The Best Lark Alternatives You Should Try

Lark has gained its reputation as a feature-rich and robust team communication and collaboration platform. With its all-in-one solution offering everything from messaging and video calling to file sharing and project management, it comes as no surprise that some companies utilize Lark to keep their teams connected and productive. For teams that want to have all these features in one place, Lark can be a solid choice. 

Yet, as comprehensive as it is, Lark isn’t the ideal fit for everyone. Its extensive feature set is daunting to some teams, or they find its learning curve too high, and the platform ultimately proves more of a hindrance than help.

The right collaboration tool should fit seamlessly into your team’s workflow without adding complexity or frustration. If Lark’s all-in-one approach isn’t for you, never fear – there are plenty of simpler, more streamlined options out there that will allow your team to communicate and collaborate more effectively.

To save you from having to search for them, we’ve put together a list of the top Lark alternatives. Whatever you’re looking for in terms of a streamlined messaging app or enterprise-level collaboration platform, there’s an alternative out there that’s a better fit for your team.

• Chanty – simple and streamlined team collaboration tool
• Slack – popular choice for team communication
• Microsoft Teams – powerhouse for enterprise collaboration
• Trello – simple project management with collaboration features
• Asana – comprehensive tool for task and project management
• Basecamp – simple tool for project and team collaboration

Why do people look for Lark alternatives?

1. Feature Overload. Lark packs a lot into one platform, and for many, this is both a strength and a challenge. It offers everything from messaging to document collaboration, making it a one-stop shop for teams. However, this vast array of tools can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially for new users or those who prefer a more streamlined experience. The abundance of options can make it harder to focus on what really matters and can slow down teams looking for simplicity and efficiency in their daily tasks.
2. Performance Hiccups. Though Lark offers robust functionality, some users report occasional performance slowdowns, especially when dealing with large projects or multiple collaborators. When the system lags or takes too long to load, it can interrupt the flow of work, leaving teams frustrated when they need to be moving quickly. This is where a more nimble, responsive tool might make all the difference, especially for fast-paced teams.
3. Complex File Sharing. While Lark provides a lot of file-sharing capabilities, the process can be a bit more complicated than necessary. With its detailed permission settings, it sometimes feels like there’s an extra step involved just to share a document. For teams that need to exchange files quickly and seamlessly, this added complexity can slow down progress and create small friction points in an otherwise smooth workflow.
4. Limited External Communication and Integrations. Another factor to consider is Lark’s integration with external tools. While Lark does a great job within its own ecosystem, its ability to connect with third-party platforms is somewhat limited. Teams that rely heavily on other tools for tasks like CRM, marketing, or project management might find this lack of flexibility to be a bit of a roadblock. In environments where cross-platform communication is key, finding a tool that integrates more effortlessly can make a significant difference.
5. The Learning Curve. Like many feature-rich platforms, Lark has a bit of a learning curve. For teams used to other collaboration tools, getting used to Lark’s interface and setup might take time. While this isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker, it can slow down onboarding, especially when teams are under pressure to get up and running quickly. The more intuitive a tool is, the smoother the transition becomes, saving time and reducing frustration.

Best Lark alternatives for 2025

Chanty 

Chanty is a simple and easy-to-use platform for team collaboration, perfect for small and medium-sized teams. If you find Lark too cluttered and are looking for something simpler, Chanty might be just what you need. It offers all the key features like messaging, video calls, and task management, without overwhelming you with extra options like Lark tends to do.

Why Chanty Works

• Simplicity and ease of use: Unlike Lark, which can feel overloaded with complicated features, Chanty keeps things straightforward. You’ll find everything you need, like chats, video calls, and tasks, all in one interface – no complicated settings. It’s designed so your team can start working right away without wasting time on training.
• Messaging and video calls: You’ll get everything you need to communicate with your team, without the hassle. For example, video calls on Chanty run smoothly and are ready to go with little setup. Channels and direct messages help keep communication organized and fast.
• Unlimited message history: Unlike Lark, which limits message history on the Starter Plan, Chanty gives you unlimited access to all your past chats. This is a lifesaver for teams who need to quickly reference past discussions and solutions.
• Task management and integrations: Task management is built into the platform, and it integrates seamlessly with tools like Google Drive and Trello. If your team already uses Google Drive for file storage or Trello for project management, you can easily sync these tools directly within Chanty’s interface.

