Best Business Instant Messaging Tools (and Why You Need More Than Just Chat) | Slack (original) (raw)

Instant messaging has become the go-to for workplace communication—but that doesn’t mean every tool is built the same. Whether you’re choosing between simple team messaging apps or all-in-one business chat tools, it’s worth asking: what does your team need?

If you’re looking at business instant messaging platforms, you’ll find plenty of solid options for fast, real-time conversation. But the best tools go further. They help teams collaborate, stay aligned, and move work forward—not just exchange quick messages. Here’s what you need to know about finding the right fit, how they compare, and what sets a full work operating system (OS) like Slack apart from standalone chat platforms.

What’s the difference between a work operating system and a business instant messaging app?

Instant messaging is a form of digital, written communication that happens in real time. Instant messaging (also known as IM-based) tools ensure fast, structured communication without the formality of emails (and cluttered inboxes).

To IM someone, just sign into your chosen messaging platform, select someone from your contact list, and initiate a chat. Sending a message delivers it instantly to your recipient, who gets a notification of the message, often accompanied by a sound and an icon badge.

While instant messaging simplifies day-to-day communication, it doesn’t necessarily increase productivity. A work OS offers instant messaging as well as features that:

Choosing the right business instant messaging tool for your business

With so many corporate messaging apps to choose from, you might not know where to start. Consider these four factors to help you choose the right system for your workplace.

1. Scalability and customization options

Your team and operations will evolve, and so will your needs from your tech stack. The best work OS or business instant messaging apps are ones that can grow with you.

Look for tools that offer flexible pricing tiers and have the potential to support more users and expanded needs. Check if they can handle distributed teams, include external stakeholders, and offer features that are specific to your industry.

Likewise, the tool you select must be customizable. Whether that’s the language, regions, notification sounds, or even integrations to extend its capabilities—your tool needs to fit your requirements.

2. User-friendly interface and mobile accessibility

The best work OS and team messaging apps simplify and speed up communication. That begins with an intuitive, chat-based user interface that makes it easy to navigate the tool and become proficient. A smooth navigational experience also reduces friction and eases the implementation process.

Plus, business chat tools must be available on Android and iOS. That enables your team to stay connected on the go, with smartphone notifications ensuring messages are read quickly.

3. Reliable customer support and training

Even with an easy-to-use tool, your team will need training when adopting it at a business level. Look for business instant messaging apps that offer online or in-person training on purchase.

Also, look at the customer support options and explore reviews from existing customers to find out if the team is effective at solving user problems quickly.

4. App integrations

Whatever communication medium you use, it probably won’t be a one-and-done solution. Your team will likely need other tools too, to manage workflows, schedule events, and track tasks—and your business chat platform should play nicely with those tools. Keep the following integration considerations in mind:

5 business chat tools to consider

Some work operating systems and instant messaging platforms stand out as the best in the market. Let’s take a closer look at them.

The following list is curated from G2, which scores software based on user feedback, features available, and overall satisfaction. G2 uses a five-star system focused on usability, customer satisfaction, and market presence. Each of the tools listed here has a minimum rating of four stars, ensuring they are top contenders for streamlining knowledge access, improving collaboration, and helping teams work smarter.

1. Slack

Best for: Teams seeking a comprehensive communication platform with robust integration capabilities.

Slack is an AI-powered operating system for work that brings your people, knowledge, and tools together in a single, intuitive, and user-friendly environment. Slack builds on that foundation with no-code automation features and—for customers who purchase the generative AI offering—Slack AI, to deliver big results.

With Slack, you can create channels to organize your work and keep all related conversations in one place—no more endless searches needed. Here are some features that stand out:

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (Based on 34,177 G2 reviews)​

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2. Zoho Cliq

Best for: Organizations looking for a secure and reliable communication tool with video conferencing capabilities.

This business instant messaging app is ideal for users of the Zoho Suite, as it integrates seamlessly with all its tools, ensuring smooth adoption. Additionally, it supports various integrations with file management, customer support, marketing, productivity, and dev-ops tools.

Key features include:

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars (Based on 284 G2 reviews)

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3. Flock

Best for: Teams seeking an intuitive communication tool with features for organizing conversations by projects or topics.

Flock helps you streamline communications in your workspace with channel-based communication. It’s built for scale, supporting up to 500,000 users in a single team. Here are its major features:

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars (Based on 273 G2 reviews)

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Flock supports integration with Slack, enabling seamless communication across platforms for hybrid or transitioning teams.

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4. RingCentral

Best for: Businesses and remote teams in need of a reliable platform for video conferencing and team messaging.

RingCentral offers voice and video chat features and integrates them into the team chat app. You can use this platform to share files, connect with external stakeholders, and set up virtual meetings. Let’s look at its main features:

Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars (Based on 381 G2 reviews)

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With the Slack integration for RingCentral users can initiate video calls or check availability directly from Slack, streamlining communication.

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5. Zoom

Best for: Organizations requiring a user-friendly platform for video conferencing and team communication.

Zoom offers video conferencing and team chat features within a unified platform. It supports file sharing, communication with external stakeholders, and virtual meeting scheduling. While widely used for video calls, it also includes messaging and collaboration tools. Its main features include:

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (Based on 56,147 G2 reviews)

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The Slack integration for Zoom allows users to start or join meetings directly from Slack, making it easy to switch between messaging and video conferencing.

Give your business the work OS edge with Slack

Today’s business landscape requires agility, the right tools to get the job done, and, most importantly, seamless communication. That’s where Slack stands out.

Slack elevates business instant messaging with async collaboration tools, third-party app integrations, and a wide selection of unique, useful features.

This article is for informational purposes only. This article features products from Slack, which we own. We have a financial interest in their success, but all recommendations are based on our genuine belief in their value.