Slack vs Discord: Which chat app is right for you?

Navigating the world of digital communication tools? Look no further than Slack and Discord. Slack dominates the business landscape, while Discord is the go-to for gamers, but the two are actually more similar than they may first appear.

Each has a bunch of features perfect for professional workspaces and thriving online communities. But, as with any good rivalry, it's their distinctive strengths and weaknesses that set them apart.

Let's dive in and discover which platform is right for you.

Slack vs Discord: A quick overview

Despite filling similar holes, completing similar objectives and both beginning as a way for game development teams to communicate, Discord and Slack are different once you look at specifics. Here’s a quick summary of each:

Slack

• Excels as a business communication platform.
• Concerning communication through text, there is no better tool on the market.
• Integration capabilities with thousands of third-party applications.
• Limited voice chat and video call capability, especially with the free plan.
• Large file uploads

Discord

• Excels more as a social network for online communities.
• With a limited and cluttered text messaging system, Discord shines through its video and voice chat communication.
• Limited App integration
• Privacy concerns with all private chats accessible by the Platform.
• Meagre file-sharing capability

Slack vs Discord: Interface and layout

Slack and Discord both have similar interface layouts, but there are some notable differences in how their features are presented and organized.

1. Layout: Both tools have sidebars on the left for workspace navigation. However, Discord's interface can seem busier due to the ability to switch between servers (akin to Slack's workspaces) easily.
2. Channels and DMs: In Slack, the workspace, channels, and direct messages are easily accessible in the same panel, fostering efficient communication. However, Discord places direct messages under a different menu to the server, which can result in extra clicks when switching between the main server and direct messages.
3. Channel details: On the left side of the Slack interface, you can view channel details, message individuals, find files, or initiate a call. Everything feels within reach. Discord's channel details are similar but seem more chaotic.
4. User experience: Slack's clean, minimalist interface provides an easy-to-use experience for users at any level. The channels are neatly organized by purpose, reducing clutter and enhancing productivity. Discord, while similar, can appear messier, especially for users involved in multiple communities.

The bottom line: Slack's interface shines with its clean and organized layout. While on the surface level Discord looks similar, it's layout and interface tends to feel less organized and more chaotic—especially when bouncing between conversations.

Slack vs Discord: text communication

There are a few differences between the way Slack and Discord approach text messaging, but it's simple: Slack is the king of text communication.

In Discord, chats, for the most part, run in one continuous stream. They have recently added threads, but it just doesn't work as well as Slack's implementation.

Slack threads split messages from main channels, keeping channels cleared of unnecessary messages and, more importantly, making it easier to find messages, files or requests without scrolling through a million messages.

Here are a few other quick feature differences.

• Slack uses a simple toolbar for rich text formatting, while Discord uses markdown, which may have a learning curve for some users.
• Slack's search functionality is more advanced, making it easier to find specific messages or files. Discord's search functionality is robust but not as sophisticated as Slack's.
• While both allow for public and private channels, Slack channels are primarily used for team-based discussions. Discord's channels can be organized by topic or user roles, offering more flexibility for large communities.
• Slack offers an unlimited number of channels, while Discord has a limit of 500.
• Discord has unlimited access to message history, while Slack cuts your history to 10,000 messages, unless you're no a paid plan.

The choice between the two depends largely on your preferences. Slack's advanced search and threading may be more appealing for business use, while Discord's flexibility with server customization might be more appealing for casual or community-driven use. Discord's free tier does have more flexibility, for what it's worth.

Slack vs Discord: audio and video chat

As a tool that was built for gamers to chat with squadmates during play, Discord offers great, lag-free voice and video chat. Whether you're on a five-minute chat with a co-worker or an hours-long meeting, Discord offers a fantastic experience.

That's not to say Slack doesn't. Slack made a name as a text chat, but they've now caught up with their excellent Huddles feature, which makes it easy to jump in or out of video/audio calls without leaving the app.

