Slack Vs. Skype

Frank Comments

1. a

Sergey Comments

1. Do we need business google accounts for employees?
2. Mobile phones calls?
3. How much do we need to pay? $8 per user per month?
   • The basic version of Slack is free, but of course, it has its limitations. The free version allows you to have all kinds of calls. You can still send messages to multiple people and create a single channel for your conversation.
4. We can use Skype now to communicate widely with ppl out of our company (candidates, contractors..). How we will do it with Slack?
5. Is it OK, that everyone can see any channel in Slack?
6. I can see icon red count if I have a new chats In Skype. How can I see it in Slack? (I didn't find it here: https://youtu.be/6pvVQw03QZY)

Jonathon Comments

I think you're right that the comparison should be vs Ms Teams. However I would suggest strongly that Google is the better bet for all around. Either with Slack for Messaging or the new Google chat which is not as good as Slack but can do most of it.

Google Chat: Everything You Need to Know in 2023

https://dispatch.m.io

The ideal setup for a technology firm is Google / Slack / ERP or CRM

That's my opinion of course...

It means all desktops/laptops are just web browsers. No on device storage, no apps to license, no vpns

We do need a network that works in the office however, so that is an area we need to fix

(Sergey: we are working on Cloud ERP candidates. Oracle NetSuite is the most appropriate for now. With CRM included)

https://wiki.necs.ca/index.php/Cloud_ERP_System

These parts need to all talk, for example CRM/ERP into Slack for sales updates, reporting etc

I haven't used Netsuite in about 10 years, we moved to a Salesforce stack but we were a SaaS product so didn't need much physical interactions

It's amazing how many don't end up connected properly tho and how to give the controls to the business people. Salesforce and Slack are trying to do this with mixed results - building business processes etc

I used a lot of Zapier and Make.com to connect tools that don't work well together without code

Apps / Marketplances are the other spot

I then use external vendors like Open API with Zapier and Make

Comparison

Skype	Slack
300 million monthly active users	12 million monthly active users

NIRA

https://nira.com/slack-vs-skype/

Our Recommendation: Get Slack

Both Skype and Slack offer:

• Audio and video calling
• Direct and group conversations
• Document and file sharing
• Third-party app integrations

Slack Is A Product On The Rise

Slack Is A Multi-Purpose Application

Users Rate Slack Much Higher Than Skype

In fact, in some cases, Skype is a better choice than Slack.

For example, if video calling in large groups is your number one consideration, Skype is a better option because of several reasons.

• Skype offers better video quality.
• Allows up to 100 participants in group video calls
• Allows text messaging during video calls
• Allows document and file sharing in video calls
• Allows screen sharing in video calls
• Allows call recording
• It is completely free to use.

These are significant advantages compared with Slack, which only offers group video calls for premium users with a limit of 15 participants.

Skype is also a good option if you’re on a tight budget and do not want to invest heavily in a communication platform.

G2

https://www.g2.com/compare/skype-vs-slack

TrustRadius

https://www.trustradius.com/compare-products/skype-vs-slack

Skype (the personal edition) is a free web meeting, video conferencing, and VoIP software. The free version includes audio and video Skype-to-Skype calls, ability to call mobile phones and landlines, paid international calling, and conference calling capabilities for up to 25 people.

Slack is a group messaging or team collaboration app that aims to simplify communication for businesses. Features include open discussions, private groups, and direct messaging, as well as deep contextual search and message archiving, and file sharing. Slack integrates with a number of other tools, such as MailChimp, Dropbox, and Google Drive. Slack was acquired by Salesforce in December 2020. The product is free to use, and also has paid plans with more features and greater controls.

OutSourceAccelerator

https://www.outsourceaccelerator.com/articles/differences-of-skype-vs-slack/

Forbes Advisor

Slack Review 2023: Features, Pros And Cons

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/slack-review/

Cons

Slack gets expensive, especially compared to similar collaborative software. There is a free plan, but it’s a bit limiting for businesses that need to access historical messages and documents beyond 90 days. Also, conversations tend to get buried in your left sidebar as you start new DMs with colleagues. The advanced search feature is helpful to find what you need, but if you forget who you spoke with about a specific topic, you may have trouble finding the conversation later.

Pros

• Free plan available
• 2,500-plus integrations
• Automated workflows on all paid plans
• Multiple built-in communication options
• Easy-to-use interface
• Customizable for each user
• Advanced search function

Cons

• Expensive plans
• Message history gets buried
• Limited users in huddles

Zoom vs. Skype (2023 Comparison)

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/zoom-vs-skype/

Skype

In 2011, Microsoft acquired Skype for $8.5 billion and turned it into a terrific program for voice and video communication and a winning investment.

