plan allows 10 of them. Workflow Builder automates routine tasks on paid plans, and existing workflows stop working on the free plan.
Discord: games, moderation tools and bots
Discord's App Directory lists apps by category: games, entertainment, moderation and tools, social, and utilities. Bots and webhooks post in servers too, and search can filter messages by them.
How do roles, permissions and moderation compare?
Slack: fixed roles, with more control on higher plans
Every plan has a Primary Owner, Workspace Owners, Workspace Admins and full members. Guests and Channel Managers come with paid plans, and custom roles with Enterprise plans. On Free and Pro, posting can be restricted in #general only, while Business+ allows it in any channel. Reviewing flagged content is an Enterprise+ feature.
Discord: custom roles on every server
Discord roles are custom and ranked in a hierarchy. Permissions are set per role on the whole server, on a category or on a single channel, and channel permissions override server ones. That is how a channel is kept for chosen roles. Roles can carry the right to ban and kick members.
AutoMod filters keywords and spam before a message is posted. It can block the message, send moderators an alert and time the member out.
What are the age rules on Slack and Discord?
Slack: 16, and working age
Slack's user terms say it is not for anyone under 16, or under the age of majority that data protection law sets where they live. They also say users must be of legal working age.
Discord: 13, higher in some countries, with teen protections
Discord's minimum age is 13, and up to 16 in some countries. Discord places accounts in an age group with an age estimation model. Accounts in the teen age group, 13 to 17, get protections by default, and Discord says these may vary slightly depending on where you live.
- Sensitive images and videos are blurred in servers and in DMs from friends, and blocked in DMs from strangers.
- Direct messages from people who are not friends go to a separate requests inbox first.
- Age-restricted servers and channels, which are 18+, stay closed.
An adult placed in the teen group can confirm their age, for example with an ID scan or a video selfie. The methods on offer depend on the region and the device.
For a family group or a youth club with members under 16, Slack's terms rule those members out. On Discord, members aged 13 to 17 get the teen protections above, where the local minimum age allows them in.
How do Slack and Discord compare, row by row?
Plain facts from each vendor's own pages, one row per question. Sources and dates are under the table.
| What you are comparing | Slack | Discord |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Work. Slack calls itself the operating system for work. | Talking, playing and hanging out, with friends or a worldwide community. |
| Free to use | A free plan: 90 days of history, 10 apps, huddles for two. | Yes. Discord charges no fee for its basic functionality. |
| Paid plans | Three. Pro and Business+ per user per month, Enterprise+ through sales. | Nitro and Nitro Basic, for individual users. The price varies by country and plan. |
| Members paying the group | Slack bills the workspace for its active members. None of the Slack pages we read on 28 September 2026 describes members paying for access. | Server Subscriptions, only for owners with US banking information and ID. Discord keeps 10%, and a 6% processing fee applies on desktop and browser. |
| Message history | Free plan: the last 90 days are visible, and messages and files over a year old will be permanently deleted. Paid plans: unlimited. | Kept until someone deletes it, back to the day the server was created. |
| Search | Messages, files, people, channels and canvases, with modifiers such as in: and from:. | Within the server you are in, with filters such as from:, in:, mentions: and has:. |
| Threads | Yes, on every plan. | Yes. |
| Voice and video calls | Huddles: two people on the free plan, up to 50 in any channel or DM on paid plans, 25 of them on video. | Voice channels members drop into without calling, and video calls in DMs and servers. |
| Screen sharing | In huddles, up to two people at a time. | Go Live: a window or a whole screen, with HD streaming on Nitro. |
| Apps and bots | More than 2,600 apps in the Slack Marketplace, 10 on the free plan. Workflow Builder on paid plans. | An App Directory of games, entertainment, moderation tools, social apps and utilities. Bots and webhooks post in servers. |
| Roles and permissions | Owners, admins and members on every plan. Guests and Channel Managers on paid plans, custom roles on Enterprise. | Custom roles in a hierarchy, with permissions per server, category and channel. |
| Moderation | Posting limits in #general only on Free and Pro, in any channel from Business+. Flagged content review on Enterprise+. | AutoMod blocks flagged words and spam before they are posted, with alerts and timeouts. Roles can carry ban and kick. |
| Bringing people in | Guest accounts and Slack Connect channels on paid plans. On the free plan, outside partners work one to one in DMs. | Invite links, with the duration and the number of uses you choose. |
| Company controls | SAML single sign-on, exports of all messages and data residency from Business+. Legal holds, audit logs and HIPAA support on Enterprise+. | A server audit log, where entries stay for 45 days. |
| Minimum age | 16, or the age of majority under local data protection law. Users must be of legal working age. | 13, and up to 16 in some countries. Teen protections apply from 13 to 17. |
| Apps and the browser | Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, and the browser. | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, consoles, and the browser. |
Both columns are dated. Each line below gives the date the page itself carries, or says that it carries none, and the day we read it. We read every page on 28 September 2026. Where two pages from one vendor disagreed on a number or a condition, we printed neither.
