Discord vs Slack: which should you use on Windows?
Discord and Slack are both chat apps with channels, direct messages, voice and file sharing, and both run on Windows. The real difference is the audience: Slack is built for workplace teams, while Discord grew out of gaming and is built for communities and friend groups.
Short answer
Pick Slack if you are organising a company or professional team and need workplace integrations, searchable history and admin controls. Pick Discord if you run a community, club or group of friends and want free, always-open voice rooms and a relaxed feel. Check each vendor's current plan limits before committing.
Side by side
| Discord | Slack | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Discord Inc. | Slack Technologies (Salesforce) |
| Licence | Free | Free |
| Latest version we list | Auto-updating | 4.53.276 |
| Last updated | 1 Nov 2026 | 2 Nov 2026 |
| Download size | 95 MB | — |
| Windows versions | Windows 11, Windows 10 | Windows 11, Windows 10 |
| Recommended for | — | Small Business |
| Install with winget | Discord.Discord | SlackTechnologies.Slack |
| Official site | discord.com | slack.com |
Choose Discord if
- You run a hobby community, club, school group or friend server
- You want drop-in voice channels that stay open for people to join
- You want a free app for casual use without per-seat team pricing
- You are building a public community with roles and open invites
Choose Slack if
- You are coordinating a company or professional team
- You need to connect work tools such as calendars, ticketing or code services
- You need workplace admin controls and a work-style structure of channels and threads
- You collaborate with outside clients or partners on shared projects
Strengths and weaknesses
Discord
Pros
- Great voice quality
- Communities and servers
Cons
- Can be resource heavy
Slack
Pros
- Organised channels
- Thousands of integrations
- Free plan available
Cons
- Free plan hides older messages
- Can be distracting