Lark Pricing Unveiled: What You Need to Know Before You Commit

Lark presents itself as an all-in-one collaboration platform that will streamline communication, boost productivity, and bring together a number of workplace tools into a single solution. With messaging, video conferencing, cloud storage, and project management integrated, it certainly looks like a good choice. But how much does it really cost to get the most from it?  

Lark’s pricing appears generous at first, offering a free plan with AI-powered automation, unlimited chat, and 200GB of cloud storage – features many competitors charge for. However, a deeper look reveals limitations that may affect its overall value for businesses.

While Lark’s pricing offers good value upfront, there are important limitations to consider. Before committing, it’s crucial to understand what you’re getting, what’s missing, and whether it’s the right choice for your business.

Let’s break it all down, starting with what Lark includes for free. Because when it comes to collaboration software, “free” always comes with a catch. 

How much does Lark really cost? 

Lark offers three plans tailored to different business needs. Here’s an in-depth look at what each plan includes to help you determine which option fits your requirements and budget:

The free Starter plan offers a solid set of tools for small teams, with messaging, cloud storage, and basic video conferencing. However, its limitations – such as restricted member access and basic video call functionality – become more apparent as your team grows. The Pro and Enterprise plans scale up with additional features like unlimited video calls and enhanced security, making them more suitable for larger organizations.

Consider starting with Lark’s free plan to explore the platform before upgrading to a paid plan that suits your business needs.

Lark Starter Plan:  perfect for small teams

Lark’s free plan is a great choice for individuals and small teams testing out the platform. Recent updates have made it even more streamlined, but with some limitations that could impact growing teams.

Key Features & Trade-Offs:

• Limited members & groups: The Starter Plan now limits teams to 20 members and 20 members per group chat. Admins can create just one user group for permissions and set one rule to control how much of the hierarchy is visible. This makes the plan simple but restrictive as your team grows.
• Basic video calls: You can join one-on-one video and voice calls, but you can’t start video calls or use voice/video uploads. There’s also no voice note transcription. This plan covers basic communication but lacks the advanced features of higher plans.
• Shorter message history: Chat history is searchable for just 18 months. If you often reference old conversations, this could be a downside.
• Limited API & automation: Starter users get 10,000 API calls per month and 1,000 automation runs. Each automation table is limited to 2,000 rows. These limits keep the system running smoothly but can feel restrictive for larger teams.
• Retired features: Trusted Parties and Moments are no longer available. Teams that relied on these features will need to upgrade or transition to other tools.

The Starter Plan is ideal for small teams with basic needs but becomes limiting as your team scales. With restrictions on message history, member count, and features like video conferencing, it quickly becomes clear that businesses will need to upgrade to unlock the platform’s full potential.

Lark Pro Plan: unlocking enhanced features for medium to large teams

The Lark Pro Plan is tailored for growing teams, offering enhanced collaboration tools, expanded storage, and advanced security. However, these features come with a higher price tag, and whether they’re worth the cost depends on your team’s specific needs.

Key features & trade-offs:

• Plenty of storage & history: With Pro, you get unlimited message history and 15TB of storage. This gives your team more than enough space for files, documents, and media. The Pro Plan also lets you run 50,000 automated workflows each month – no coding required.
• Video conferencing for big teams: Host video calls for up to 500 participants, lasting up to 24 hours. Perfect for large meetings or webinars. Plus, you get unlimited AI-generated meeting transcriptions, so you’ll never miss key details.
• Better collaboration & security: Pro includes unlimited Wiki spaces for smooth document collaboration. You can also add up to 10 trusted external partners, expanding your collaboration opportunities. Admins get extra security and permission controls for sensitive data.
• New storage model: Lark is making storage even better. All file types – whether from messages, cloud storage, or emails – will now count toward your 15TB limit. Admins can easily monitor storage use, and if you need more, low-cost add-on options are available.
• More features for growth: Pro users can host webinars for up to 500 participants with no extra cost. Video meetings are high-quality, but with an annual cap. Plus, enhanced management tools make scaling easier.
• No-code automation with AnyCross: Lark introduces AnyCross, a no-code platform to streamline workflow automation across systems. It also supports advanced features like joint table analysis and webhook triggers, helping businesses run complex workflows seamlessly.

The Pro Plan is a powerful tool for businesses that want to scale communication, collaboration, and automation without sacrificing security or storage. It’s ideal for growing teams, but may be too much for smaller ones.

Lark Enterprise Plan: tailored for large businesses and high-security needs

The Lark Enterprise Plan is appropriate for big businesses or organizations in highly regulated industries. It offers high-end collaboration, security, and scalability features. While the Pro Plan allows teams to scale, the Enterprise Plan does so with increased customization and support – but at a price, depending on your needs.

