Lark vs Slack: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Lark and Slack to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Lark
6.4/10
Lark is ByteDance's all-in-one workplace suite. It combines chat, video meetings, docs, wikis and the Base database for project tracking and workflow automation.
Slack
7.1/10
Slack is a channel-based messaging platform from Salesforce, with Lists, canvases, huddles and Workflow Builder for team coordination and light task tracking.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.4/10 | 7.1/10 |
| Cost | 8/10 | 5/10 |
| Ease of Use | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Analytics | 6/10 | 3/10 |
| Customization | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Scalability | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Integration | 5/10 | 10/10 |
| Security | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | $6/user/mo Basic | €8/user/mo Pro |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Starter | Free Free |
| Features | ||
| Gantt charts | ||
| Collaboration tools | ||
| Docs | ||
| File sharing | ||
| Kanban boards | ||
| Spreadsheet interface | ||
| Task management | ||
| Team messaging | ||
| Workflow automation | ||
| App integrations | Not listed | |
| Client collaboration | Not listed | |
| Dashboards | Not listed | |
| Databases | Not listed | |
| Knowledge base | Not listed | |
| Scheduling | Not listed | |
| Task lists | Not listed | |
| Time tracking | Not listed | |
| Timeline view | Not listed | |
Lark vs Slack cost by team size
| Team size | Lark | Slack |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeStarter | FreeFree |
| 5 users | FreeStarter | FreeFree |
| 10 users | FreeStarter | FreeFree |
| 25 users | $150/moBasic | FreeFree |
| 50 users | $300/moBasic | FreeFree |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Lark
- Higher Cost score (8/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Analytics score (6/10 vs 3/10)
- Includes Gantt charts, which Slack lacks
Why choose Slack
- Higher Integration score (10/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Scalability score (9/10 vs 7/10)
- Better fit for government (6/10 vs 2/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (9/10 vs 6/10)
Pros & Cons
Lark
Pros
- Combines chat, video meetings, docs, wikis and project databases in one app, so teams switch between tools less often.
- The free Starter plan supports up to 20 users with 100GB of storage, which is generous for small teams.
- Lark Base offers kanban, Gantt and calendar views, dashboards and automations for flexible project tracking.
- Built-in AI translation and timezone tools help distributed and multilingual teams.
- Paid plans start at around $6 to $12 per user per month on annual billing, which can cost less than paying for several separate tools.
Cons
- Banned in the United States since January 2025 along with other ByteDance apps.
- Fewer third-party integrations than Slack or Microsoft 365, according to reviewers.
- The broad feature set takes training to learn, and some reviewers find the chat interface cramped.
- Some users report dropped audio and video calls and a sidebar layout that cannot be changed.
- Enterprise pricing is not published.
Slack
Pros
- The app ecosystem is very large, and tools such as ClickUp, Notion, HubSpot and Clockify can post updates into channels.
- Slack Connect lets teams work in shared channels with up to 250 outside organizations on paid plans.
- Compliance coverage is broad, including ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, FedRAMP Moderate and HIPAA configurability.
- Lists add table and board layouts with assignees, due dates and subtasks, without leaving chat.
- Workflow Builder automates routine requests and approvals without code.
Cons
- There are no native Gantt charts, dependencies, time tracking or portfolio reporting, so Slack doesn't replace a dedicated PM tool.
- Frequent notifications and busy channels can interrupt focus, a common complaint in reviews.
- The free plan keeps only 90 days of message history and allows 10 apps.
- Advanced AI features require Business+ or above, and per-user costs add up as teams grow.
- Reviewers report that finding older messages through search can be difficult.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Slack scores higher on our Project Management criteria: 7.1/10 against 6.4/10 for Lark. The largest gap is in Integration: 5/10 for Lark and 10/10 for Slack.
Yes, both Lark and Slack have a free plan.
Slack is the better fit for government: we rate it 6/10 for them, against 2/10 for Lark.
Lark has Gantt charts, which Slack lacks.
