Element
Element 1.12.34 RC pops calls into picture-in-picture and lets modules shut off public rooms.
Comparison · Comms
Slack vs Stoat
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Slack and Stoat — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Slack vs Stoat: at a glance
What is Slack?
Slack lets companies manage Slackbot skills from code and CI, not only by hand
Slack's developer channel in October was mostly agent plumbing and tooling. Slackbot skills can now be created and managed through Web API methods, built from markdown instructions or existing canvases and kept current from CI. Slack Code for developers lets agents open ephemeral channels from an existing conversation as a shared workspace with people. Around that sit a new Block Kit layout block and four Slack CLI releases that shipped without descriptive notes.
What is Stoat?
Stoat moves to release candidates and Gerrit, and gives server admins more control.
Stoat's 0.16.0 release candidates add server controls: invites with expiry and use limits, permission to block external emojis, and bot roles that grant permissions when a bot joins. The team is also piloting Gerrit as its main source control and will now ship release candidates and backports.
Slack vs Stoat: editorial side-by-side
Slack
5.0COMMSCOLLAB
Slack lets companies manage Slackbot skills from code and CI, not only by hand
◆ Current state
Slack's developer channel in October was mostly agent plumbing and tooling. Slackbot skills can now be created and managed through Web API methods, built from markdown instructions or existing canvases and kept current from CI. Slack Code for developers lets agents open ephemeral channels from an existing conversation as a shared workspace with people. Around that sit a new Block Kit layout block and four Slack CLI releases that shipped without descriptive notes.
◆ Where it's heading
The agent build-out that produced MCP client support and Slack Code is now getting administration surfaces: skills are becoming something an organization deploys and versions rather than configures in a UI. The SDKs added container and task_card layout blocks at the start of October, ahead of the layout block reaching Block Kit, so UI primitives for agent output are arriving in the libraries first.
◆ Prediction
Expect the Java, Python and Node SDKs to add the Slackbot skills methods and the new layout block, following the pattern of the October 1 SDK releases. The CLI notes give no hint of what changed, so its direction is unclear.
Stoat
5.0COMMS
Stoat moves to release candidates and Gerrit, and gives server admins more control.
◆ Current state
Stoat's 0.16.0 release candidates add server controls: invites with expiry and use limits, permission to block external emojis, and bot roles that grant permissions when a bot joins. The team is also piloting Gerrit as its main source control and will now ship release candidates and backports.
◆ Where it's heading
The feature list is about moderation and bot management for server owners, and rc.1 adds OpenTelemetry tracing for the file service. The process change toward RCs and backports suggests the team wants steadier releases for self-hosters.
◆ Prediction
A final 0.16.0 should follow the two RCs; the entries do not say when.
Alternatives to Slack and Stoat
Other Comms products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Slack or Stoat.
Synapse
Synapse 1.164 advertises Matrix v1.16 and v1.17 amid a run of dependency security patches
Subsplash
Subsplash gives church staff notes on every person and every Workflow card.
Maddy
maddy's latest release is a security fix, five months after its last feature work.
Grain
Grain adds consent controls and rule-based privacy as its meeting data reaches more AI tools.
Converse.js
Converse.js 14.0.1 fixes OMEMO:2 group decryption broken by Chromium 153.
Recent activity from Slack and Stoat
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 2d agoSlackUpdated low-usage submission criteria for Slack Marketplace apps
- 5d agoSlackSlack CLI 4.12.0, the fourth CLI release in October
- 6d agoSlackNew Block Kit layout block
- 7d agoSlackSlackbot skills API methods are here!
- 13d agoSlackSlack CLI 4.11.0 ships with no change notes
- 21d agoStoatStoat 0.16 RC1 adds OpenTelemetry tracing
- 21d agoStoatStoat 0.16 RC adds invite limits and bot roles
- 22d agoSlackSlack CLI 4.10.0 ships with no change notes
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Slack and Stoat?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Slack and Stoat are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Slack better than Stoat?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Slack and Stoat are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Comms products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Slack?
Top Slack alternatives in Comms are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Slack alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/slack for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Stoat?
Top Stoat alternatives in Comms are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Stoat alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/stoat for the full list with editorial commentary on each.