Team chat, video calls and async video.
Chat & meetings: build, buy or switch?
3 tools compared on 3-year cost, cheaper options and risk. Prices checked October 2026.
| Tool | Verdict | From | Buy, 3 yrs | Build, 3 yrs | Cheapest option |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loom | SWITCH | $15/seat/mo | $2,700 | $3,745 | ScreenPal (cheaper) |
| Slack | BUY | $7.25/seat/mo | $1,305 | $6,265 | Zulip (open source) |
| Zoom | SWITCH | $14.16/seat/mo | $2,549 | $6,865 | Jitsi Meet (open source) |
3-year costs use each tool’s typical plan and team size and $30/hour for your time. Open a tool to change them.
Loom
Chat & meetings
Switch to Cap or ScreenPal. Both cost about half of Loom Business for the same screen recordings and share links.
- Buy, 3 yrs
- $2,700
- Build, 3 yrs
- $3,745
Slack
Chat & meetings
Buy it, unless you already pay for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. Then Google Chat or Teams is included.
- Buy, 3 yrs
- $1,305
- Build, 3 yrs
- $6,265
Zoom
Chat & meetings
Switch to Google Meet or Microsoft Teams. Both come with the suite most small teams already pay for.
- Buy, 3 yrs
- $2,549
- Build, 3 yrs
- $6,865
Paying for more than one of these?
Stack Scan spots tools that do the same job and shows what you’d save by keeping one.
Verdict key: BUILD = Build it · BUY = Buy it · HYBRID = Hybrid · SWITCH = Switch. How we score.