Slack vs. WhatsApp: Which chat app is best for work?

[jrineakter]

At work, timely and clear communication keeps everything—and everyone—on track: everyone knows the plan and their role in it, projects move smoothly, deadlines are met, and things get done.

This is where tools like Slack and WhatsApp shine. They help with team communication, but they are more different than you might imagine.

So how do they compare and which one is best suited for your team? Let us explain, and don't worry - we have another option if neither one seems right for you.



via Slack Slack’s story is anything but ordinary. What started as a chat feature in an online game in 2002 is now the go-to communication tool for businesses everywhere. Not to mention internal communication; they claim that 80% of Fortune 100 companies use Slack to communicate with external stakeholders.

It's like a virtual hub where you can chat, share files, send multimedia content (because who doesn't love a good meme?) and make video calls without leaving the app.

Slack Features
Slack is built with teams in mind, making algeria number data it easy to communicate and get work done together.

Some of its key features are:

1. Channels and conversation threads
Channels and conversation threads: Slack vs Whatsapp

via Slack Channels in Slack are spaces dedicated to specific topics, projects, or teams. And they're easy to recognize: Public channels have a hashtag (#), and private ones display a lock icon . The former are open to everyone, while the latter are secure and can only be accessed by invitation.

You can organize them using clear names (like project- , team- , or department- ) and archiving old channels to keep things organized. You can also automatically add new members to the default ones to get them up to speed.

For more personal conversations, you can use direct messages. You can also group your responses into threads similar to those you see on X (Twitter).

Pro Tip: If you want to change channels in a flash, just press Command + K or T (Mac) or CTRL + K (Windows), type a few letters of the channel name, and you're good to go.

2. Quick meetings with Huddles
Quick meetings with Huddles: Slack vs Whatsapp

via Slack Remember those quick chats in the office? Slack Huddles have brought it online with audio calls for spontaneous team discussions. You can start one in any channel or direct message with a single click, and teammates can join or leave as needed.

Standups are simple, with voice calling by default , but you can turn on video . They're great for collaboration, offering features like multi-screen sharing and live cursors for tasks like editing or troubleshooting. You can even react with emojis or start conversation threads during the call.

Did you know? In Slack, you can remind yourself or someone else of an event, meeting, deadline, message, file, or whatever using /reminder, followed by the where, what, and when.

Read also: 25 Slack Tricks to Improve Communication at Work

3. File sharing and storage
File sharing and storage: Slack vs Whatsapp

File sharing in Slack is simple and reliable, and helps make it a central hub of sorts. You can upload files up to 10GB (on paid plans) by dragging, dropping , or pasting them into chats, with handy previews for PDFs, images, videos, and more.

You'll also find powerful search filters in Slack, making it easy to locate important information. You can pin or star your files and access them even if the person who originally shared them leaves.

4. Integrations
Slack can connect to over 2,600 apps and services. You can integrate popular tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and Zoom to share files, join meetings, or manage calendars right from Slack.

Development and project management tools like GitHub, Jira, and Trello can publish updates, keeping teams informed without having to switch apps. You can create custom, code-free workflows for different processes using the workflow builder.



WhatsApp started out as a simple way to send notifications to friends. But today, it has grown into one of the most popular messaging apps in the world – with no less than 3 billion users .

Its charm lies in its ease of use: sign up with your phone number and you're good to go. You can send text and voice messages, share images, videos and documents, or make voice and video calls. You can even create group chats to bring everyone together, whether for projects, teams or family plans.