Pricing

• Free plan: $0 per user – includes basic messaging, video calls, and limited task management.
• Business plan: $3 per user per month –  adds unlimited message history, advanced integrations, and full task management capabilities.
• Enterprise plan: custom pricing – provides premium support, additional security features, and customization options for larger organizations.

Why it’s strong Lark alternative: 

If you want to streamline your workflow without getting lost in a maze of unnecessary features, Chanty is the ideal solution. It keeps things simple, effective, and focused on what matters most – getting work done. Chanty offers all the essential tools you need for team collaboration, without overwhelming you with options you’ll never use.

Slack 

Slack is a popular team collaboration platform most appropriate for teams requiring a more structured, communications-focused solution. If Lark feels too feature-heavy or complicated for your application, Slack may offer a simpler, more streamlined team communication solution. Slack’s messaging, file sharing, and easy integrations are built to keep teams connected and productive without being overpowered as an all-purpose solution to all possible tools.

Why Slack Works

• Streamlined communication: Slack puts messaging at the center, making it easy for teams to connect and share ideas. Channels and direct messages help keep conversations organized and allow for real-time collaboration. Unlike Lark, which can be overwhelming with multiple features, Slack makes communication the top priority, so you can focus on what matters.
• Integrated with other tools: One of Slack’s strengths is its wide range of integrations. Whether you need to link with Google Drive, Trello, or countless other third-party apps, Slack makes it easy to integrate your workflow. It’s an excellent choice if your team uses several other tools and needs seamless connections.
• File sharing made easy: Slack makes file sharing simple and efficient. You can quickly upload files, share them with your team, and even preview documents directly within Slack. It’s a no-frills, easy solution for teams that need to exchange files without dealing with complex permission settings.
• Searchable history: Slack’s powerful search function enables you to easily find past messages and files, making it a great choice for teams that need instant access to past conversations. Unlike Lark’s Starter Plan, which limits message history, Slack offers full message history on its paid plans, so nothing gets lost.

Pricing

• Free Plan: $0 per user – includes limited message history, basic messaging features, and integrations with up to 10 third-party apps.
• Pro Plan: $8.75 per user per month – adds unlimited message history, enhanced integrations, and video calls for up to 15 participants.
• Business+ Plan: $15 per user per month – provides advanced security features, unlimited integrations, and priority support for larger teams.
• Enterprise Grid Plan: custom pricing – includes enterprise-level security, customization options, and tailored support for large organizations.

Why it’s strong Lark alternative: 

Slack is a solid choice for teams that just need a basic messaging platform. It keeps things straightforward, focusing on communication and file sharing. However, that simplicity is its main strength and limitation. If you’re looking for something that does more than just messaging and file sharing, you might find Slack too basic for your needs.

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a powerful feature-rich collaboration platform designed for teams of all sizes and hence is an excellent Lark alternative if you require a powerful and feature-rich platform. Where Lark offers lots of bells and whistles, Microsoft Teams focuses on the highest possible integration with other Microsoft tools and hence is an excellent option for teams already using Microsoft Office 365.

Why Microsoft Teams Works

• Integration with Microsoft 365: One of the biggest advantages of Microsoft Teams is how well it integrates with other Microsoft tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneDrive. If your team relies heavily on these tools, Teams will feel like a natural extension, keeping everything in one place without the need to jump between different platforms.
• Communication made easy: Teams offers chat, voice, and video calls, all within a single interface. Whether you need quick messaging or high-quality video calls, Teams ensures that communication stays smooth and professional. Plus, you can create dedicated channels for different projects or teams to keep everything organized.
• Collaboration and file sharing: Microsoft Teams shines in collaboration. With real-time document collaboration, you and your team can edit files together without worrying about version control. Integrated with SharePoint and OneDrive, Teams makes file sharing and storage incredibly efficient and secure.
• Scalability and customization: Microsoft Teams is highly scalable, making it suitable for both small teams and large enterprises. You can customize it with various apps and tools from the Microsoft ecosystem and third-party providers to suit your team’s specific needs.