Sources
- Slack, PricingThree paid plans: Pro and Business+ priced per user per month, Enterprise+ through sales. The free plan limits, and the plan behind each company control. No date on the page. Read 28 September 2026.
- Slack, Usage limits for free workspacesThe 90 day window, and the one year rule dated 26 August 2024 inside the text. No date of its own. Read 28 September 2026.
- Slack, Feature limitations on the free version of SlackHidden history returning on upgrade, and group huddles, Slack Connect, guests and workflows on paid plans. No date of its own. Read 28 September 2026.
- Slack, Apply for the Slack for Nonprofits discountThe free Pro upgrade up to 250 members, the 85% discounts, eligibility and the exclusions. No date of its own. Read 28 September 2026.
- Slack, Use huddles in SlackTwo people on the free plan, 50 on paid plans with 25 on video, and two screens at a time. No date of its own. Read 28 September 2026.
- Slack, Types of roles in SlackThe roles on every plan, the roles on paid plans, and custom roles on Enterprise. No date of its own. Read 28 September 2026.
- Slack, What is Slack?The operating system for work, and more than 2,600 apps. No date of its own. Read 28 September 2026.
- Slack, Use threads to organize discussionsThreads on all plans. No date of its own. Read 28 September 2026.
- Slack, Search in SlackResult types and search modifiers. No date of its own. Read 28 September 2026.
- Slack, User Terms of ServiceThe age of sixteen, the age of majority, and legal working age. Effective 17 February 2023. Read 28 September 2026.
- Slack, Slack support lifecycle for operating systems, app versions, and browsersThe desktop apps for Mac, Windows and Linux, the iOS and Android apps, and browsers. No date of its own. Read 28 September 2026.
- Slack, Slack's Fair Billing PolicyBilling for every active member, with single-channel guests free. No date of its own. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, home pageTalk, play and hang out, voice, video and text chat, streaming, and the browser app. No date on the page. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, Terms of ServiceNo fee for the basic functionality, and the minimum age of 13. Last updated 29 August 2025. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, NitroNitro and Nitro Basic, their perks, and a cost that varies by country and plan. No date on the page. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, Creator Revenue FAQServer Subscriptions for US owners aged 18 or older, and the 90/10 split. Updated 28 August 2025. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, Monetization TermsHow the 10% is calculated, and the 6% processing fee on desktop and browser. Last updated 6 June 2024. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, How to Use Search on DiscordMessages kept until you delete them, and search within a server or DM back to the first message. Updated 12 December 2025. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, Threads FAQThreads inside a channel. Updated 8 November 2024. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, Go Live and Screen ShareScreen sharing of an application window or a whole screen. Updated 19 June 2026. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, Video CallsVideo calls in DMs and server voice channels. Updated 19 September 2025. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, Discord Roles and PermissionsThe role hierarchy, ban and kick, and role-exclusive channels. Updated 18 July 2025. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, Setting Up Permissions FAQPermissions per role on the server, a category or a channel. Updated 31 May 2022. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, AutoMod FAQKeyword and spam filters, alerts and timeouts. Updated 15 June 2026. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, App DirectoryThe categories of apps. No date on the page. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, Invites 101Invite links with a duration and a limit on uses. Updated 21 November 2023. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, Enabling Your Community ServerWhat a Community server needs, and its announcement channels and Community Onboarding. Updated 19 December 2023. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, Why is Discord asking for my birthday?The minimum age of 13, up to 16 in some countries, and age groups. Updated 22 September 2026. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, What Protections Do You Get in the Teen Age Group?The teen age group, 13 to 17, and its protections. Updated 22 September 2026. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, How to Confirm Your Age Group on DiscordHow an adult placed in the teen group confirms their age, and methods that depend on region and device. Updated 24 September 2026. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, What are Age-Restricted Servers on Discord?Ages 13 to 17 cannot join age-restricted servers. Updated 22 September 2026. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, DownloadWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and consoles. No date on the page. Read 28 September 2026.
