TL;DR
Slack Connect only works if both sides use Slack. If your partner, customer, or vendor uses Microsoft Teams or Discord, Slack Connect is not an option. TetherChat bridges across platforms — your team stays in Slack, theirs stays in Teams, and messages flow natively to both sides.
TetherChat vs Slack Connect
What Slack Connect does well, where it stops, and when you need something else
What is Slack Connect?
Slack Connect is Slack's built-in feature for collaborating with people outside your organization. You create a shared channel and invite people from another Slack workspace. Messages sync instantly between both workspaces. No bots, no webhooks — genuinely native.
It works well when everyone is on Slack. That's also its only constraint: both sides must use Slack.
The hard limit
Slack Connect does not connect Slack to Microsoft Teams, Discord, Google Chat, or any other platform. If your client's IT department standardized on Teams, or your gaming studio community runs on Discord, Slack Connect cannot help.
In practice, this is the most common scenario in cross-company collaboration: two organizations, two different chat platforms, and no native way to bridge them.
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | Slack Connect | TetherChat |
|---|---|---|
| Slack ↔ Slack | Yes | Yes |
| Slack ↔ Microsoft Teams | No | Yes |
| Slack ↔ Discord | No | Yes |
| Teams ↔ Discord | No | Yes |
| Messages appear natively (no bot stigma) | Yes | Yes |
| Zero message storage | Slack stores all messages | Yes — relay only |
| Requires partner to switch apps | Must use Slack | No — use any supported platform |
| Setup time | ~5 min (both admins required) | ~5 min (one admin, share a Tether ID) |
| Paid plan required | Slack Pro or above | See pricing |
When Slack Connect is the right choice
- You know for certain that both sides use Slack
- You already pay for Slack Pro or Business+
- You want zero additional tooling
If that's your situation, use Slack Connect. It's built in, it works, and you don't need TetherChat.
When TetherChat is the right choice
- Your partner, client, or vendor uses Microsoft Teams
- Your community runs on Discord but your company runs on Slack or Teams
- You work with multiple external organizations across different platforms
- You want messages relayed without storing them on a third-party server
- You need cross-platform bridging that doesn't require the other side to change anything
Common questions
Can I use TetherChat and Slack Connect at the same time?
Yes. Use Slack Connect for partners who are already on Slack. Use TetherChat for everyone else. They don't conflict.
Does TetherChat store my messages?
No. TetherChat relays messages in real time without storing them. Your messages live in your Slack, Teams, or Discord workspace — not on TetherChat's servers.
Does my partner need to install TetherChat?
Yes — each side installs TetherChat in their own workspace, then connects with a shared Tether ID. Setup takes about 5 minutes per side.
What about Microsoft Teams External Access?
Teams External Access (and Teams Guest Access) lets Teams users communicate with other Teams users across organizations — the same constraint as Slack Connect. If one side isn't on Teams, it doesn't apply. TetherChat covers the gap.
Bridge Slack and Teams in 5 minutes
No platform switching. No data stored. Messages appear natively on both sides.