Pricing

• Free Plan: $0 per user – Includes basic messaging, video calls, and limited task management.
• Business Basic Plan: $6 per user per month – Adds 1TB of OneDrive storage, web versions of Office apps, and hosting meetings up to 300 participants.
• Business Standard Plan: $12.50 per user per month – Includes full desktop versions of Office apps, advanced collaboration features, and unlimited meeting capabilities.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing – Provides enterprise-level features, including advanced security, compliance tools, and extensive customization options for larger organizations.

Why it’s strong Lark alternative: 

Microsoft Teams, while robust, comes with a steeper learning curve, especially if you’re not already immersed in the Microsoft ecosystem. For those who are already using Office 365, it might be worth the investment of time to learn, but don’t expect to be up and running right away. It’s not the most intuitive platform, and you might face some initial friction.

Trello

Trello is a straightforward, user-friendly project management tool that helps teams stay organized and on track. If you find Lark too feature-heavy and are looking for something more focused, Trello might be the perfect fit. It keeps things simple with boards, lists, and cards, making task management easy to follow without all the bells and whistles of a more complex platform like Lark.

Why Trello Works

• Simple, visual task management: Unlike Lark, which can be overwhelming with its many features, Trello keeps things visual and straightforward. You create boards for projects, and within those boards, you organize tasks with lists and cards. It’s a clean, intuitive way to stay on top of work without getting lost in too many options.
• Collaborative boards: Trello allows team members to easily collaborate on projects by adding comments, attaching files, and setting due dates right on the cards. It’s perfect for teams who want to stay connected and organized without dealing with complicated setups.
• Flexibility and customization: Trello is incredibly flexible. You can customize your boards to fit the unique needs of your team or project, whether you’re managing a single project or multiple workflows. You can also add power-ups (integrations) to connect Trello with other tools like Google Drive, Slack, or Zapier, making it easy to integrate into your existing workflows.
• Simple pricing with free plan: Trello offers a generous free plan with most of its essential features, making it easy for teams to get started without any initial investment. The paid plans unlock additional features like advanced integrations, larger file attachments, and enhanced automation, providing more flexibility as your team grows.

Pricing

• Free Plan: $0 per user – includes unlimited boards, lists, and cards with up to 10 team boards. Perfect for small teams that need basic project management.
• Business Class: $10 per user per month – unlocks advanced features like unlimited Power-Ups (integrations), priority support, and larger file attachments. Ideal for growing teams needing more customization.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing – includes all Business Class features plus enhanced security, admin controls, and dedicated support for large organizations.

Why it’s strong Lark alternative: 

Trello is fantastic for simple task management, offering an intuitive, visual way to track progress without unnecessary bells and whistles. It’s a great choice if all you need is a tool to manage tasks and projects, but keep in mind – it’s not built for communication, so you’ll need a separate solution if you want to handle messaging and collaboration as well.

Asana

Asana is a strong project management solution that is intended for teams that want an easy way to organize tasks, track progress, and collaborate. Whereas Lark overdoes it with its feature list, Asana prioritizes ease of use and openness, and this makes it the ideal solution for teams who want to stay organized without all the unnecessary commotion.

