As remote work and digital transformation become the new standard, the need for robust team communication and workflow automation has never been greater. Businesses now look for secure, compliant, and user-friendly solutions for project management, chat, and automation. Slack and Glue are often at the center of this debate, both offering unique ways to connect teams—but which platform is truly the best fit? In this guide, I break down their top features, differences, and best use cases.
Throughout, you’ll get the benefit of deep insight into integration, security, user experience, and how each platform meets the challenges of remote teams. Plus, you’ll see why Lark is winning fans as a modern collaboration solution—making it a serious Slack and Glue competitor for global businesses. Whether you’re searching for Slack alternatives, comparing Glue vs. Slack, or simply want a platform that goes beyond basic chat apps, this guide will help you make a confident decision.
What is Slack?
Slack is a leading chat and collaboration tool built for team messaging, integrations, and real-time productivity. Designed to help organizations communicate in structured, searchable channels, Slack has become synonymous with team collaboration tools for businesses of all sizes.
It stands out for its diverse app integrations and powerful customization, making it a natural fit for teams that thrive on a fast pace and multiple workflows. Slack’s popularity comes not only from its user-friendly interface but from its strong third-party ecosystem and robust API, which empowers anyone to automate, organize, or enrich their work environment.
In a world filled with Slack alternatives, it’s worth considering whether Slack’s focus on integrations, open API, and channel-based organization is truly what your business needs—or whether a different, more unified approach like Lark or a competitor such as Glue might add even more value.
Image source: slack.com
What is Glue?
Glue is a fast-rising Slack competitor, designed for businesses seeking more than just chat. Glue brings together secure messaging, workflow automation, and true cross-company collaboration under one flexible platform. Unlike many traditional chat apps, Glue is purpose-built for organizations that need strong compliance, advanced automation, and easy connections with external partners.
With AI-powered productivity tools, modern integrations, and a clean, accessible interface, Glue directly addresses many of the pain points teams face today. If you are in a regulated industry, manage lots of external stakeholders, or want to automate more of your project management without complexity, Glue makes a strong case in the Glue vs. Slack debate.
As more of us move into hybrid or international work, there’s growing demand for tools that handle more than messaging. That’s where collaborative platforms like Lark come in—offering everything from docs and databases to next-level automation, all within one seamless workspace.
Image source: glue.work
Slack vs. Glue: Which has the best features?
Slack’s top features
Channel-based messaging:
Organize conversations by topic, project, or team so information is always easy to find and follow.Wide integration ecosystem:
Connect Slack to thousands of apps—project management, CRM, cloud storage, and more—making it a central hub for team communication and workflow automation.Customizable notifications:
Tailor alerts and message priorities, keeping distractions low while ensuring important updates are seen.Powerful search and file sharing:
Quickly locate past conversations and collaborate on files without switching platforms.Open API and automation:
Use Slackbot, build custom bots, or connect to third-party platforms for advanced workflow customization and automation.Shared channels & guest access:
Collaborate securely with clients, partners, or freelancers without leaving Slack.
Slack’s feature set is especially appealing for organizations needing customization, deep integration, and structured chat, making it one of the leading team communication platforms. However, many modern teams are now also expecting real-time document collaboration, built-in workflow tools, and advanced external communication—all areas where Lark, as a competitor to Glue and Slack, delivers powerful advantages in a unified interface.
Image source: slack.com
Glue’s top features
AI-powered task and project management:
Automate repetitive processes and surface relevant information using built-in smart suggestions.Cross-company messaging:
Effortlessly connect and collaborate with partners, vendors, and clients outside your organization, all while maintaining security and compliance.Advanced compliance controls:
Glue provides robust security and granular compliance settings, perfect for organizations handling sensitive or regulated information.Flexible integrations:
Connect to key business apps such as CRM, cloud platforms, and productivity tools, helping tie your workflows together and streamline project management.Context-rich conversation threads:
Keep chat history, tasks, and files accessible in context, improving productivity for teams operating asynchronously or across time zones.Modern, intuitive user interface:
Designed for clarity and ease of use, reducing the time needed for onboarding and everyday navigation.
Glue appeals strongly to teams needing both automation and security, or those coordinating with multiple external collaborators. But when examining Glue vs. Slack in a broader sense, today’s complex workflows often demand a solution that’s inherently all-in-one—combining chat, project management, knowledge base, and automation. That’s where Lark stands out, bringing together Lark Docs, Lark Chat, Lark Base, and more, in one platform made for global work.
Image source: glue.work
Feature comparison: Who comes out on top?
