This article reviews and compares the five leading team chat apps for business in 2025: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, Discord, and Element.
Each app is evaluated by features, pricing, integrations, and ideal use cases, with pros and cons provided for each platform.
A clear summary table and detailed sections help businesses determine the best chat app for their needs, covering options for different organizational sizes, tech stacks, and privacy requirements.
The recommendations are based on hands-on testing and direct feature comparisons.
Action Items
No specific action items were mentioned in the article.
Top 5 Team Chat Apps for Business in 2025
Slack: Best for a chat-powered workplace. Stands out for feature depth, integrations, a streamlined interface, and flexible channels/threads. Downside: higher cost, not bundled with wider software suites.
Microsoft Teams: Best for large organizations structured by teams. Offers powerful integration with Microsoft 365, excellent audio/video quality, and robust organizational structure. Downside: complex setup, potentially cluttered UI.
Google Chat: Best for Google Workspace users. Integrates deeply with Google ecosystem, strong search, task lists tied to Google Tasks. Downside: more limited features, UI polish could improve.
Discord: Best for always-on voice chat and flexible, informal collaboration. Particularly strong for audio communication, almost entirely free, popular in non-business settings. Downside: fewer formal business features, relies on third-party bots for integrations.
Element: Best for self-hosted, privacy-focused team chat. Fully encrypted, open-source, can be installed on private servers, supports bridges to other services. Downside: setup complexity.
Key Evaluation Criteria for Chat Apps
Ability to organize conversations (channels, threads, tagging)
Universal and filtered search
Video and audio chat features
Intuitive navigation and controls (shortcuts, gestures)
Collaboration tools, including file sharing and integrations
Focus placed on real-time communication, not project management
Pricing and Notable Features (Summary Table Highlights)
Slack: Free plan with limited history, paid from $8.75/user/month.
Microsoft Teams: Included with Microsoft 365, standalone from $4/user/month.
Google Chat: Included with Google Workspace, from $7/user/month.
Discord: Free for core features, Nitro plan at $2.99/month.
Element: Free for public servers, business plans from $5/user/month for cloud hosting.
Automation and Integration Suggestions
Slack: Integrate with Gmail, Google Sheets, scheduling tools.
Microsoft Teams: Integrate with Atera, Typeform, other business apps.
Google Chat: Automate reminders, calendar event alerts, and more with Zapier.
Discord: Automate posting from YouTube, RSS, and schedule reminders.
Element: Bridges to Slack, Teams, and Discord for hybrid environments.
Platform-Specific Pros & Cons
Detailed pros and cons are provided for each app, highlighting their ideal contexts and tradeoffs.
Decisions
Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, Discord, and Element are recommended as the top 5 team chat apps for business in 2025 — based on thorough hands-on testing, breadth of features, and suitability for a variety of organizational needs.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
No open questions or required follow-ups were identified in the article.