Why Asana Works

• Task management made easy: Asana is built around tasks and projects, which makes organizing work straightforward. Whether you’re managing simple to-do lists or complex projects, Asana’s clear structure helps keep everything on track.
• Collaborative work flows: Asana is designed to help teams work more effectively together. You can assign tasks, set deadlines, and track project progress in real time. It also helps to have good communication with comments and file sharing within tasks.
  Customizable views: Unlike Lark’s one-size-fits-all approach, Asana gives you options to view your tasks in a variety of ways, whether it’s in a list, board, calendar, or timeline view. This flexibility makes it easy for teams to choose how they want to organize and track their work.
• Integrations with popular tools: Asana integrates well with tools like Google Drive, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and many others. If you’re already using other platforms for communication or file storage, Asana can easily fit into your existing workflow without a hitch.

Pricing

• Personal Plan: $0 per user – includes unlimited boards, lists, and cards with up to 10 team boards. Perfect for small teams that need basic project management without the extras.
• Starter Plan: $10 per user per month – adds basic reporting, list and board views, task dependencies, and allows for small team collaboration with limited integrations
• Advanced Plan: $24.99 per user per month – unlocks advanced features like timeline views, reporting, project milestones, and custom fields, ideal for growing teams needing more powerful task management capabilities .
• Enterprise Plan:Custom pricing – includes aeverything in Advanced plus enhanced security, priority support, and enterprise-level features, such as advanced admin controls and additional integrations for large teams and organizations.

Why it’s strong Lark alternative: 

Asana is a go-to solution for task management that doesn’t overwhelm you with unnecessary features. It’s perfect for teams who need a clear and organized way to track projects and tasks. However, if you’re looking for an all-in-one platform like Lark, Asana will only cover a portion of your needs, leaving you to find additional tools for communication and other tasks.

Basecamp

Basecamp is a well-known platform designed to streamline team collaboration and project management. If Lark’s extensive features feel too much for your team, Basecamp offers a simpler, more straightforward solution. It’s built to help teams stay organized with communication, task management, and file sharing—all in one place.

Why Basecamp Works

• Simplicity without the clutter: Basecamp provides a clean, intuitive interface without overwhelming you with unnecessary features. Everything you need for communication, task management, and file sharing is easy to access and use. If you’re looking for something straightforward, Basecamp is a great choice.
• Team communication made easy: Basecamp allows for messaging, group discussions, and direct communication all within one platform. You can create different “Campfires” for team chats or “To-dos” for task management, keeping everything organized. This simplicity means your team won’t get bogged down in features they don’t need.
• Task management in one place: With Basecamp, you can manage tasks without the need for additional tools. You get to-do lists, due dates, and progress tracking, which means you can keep projects on track with no extra complexity.
• File sharing and document storage: Basecamp has simple file-sharing features that allow your team to store, share, and collaborate on documents easily. No complicated permission settings—just upload and share files, making collaboration smoother and quicker.

Pricing 

• Basecamp Business Plan: $99 per month (flat rate, regardless of team size) – includes all features such as messaging, task management, file storage, and unlimited users. A simple, all-in-one solution for teams of any size, with no extra fees based on team numbers.

Why it’s strong Lark alternative: 

Basecamp is perfect for those who want a no-frills, easy-to-use collaboration tool. Its lack of frills, ease of use, and focus on required features mean it’s a top choice for teams that don’t want too much fluff so they can stay productive without the distraction of excessive tools or integrations.

Lark alternatives: A quick overview

Wrapping up

Choosing the best collaboration and communication tool is key to the success of your team. As much as Lark rocks with all the features, there are just some teams that it will never work out for. If you’re looking for something less complex, more embedded into your current tools, or just a simpler experience, there are plenty of other options worth looking into.

From Chanty’s ease of use and intuitive interface to Slack’s adaptability and integrative strength, every option presents something different. Microsoft Teams works well for organizations already on the Microsoft platform, while applications like Basecamp, Trello, and Asana are ideal for teams wanting to keep project management straightforward and easy.

If you would like a tool that enables your team to communicate with ease without any of the added complexity, we’d be happy to invite you to test Chanty. We’ve designed Chanty to be simple, effective, and efficient, with communication that is easy and enjoyable. Want to give it a try? Sign up for free today, and let us show you how Chanty can help your team work smarter and communicate better.