Discord vs Slack: Which One Fits Your Solo Dev Stack?
Free tier limits, real costs for 1-10 users, and honest "not for" warnings. The Solo Dev decision guide for Discord vs Slack.
⚡ Quick Verdict
Slack edges ahead with a 4.5/5 rating. However, the best choice depends on your team size, budget, and workflow needs. Read on for the full breakdown.
💰 Cost by Team Size
| Team Size | Discord | Slack |
|---|---|---|
| Solo (1 user) | $0/mo | $0/mo |
| Small (5 users) | $0/mo | $43.75/mo |
| Growing (10 users) | $0/mo | $87.5/mo |
| Free Tier | ✅ Unlimited messages and history. 25MB file upload. 720p streaming. Up to 500K members per server. | ✅ 90-day message history. 10 app integrations. 1:1 huddles only (no group). No guest access. |
Pricing Plans
| Plan | Discord | Slack |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Nitro Basic | $2.99/mo | $8.75/mo |
| Nitro | $9.99/mo | $12.5/mo |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Discord | Slack |
|---|---|---|
| Messaging | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Integrations | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
Pros & Cons
Discord
✅ Pros
- Completely free for unlimited messages and history (Slack charges for this)
- Always-on voice channels — hop in/out without scheduling
- Rich bot ecosystem for automation (GitHub webhooks, etc.)
- Great for building community around your product
- Screen sharing included free
❌ Cons
- Not perceived as 'professional' by some clients/partners
- Lacks business features (no SSO, audit logs, compliance)
- No threaded conversations (can get chaotic in busy channels)
- Limited SaaS integrations compared to Slack
- 25MB file upload limit on free tier
Slack
✅ Pros
- Industry-standard team communication — everyone knows how to use it
- 2000+ app integrations (most of any chat tool)
- Slack Connect for communicating with external partners
- Huddles for quick voice/video without scheduling
- Workflow Builder for no-code automation
❌ Cons
- Free tier loses messages after 90 days — critical context disappears
- Only 10 app integrations on free tier (fills up immediately)
- Can be a massive distraction — notification overload
- Expensive at scale ($8.75/user/mo adds up fast)
- No offline message access on free tier
Who Should Use What?
✅ Choose Discord if...
- You are a solo devs and indie hackers who want free team chat
- You are a open source projects needing a community hub
- You are a small teams that don't need enterprise features
🚫 Skip if...
- B2B teams communicating with enterprise clients
- Teams needing audit logs or compliance features
- Organizations requiring SSO/SAML
✅ Choose Slack if...
- You are a teams of 3-20 who need async communication
- You are a startups using multiple saas tools (slack connects them all)
- You are a remote teams needing quick huddles
🚫 Skip if...
- Solo devs (overkill — use Discord instead)
- Budget-conscious teams (Discord is free and unlimited)
- Teams that need persistent message history on free tier
🏆 Our Verdict
Both Discord (4.4/5) and Slack (4.5/5) are excellent tools in their category. Slack takes a slight edge overall, but the best choice ultimately depends on your team's specific needs, budget, and existing tool ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Discord better than Slack?
It depends on your needs. Discord excels in some areas while Slack has its own strengths. Read our full comparison above to see which tool fits your specific requirements.
How does Discord pricing compare to Slack?
Discord starts at Free / $2.99/mo, while Slack starts at Free / $8.75/mo. Both offer different value propositions — check our pricing comparison section for a detailed breakdown.
Can I migrate from Discord to Slack?
Yes, most B2B tools offer data import/export features. Slack typically provides migration guides and sometimes even dedicated support for switching from Discord.
Which is easier to use, Discord or Slack?
Ease of use depends on your team's experience and workflow preferences. We evaluated both tools on usability — see our feature comparison scores above for details.
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