- Discord, Discord Account Caps, Server Caps, and MoreA server's audit log, where entries stay for 45 days. Updated 2 March 2026. Read 28 September 2026.
When is Slack the better choice for business?
Slack wins where the group is a company, or works like one. Choose it if any of this is true.
- Your work runs on other software, and it has to sit next to the conversation. Slack lists more than 2,600 apps.
- Your IT or legal team asks for single sign-on, exports of all messages, legal holds or audit logs.
- You work with other companies in shared channels, through Slack Connect.
- You are a charity that qualifies for Slack for Nonprofits, and your workspace has 250 members or fewer, so Pro costs nothing.
When is Discord the better choice for a community?
Discord wins where the group is a community that talks as much as it types. Choose it if any of this is true.
- Voice, video and screen sharing are the heart of the group, and everyone should have them free.
- The community is free and should stay that way, with its whole history kept and searchable.
- You want custom roles and per-channel permissions without paying for a plan.
- You want moderation that runs by itself: AutoMod blocks flagged words and spam before they are posted.
Questions people ask about Slack vs Discord
Is Slack better than Discord?
Not across the board. Slack is built for work, with more than 2,600 apps, company controls, and Pro and Business+ plans priced per user. Discord is built for talking, playing and hanging out. It is free to use, keeps messages until someone deletes them, and has voice, video and streaming. Choose by what your group does every day.
Why do companies use Slack and not Discord?
Because Slack sells the controls a company asks for. Business+ adds SAML single sign-on, exports of all messages and data residency. Enterprise+ adds legal holds, audit logs and support for HIPAA compliance. Slack also connects to more than 2,600 apps, and to other companies through Slack Connect. Discord describes itself as a place to talk, play and hang out.
Is Discord good for business?
Discord can work for a small team or a company's public community, because it is free to use and keeps message history until someone deletes it. It is built for talking, playing and hanging out, though. The controls a company usually asks for, such as single sign-on, exports of all messages and legal holds, are listed on Slack's paid plans.
Are Slack and Discord free?
Discord is free to use, and Nitro is an optional subscription for individual users. Slack has a free plan with limits: it shows the last 90 days of messages, allows 10 apps and keeps huddles to two people. Slack's Pro and Business+ plans are priced per user per month, and Enterprise+ goes through sales.
Should I make my Discord server a Community server?
Discord offers Community for servers that run a community, and it adds tools for that. You get announcement channels that other servers can follow, and Community Onboarding, where new members pick their own roles and channels. To switch it on, members must verify their email before they post, and the explicit media filter must be on. You also need a rules channel and a channel for Discord's updates.
Last updated:
What if neither fits a private group where members pay?
Slack bills the workspace for its active members, and none of the Slack pages we read on 28 September 2026 describes members paying for access. Discord's Server Subscriptions do charge members, but only for owners with US banking information and ID. Groupanda is built for a private group where members pay. It is a workspace for private communities: real-time chat in channels, and plans that members buy to open the channels behind them. It is free to use, with no member limit. Stripe Connect pays out to the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Norway, Liechtenstein, Canada, and Switzerland.
It has no threads, voice or video calls, screen share, bots or integrations, so it suits a group that mostly writes.
A paid Discord server and Slack's per user pricing are each compared with Groupanda, row by row, on their own pages. For more tools side by side, see the lists of Discord alternatives for private communities and Slack alternatives for private communities.