Both Slack and Glue bring impressive capabilities to the table and choosing a clear winner depends on your team’s priorities, workflow habits, and industry-specific requirements. Slack undoubtedly excels when it comes to scalable integrations, real-time messaging, and a flexible workspace that adapts to almost any company’s size or structure. It’s a mature, widely adopted product with a friendly learning curve, a vast app ecosystem, and a reputation for reliability. In mission-critical communication, quick project pivoting, and integration with existing tech stacks, Slack is hard to beat.
Glue, on the other hand, stands out for teams that crave automation, external collaboration, and airtight security. Its feature set is designed for the realities of remote, hybrid, or regulated industries, where privacy and workflow efficiency are top priorities. With AI-powered task management, easy CRM integration, and built-in compliance, Glue brings next-level collaboration to complex organizational environments.
Yet, as teams seek a seamless, all-in-one experience that combines chat, document collaboration, automation, and database power, Lark emerges as a forward-thinking alternative. Lark's integrated workspace—including Lark Docs for collaborative editing, Lark Base for business workflows, and comprehensive project management—can unlock new productivity levels that standalone chat tools like Slack or even automation-driven solutions like Glue may struggle to achieve.
Slack vs. Glue: Which has the best pricing?
Slack’s pricing
Slack offers a range of cloud-hosted plans designed to suit teams of all sizes:
Free: $0/user/month. Includes 90 days of message history, up to 10 app integrations, 1:1 audio and video meetings, and 1 workspace.
Pro: $8.75/user/month ($4.38/user/month for the first 3 months). Adds unlimited message history, unlimited app integrations, group audio and video meetings, unlimited workflows, and collaboration on lists and documents.
Business+: $15/user/month. Includes everything in Pro, plus user provisioning, SAML-based single sign-on, data exports for all messages, and enhanced compliance support.
Enterprise Grid: Custom pricing. Includes all Business+ features, plus unlimited workspaces, advanced security and compliance, custom templates, and priority support.
Slack’s flexible pricing model scales with your needs—making it appealing for startups and enterprises alike. However, expanding teams or those requiring advanced integrations and security features may quickly see costs rise as they move onto higher tiers.
Image source: slack.com
Glue’s pricing
Glue also offers several subscription options focused on security and cross-company collaboration:
Free: $0. Includes all features, but limited to 10 Glue Team Members, 10 Team Spaces, 30 minutes session time per session, and 2GB team file storage.
Professional: $53.32/user/month (when billed yearly; €60/user/month when billed monthly). Includes all features with unlimited team spaces, session time, and team file storage.
Enterprise: Custom pricing. Includes everything in Professional, plus branded and custom team spaces, customized hosting options, Single Sign-On, browser-only sessions, service level agreement, premium onboarding, and priority support.
Custom plans: For organizations with unique integration or data residency requirements, tailored solutions and onboarding are available.
While entry-level plans may provide the basics, Glue’s most compelling features—automation, compliance tools, and advanced collaboration—are typically found in its higher-tier plans. As with competitors to Glue and Slack in regulated industries or those demanding seamless external partnership, investing in upper tiers unlocks the platform’s greatest value.
Image source: glue.work
Which platform offers better value?
The real value comparison between Slack and Glue depends on your unique needs. Slack is appealing for teams prioritizing integrations and real-time messaging, but Glue may offer more ROI for those needing built-in automation and security. Both pricing models reward scale and commitment, so it’s key to plan for future needs.
If you’re looking for even more consolidated value, Lark stands out by combining robust messaging, document collaboration, project management, and automation—often at a lower overall cost. Lark’s all-in-one approach reduces the need for multiple subscriptions and delivers enterprise-grade features in every plan.
Slack vs. Glue: Which has the best customer service?
Great customer service is vital for any work chat platform, especially as your team grows or your communication needs become more complex. In the “Slack vs Glue” comparison, both platforms offer helpful support, but the overall experience can vary depending on your plan and requirements.
Slack provides a multi-layered customer service approach. For starters, there’s a comprehensive self-service knowledge base and active community forums where users can find answers to common questions. Email support is available for all users, while paid plans unlock priority channels and, for enterprise customers, access to a dedicated customer success manager. This tiered system is designed to keep teams productive, but some users on lower plans may notice longer wait times or more generic responses. In scenarios where rapid resolution or tailored support is essential—such as integrating third party solutions or managing a large number of users—this can be a limitation.
Glue, on the other hand, positions its support with a strong business focus. The platform prioritizes requests from its professional and enterprise clients, offering live chat, email access, and even webinars to help teams onboard and optimize their workflows. For organizations operating in regulated industries or handling sensitive data, Glue’s support team is trained to guide users through compliance requirements and automation best practices—including the use of Glue ai features for workflow efficiency. Enterprise customers often benefit from dedicated onboarding sessions and custom support, ensuring that their external collaboration and compliance needs are met with minimal friction. This is especially valuable for teams adopting advanced automation or working across company boundaries, where expert guidance can accelerate adoption and reduce risks.