Skype is on the way down and has lost its crown as the premier video calling app to Zoom over the last couple of years.

It’s still one of the most popular communication apps, with more than 300 million monthly active users, but it’s way down on Microsoft’s priority list–in fact, I’m pretty sure Microsoft is slowly but surely sidelining Skype.

Another strong indicator of Skype’s downfall is LinkedIn’s announcement last year in which they unveiled their video messaging feature.

This is easy to understand, since Skype is literally only a video calling platform–every other feature it has is only there to support video calling.

And even its paid text messaging and phone calling features are pretty affordable compared to expensive roaming plans when you’re on a foreign trip or want to connect via phone with someone in another country.

• It is completely free to use.

These are significant advantages compared with Slack, which only offers group video calls for premium users with a limit of 15 participants.

Skype is also a good option if you’re on a tight budget and do not want to invest heavily in a communication platform.

In comparison, Skype offers basic message searching inside groups. Your voice messages, videos, and call recordings are available for up to 30 days, while your message history is available for two years.

Skype, in comparison, allows files up to 300MB in size with unlimited storage space. However, videos and documents are automatically deleted after 30 days.

pros

.

cons

• Skype messaging also doesn’t have threads like Slack. You can respond to messages by quoting them, but the responses don’t appear as part of a thread, making it hard to follow discussions.
• On the other hand, Skype doesn’t have app integrations to enhance its features or user experience.

Slack

In 2018, Slack signed a contract with AWS to spend at least $250 million a year for five years to enrich the Slack platform and take the ‘business collaboration software market’ by storm.

It currently has more than 12 million monthly active users, which include 142K paid customers.

you can use Slack for project management, organizing your departmental communication, creating a knowledge base for your company, etc.

pros

• Slack offers basic and advanced search features that can help you turn it into a complete knowledge base for your team in the long run.

cons

• In comparison, Slack offers limited video calling capabilities.
• The free plan only offers one-to-one video calling, while group calls in the paid plans are limited to 15 users at a time.
• Slack video calls’ quality is also questionable, which is why a large percentage of their users prefer Zoom calling even when using Slack.
• Slack also doesn’t offer video recording or subtitles. You can, however, add these features with third-party apps.
• There are no notification mark in taskbar

Prices

Pricing: Is Slack or Skype the Better Deal?

We’ve discussed some general strengths and weaknesses of Slack and Skype so far.

To put things into perspective, let’s analyze their pricing structures to understand the value they offer for your money.

Skype Pricing And Free Plan

Most of Skype’s core features are entirely free.

You can host or join group/individual video calls, record calls, enable subtitles, share files, create moderated groups, and communicate with people for no charges.

Phone calling is the only paid feature in Skype that you can use with different billing options like monthly subscriptions or Skype Credit and Skype to Go (both pay-as-you-go options).

You also need to pay a monthly fee to keep a Skype number that others can call using Skype or a telephone/mobile device.

Here’s how it works.

The calling rate varies with regions, but you can get subscription plans for the USA for $2.99/month and the rest of North America for $6.99/month.

Other than this, all Skype features are free to use as long as you remain within their free usage policy.

Slack Pricing And Free Plan

Slack has three different pricing plans along with a free version for smaller teams with limited feature requirements.

Here’s how its paid plans are priced.

You can get started with the Standard plan for $6.67/month per user billed annually. At this price, you can get unlimited messaging features, group video calls for up to 15 users, unlimited channels, and unlimited app integrations.

Plus, there are many other benefits like up to 10 GB storage per user, unlimited message archive, and many more.

The Plus and Enterprise plans are upgrades to the Standard plan and offer plenty of other features like uptime guarantees, message export capabilities, and user provisioning/deprovisioning.

Price and packages

The basic version of Slack is free, but of course, it has its limitations. The free version allows you to have all kinds of calls. You can still send messages to multiple people and create a single channel for your conversation.

Slack Pro package starts at $6.67 per month if billed yearly, and $8 per active user, per month when billed monthly. This paid subscription includes group calls, unlimited channels, and better security.

They also have Slack Plus that costs $12.50 per month when billed yearly, and $15 per month, if billed monthly. This package includes more advanced IT features, 24/7 support, and 99.99% guaranteed uptime SLA.

All communication on Skype with 100 people is completely free. It can also be downloaded for free, and it will provide basic messaging and calls within your team members who are also on Skype.

So, if you’re not aiming for other features and just need instant communication, feel free to use Skype. But if you want more features, you can also buy Microsoft Skype for Business with an annual fee of $99.99.

This plan includes Microsoft Office, Microsoft Exchange, and Microsoft SharePoint. Their entry-level plan starts at $5.00 per month. It includes instant messaging, audio, and HD video calling to Skype participants.