Slack

• Audio Calls: Slack supports 1:1 audio calls in both the free and paid plans. However, group calls are only available in the paid plans.
• Video Calls: Similarly, Slack supports 1:1 video calls in both the free and paid plans, with group video calls restricted to the paid plans. Slack also provides screen sharing during video calls, a helpful feature for collaborative teams.
• Quality: The quality of audio and video in Slack is generally good, but it might vary depending on the strength and stability of your internet connection. To ensure optimal performance, you can speed up your internet connection by using a reliable network and avoiding bandwidth-heavy activities while using Slack.

Discord

• Audio Calls: Discord offers 1:1 and group audio calls in all its plans, including the free tier. It excels with its voice channel feature, where users can join or leave ongoing group audio chats at any time. This is a key feature in Discord's design, accommodating its primary user base of gamers but also useful for informal team chats.
• Video Calls: Discord supports 1:1 video calls and group video calls for up to 25 people in all plans, again including the free tier. Screen sharing is also available during these calls.
• Quality: Discord provides high-quality audio and video communication, and also offers features like noise suppression to enhance call quality. The overall quality may again depend on your internet connection.

Both platforms deliver great audio and video. If you're a real audiovisual nerd, you may notice that things are a little smoother on Discord.

Slack vs Discord: Pricing

We've covered the primary features of each platform. But let's face it: price always matters. To be clear: if spending money on your chat platform is a roadblock, then Discord is the option for you.

The base (free) version of Discord provides more value for general use, particularly for small teams, startups, and personal projects. It allows unlimited server creation and participation, voice, video, and text communication, all without any cost.

On the other hand, Slack's free tier, while offering essential features, places more restrictions on users, such as a limit on message history and external integrations.

However, when considering paid tiers, the outcome is different. Discord's paid tiers are more about adding customization features for the community, rather than adding new functionality.

Slack's paid tiers offer substantial additional features designed for business use, such as video calls, unlimited apps, and advanced support. If you've got the cash, and serious business needs, Slack's paid tiers blow Discord out of the water.

Slack Pricing

1. Free tier: Slack offers a free tier with some limitations, such as a 10k searchable message history and 1:1 video calls.
2. Pro ($7.25/user/month billed annually): The Standard tier allows unlimited message history, unlimited apps and huddles.
3. Business+ ($12.50/user/month billed annually): The Plus tier includes everything in Pro along with features such as 99.99% guaranteed uptime, user management with SAML-based SSO, and data exports for all messages.
4. Enterprise Grid (custom pricing): The Enterprise Grid tier offers large-scale collaboration with support for up to 500,000 users. It includes all Plus tier features along with unlimited workspaces, support for data loss prevention, and HIPAA-compliant messages and file collaboration.

Discord Pricing

1. Free tier: Discord is free to use with unlimited server creation and participation. The free tier includes voice, video, and text communication.
2. Nitro Basic ($4.99/month or $49.99/year): 50MB uploads, custom emoji anywhere, special Nitro badge on your profile.
3. Nitro ($9.99/month or $99.99/year): 500 MB uploads, Custom emoji, HD video streaming, 2 Server Boosts, custom profiles and more.

Slack vs Discord: Integrations

Any team communication app should work well with the rest of your tech stack. Slack takes the cake in this department, with thousands of integrations with the most popular apps and digital tools.

Slack really is in a league of its own when it comes to integrations. Having said that, you're limited to only 10 integrations on the free tier. So, if you're serious about bringing your tools into one place, you'll have to subscribe to a paid plan.

Discord doesn't have a library of native integrations, outside of basic connections with Twitch, YouTube and other social media websites. There are a few third-party integrations (like Paperform's!) but nowhere near the number available in Slack.

Start communicating your way

While each app can do a little bit of what the other produces, there is a clear delineation of which app is better for what person or objective.

When it comes down to it:

• If your business team requires a communication app to collaborate in a digital workspace, Slack is the way to go.
• If you’re a content creator or business looking to cultivate a community with a chat tool, or audio is your much-preferred method of communication, Discord might be best.

Whichever app you decide is best for you, make sure you connect Paperform’s Slack and Discord integrations to save precious time and keep your focus where it needs to be.