When comparing service experiences, it’s clear that both Slack and Glue have invested in robust support infrastructures, especially for premium plans. However, premium support can come with higher costs, and the consistency of response may depend on your tier.
Lark, by contrast, seamlessly incorporates global 24/7 support, proactive onboarding, and ongoing customer engagement into every core plan. Instead of treating advanced service as an expensive add-on, Lark’s approach ensures that growing teams, distributed organizations, and those adopting new collaboration technologies always have fast, reliable assistance. For businesses searching for a cost effective solution that scales with their needs, Lark’s customer service model stands out—delivering the kind of responsive, inclusive support that helps teams get the most from their collaboration platform, whether they’re just starting out or managing complex, multi-company projects.
Slack vs. Glue: Which is the most secure and compliant?
Security and compliance are at the core of any modern work chat solution, especially when teams are remote, distributed, or handling sensitive data. In the Glue vs. Slack debate, both platforms offer enterprise-grade protection—but they do so in slightly different ways, each with strengths depending on your industry and risk profile.
Slack delivers robust security features, including single sign-on (SSO), two-factor authentication, and data encryption in transit and at rest. The platform is certified to major standards such as SOC 2 and ISO/IEC 27001, and advanced enterprise subscriptions unlock features like audit logs, enterprise mobility management, and granular role-based permissions. For organizations in highly regulated industries, Slack’s compliance certifications are reassuring, but some advanced security tools and audit controls are only available on top-tier plans. This can be a consideration for growing teams who want scalable compliance without excessive costs.
Image source: slack.com
Glue, meanwhile, was created as a competitor to Slack with security and compliance at its foundation. The platform allows administrators to customize data retention, set granular permissions, and enforce cross-company security policies—ideal for organizations regularly working with external partners. Glue regularly undergoes third party audits to validate its compliance with global frameworks, making it especially attractive to regulated industries or those with strict privacy standards. Its advanced compliance dashboards and automated monitoring tools give IT and legal teams the oversight they need to ensure every external collaboration remains secure. For teams leveraging Glue ai or automating sensitive workflows, these features provide peace of mind that automation won’t come at the expense of security.
Image source: glue.work
When comparing both platforms, it’s clear that Slack and Glue are serious about protecting customer data and supporting regulatory requirements. Yet, for organizations that want a cost effective solution with built-in security for all types of collaboration—internal, external, and global—Lark becomes a compelling choice. At Lark, we take data security and compliance seriously. Lark has passed internationally recognized certifications such as SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 27701, and ISO 27018, and meets privacy regulations including GDPR, CCPA, APPI, and PDPA by default. These certifications and regulatory standards ensure that your organization’s information remains protected no matter where your teams operate.
Slack vs. Glue: Which is the easiest to use?
For modern teams, usability is often the deciding factor when selecting a work chat platform. Between Slack and Glue, both prioritize intuitive design, but the user experience can feel quite different depending on your workflow and how much cross-company collaboration you need.
Slack is famous for its clean interface, organized channels, and streamlined onboarding process. Most users can start messaging, sharing files, and joining conversations almost instantly—making it popular with growing teams and those who want minimal training. For admins, managing users and connecting third party solutions is straightforward, and the consistent experience across desktop and mobile apps is a big plus for distributed workforces. However, as your team expands, the sheer number of channels, integrations, and notifications can sometimes lead to channel fatigue. Navigating a crowded workspace or finding the right conversation thread may require extra organization, especially for teams handling multiple projects or external partners.
Glue takes a slightly different approach, positioning itself as a competitor to Slack focused on seamless cross-company collaboration and automation. The platform’s onboarding guides users through secure workspace setup, integration of key apps, and safe invitation of external contacts—all supported by a modern, model agnostic interface. Glue puts workflow tools and AI-powered suggestions front and center, helping teams automate repetitive tasks and streamline their daily routines. The learning curve can be a bit steeper for advanced automation features, but overall, Glue aims to make even complex processes accessible to non-technical users. For organizations that frequently update their internal systems or require a flexible version of their collaboration stack, Glue’s approach can be a real asset.
When it comes to making advanced collaboration truly easy, Lark offers a fresh take. By unifying chat, document collaboration, project management, and workflow automation within a single platform, Lark reduces the need to switch between apps and helps teams avoid the fragmentation that causes channel fatigue. The interface is designed for clarity, so even growing teams or those new to digital collaboration can get started quickly. Plus, Lark’s onboarding resources and global support mean teams can adapt the platform to their needs, regardless of size, industry, or technical background.
