Slack is an alternative
to Element
$0/mo (Free) vs Element at — — covering 86% of the 7 compared capabilities.
Same job. Way less money.
Comparison scenario
Every cheaper-than claim is tied to a defined scenario — never a bare list price.
10 seats, monthly billing · USD · prices as observed on official pricing pages.
plan at —, the cheapest paid plan.
Free: 0 USD/monthly.
We list 1 assessed alternative; Element's own price is not verified yet, so no cheaper-than claim is made.
Capability comparison
Slack covers 86% of the 7 capabilities compared against Element. ✓ native · ◐ via integration · ✗ not found.
| Capability | Slack | Element |
|---|---|---|
| Channels & group messaging | ✓ | ✓ |
| Threaded conversations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Unlimited message history | ✓ | ✓ |
| Audio/video calls & screen sharing | ✓ | ✓ |
| App integrations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compliance exports & audit logs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Self-hosted deployment | ✗ | ✓ |
What you give up
Capabilities Element has that Slack lacks.
- Self-hosted deployment — Run the chat platform on your own infrastructure.Missing from Slack.
Price at your volume
The same comparison recomputed at three sizes. Plan caps change who is cheapest.
| Scenario | Element | Slack |
|---|---|---|
| 3 seats | — | $0/mo (Free) |
| 10 seats | — | $0/mo (Free) |
| 25 seats | — | $0/mo (Free) |
Plans & pricing, side by side
Advertised prices in USD as observed on the official pricing pages — per-seat and transaction-fee plans are marked.
| Free | Free |
| Pro | $8.75/seat/mo |
| Business+ | $18/seat/mo |
| Enterprise+ | Contact sales |
| Community | Free |
| Enterprise | Contact sales |
| Sovereign | Contact sales |
Frequently asked
What does Slack lack compared with Element?
Self-hosted deployment — 1 of the 7 compared capabilities.
When were these prices checked?
Element: 2026-09-07; Slack: 2026-08-26 — on the official pricing pages.
Sources & freshness
- https://element.io/pricing (official_pricing, checked 2026-09-07)
- Slack data last verified 2026-08-26