If you’re looking for a solution that’s accessible, flexible, and designed to scale with your business—without the usability trade-offs that sometimes appear when making “Glue vs. Slack” comparisons—Lark’s unified platform gives every team member the tools they need to connect and get work done efficiently.
Slack vs. Glue: Which is the best option overall?
With both Slack and Glue offering rich features, strong security, and reliable support, determining the “best” team collaboration platform really comes down to matching their strengths to your team’s specific needs.
Choose Slack if your organization values:
Deep integration with a wide range of third-party SaaS apps (from CRMs and help desks to cloud storage).
Highly customizable channels for message and file organization, as well as private groups for sensitive topics.
Extensive Slackbot automations, open API for developers, and workflows for day-to-day team efficiency.
Reliable, well-supported infrastructure trusted by thousands of organizations worldwide.
Slack is ideal for teams needing a tried-and-tested chat-first workspace, access to thousands of integrations, and flexible communication infrastructure—especially when working primarily within one organization.
Glue shines if your priorities are:
Strong built-in compliance tools, security-first messaging, and granular policy management.
Effortless cross-company collaboration with external vendors, partners, or clients—reducing friction when working across organizations.
AI-driven workflow automation designed to surface relevant information, automate repetitive tasks, and streamline project management.
Advanced onboarding and workflow tools built for teams in regulated industries and fast-moving project environments.
Glue is best for businesses demanding airtight security, external collaboration, and powerful automation—especially if they often interact beyond company boundaries.
Why Lark deserves your attention
While both platforms have clear strengths, modern teams are increasingly looking for an all-in-one collaboration system—one that reduces their software stack, boosts real-time efficiency, and unifies global teams. This is where Lark excels over both Slack and Glue, and even other competitors in this field. With messaging, collaborative docs, calendar, video conferencing, and Lark Base for workflow automation and custom databases in a single interface, Lark brings a cohesive and truly integrated experience, keeping your team focused and your workflows seamless.
Why Lark is your next-level solution for modern team collaboration
With so many collaboration tools available, Lark stands out by going far beyond just chat or file sharing. Lark is built for modern, distributed, and fast-scaling teams seeking to maximize productivity, flexibility, and security—all in one unified workspace.
Key features of Lark
All-in-one digital HQ:
Lark combines team chat, video meetings, shared docs, a calendar, approval workflows, and Lark Base (your no-code database/workflow engine) in a single, cloud-based interface.Lark Base for workflow automation:
Build custom workflows, project trackers, approval processes, and relational databases—no coding required. Lark Base puts advanced process automation and knowledge management within reach of every team, making it possible to tailor the platform to your exact needs.Seamless document collaboration:
Real-time co-editing, powerful permission controls, and built-in chat keep all discussions and documentation in context, across borders and time zones.Efficient cross-company and global collaboration:
Invite external partners, clients, or freelancers with a single click. Control access, security, and compliance for every workspace. Lark’s platform is designed for compliance with leading global standards and supports advanced administrative controls out of the box.Integrated calendar and smart scheduling:
Connect all your team’s schedules, book meetings, and automate reminders without switching tools.Designed for usability and adoption:
Lark’s interface is modern, intuitive, and designed for mobile and desktop. Onboarding is fast, and advanced features are accessible for users of all backgrounds.
Why Lark stands out
Lark isn’t just a Slack alternative or competitor to Glue and Slack—it transforms your team’s entire digital experience. By bringing together messaging, document editing, project management, and workflow automation, Lark helps you:
Minimize software sprawl and reduce costs by replacing multiple apps.
Unify team communication, task management, and knowledge sharing, improving cross-functional alignment and transparency.
Automate the repetitive tasks that eat up your team’s day, freeing up time for creative and strategic work.
Scale without barriers, whether you operate locally or on a global scale, secure in the knowledge that data privacy and compliance are prioritized.
If you’re searching for a platform to propel your team into the next era of productivity—beyond what Slack vs. Glue can offer—Lark is your next-level solution. Experience the difference that seamless integration, robust automation, and global collaboration can make. Start building your modern, connected workspace with Lark today.
Conclusion
In the competitive landscape of team collaboration tools, both Slack and Glue offer unique strengths tailored to different organizational needs. Slack excels with its extensive integrations and user-friendly interface, making it an excellent choice for teams focused on internal communication and productivity. Meanwhile, Glue stands out with its emphasis on security and cross-company collaboration, ideal for businesses requiring strict compliance and automated workflows.
However, for teams looking for a comprehensive solution that integrates chat, documentation, and project management, Lark emerges as the superior alternative. By combining powerful features in a single platform, Lark not only enhances communication and collaboration but also simplifies workflows. Transitioning to Lark can elevate your team’s productivity, making it the next-level solution for modern collaboration. Embrace Lark today and experience a seamless, integrated workspace that meets all your collaborative needs.
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