Key features & trade-offs

• Massive storage: The Enterprise Plan gives you 15TB of initial storage and another 30GB for each user. It’s perfect for growing teams that need to hold a lot of data. Compared to the Pro Plan, Enterprise is easy to manage storage as well as scale with low-budget add-ons.
• Bigger webinars & more powerful meetings: Host webinars of up to 500 participants. While Pro supports larger meetings, Enterprise gives you greater control through power tools. There is, however, an upper limit on video quality that maxes out annually, which could be a factor if high-definition quality matters to your organization.
• High-level automation: The Enterprise Plan has AnyCross, a no-code integration platform. It helps to connect systems and automate workflows. Besides that, it also exposes advanced tools like join table analysis and webhook triggers. They are not found on the lower plans.
• Top-level security: Enterprise has top-level security features like GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2 compliance. It’s perfect for businesses that need strict compliance. While Pro has excellent security, Enterprise is built with more protection standards.
• Customization & support: You’ll get to utilize custom integrations and API support. Also, you’ll have a dedicated account manager guiding you through each step. This support isn’t available on the Pro Plan.

The Enterprise Plan is the perfect choice for larger organizations with more involved needs, with added security, compliance, and an extensive level of customization. However, its price and the complexity of its features might be too high for small teams. In this case, the Pro Plan can be a more reasonable and budget-friendly option for businesses with less complicated needs.

On the hunt for Lark alternatives

When considering alternatives to Lark, businesses often look for platforms that can better align with their unique needs. Whether it’s for streamlined communication, more advanced project management features, or simply a change in pricing or scalability, the search for the right tool is an ongoing quest for efficiency and productivity. Every team is different, and finding the perfect fit can make all the difference in how well collaboration flows.

So, why might customers seek alternatives to Lark? Maybe they need something that integrates better with their existing tools or perhaps they’re after something that offers a more user-friendly interface or specific features. Whatever the reason, here’s a look at some of the top contenders to replace Lark, each offering its own unique set of capabilities to boost teamwork and enhance collaboration:

Each of these platforms brings something different to the table, and whether you’re drawn to Trello’s visual boards or the depth of Slack’s integrations, the key is to find a tool that supports your team’s communication and project needs, while propelling your business forward. The right tool is out there – it’s just about choosing the one that helps your team reach its full potential and a long-term success.

Chanty vs. Lark: why simplicity matters for small teams

In looking for alternatives to Lark, it’s important to consider each platform from a personalized viewpoint – considering not only the features they offer, but also how well they would suit the unique dynamics and needs of different teams. Chanty, as an alternative to Lark, shines in its own right and has a clear focus on simplicity and easy communication.

At Chanty we are proud to offer an easy-to-use interface, simple task management, and strong integrations that enable effortless collaboration. Our goal is to provide teams with a hassle-free solution where they can chat, share files, assign tasks, and even have video calls – all in one place. With collaboration at its core, Chanty has become the go-to choice for smaller teams or anyone seeking simplicity without compromising on features.

On the other hand, Lark is offered with a broader range of features targeted at bigger teams and enterprises. While Lark’s features, including unlimited message history and video calling with up to 500 participants, provide a clear appeal to enterprises with more sophisticated needs, its broader feature range can sometimes be overwhelming. For some teams, the complexity of these features can make Lark less intuitive, possibly slowing down the adoption process.

Here’s where Chanty shines: simplicity. Unlike Lark’s long list of features, Chanty stays clean and simple. It’s designed with the goal of removing the noise and clutter sometimes caused by tools that are too elaborate. Due to this, for businesses looking for a platform that allows them to hit the ground running and doesn’t need a learning curve that is steep, Chanty provides the perfect combination of usability and functionality.

Key differences to keep in mind:

• User-friendliness: Chanty is very user-friendly with an interface that is easy to learn and use, and teams can get going in no time. Lark has a steeper learning curve due to its broad-based functionality.
• Core features: While Lark provides high-end features like video conferencing with up to 500 members, unlimited message history, and enterprise-level integrations, Chanty is focused on keeping communication and task management as simple as possible. That Chanty provides high-end task management features like Kanban views and AI-driven task management makes it an ideal choice for teams that want simplicity and ease of work management.
• Team size flexibility: Chanty is more flexible for small to medium-sized teams and is a great choice for companies that prefer simplicity and ease of use. Lark, as an enterprise-feature-focused platform, is more suitable for larger companies that need the added complexity of larger-scale collaboration software.
• Cost and value: Chanty offers pricing plans that are less costly for smaller teams, a cost-effective solution without compromising on essential features. Lark, with its broader suite of enterprise tools, is costlier, which could be more suitable for businesses with larger budgets or more complex needs.

Both Chanty and Lark serve distinct markets: Lark is better suited for large enterprises with complex needs, while Chanty excels as a simple, user-friendly solution for small to medium-sized teams. The choice depends on your team’s size, budget, and appetite for complexity.

The last glance at Lark pricing

Lark’s pricing presents both advantages and limitations. While the free plan provides a strong starting point, its limitations – such as the 18-month chat history cap and restrictions on video calls and workflows – make it less viable for growing teams. As you scale, you’ll need to consider the higher-tier plans to unlock additional features and capabilities.

Upgrading to the Pro or Enterprise plans unlocks advanced features like unlimited message history and more storage, but at a significant cost. While these plans are powerful, they can quickly become expensive for larger teams, and the learning curve can slow productivity for users accustomed to simpler tools.

Is Lark free? Yes, but it may not be enough for teams looking to scale. As the price increases with each plan, the feature set might seem impressive, but it’s not always the most intuitive solution.

Fortunately, alternatives offer similar functionality and often come at a more manageable cost, providing teams with simplicity, ease of use, and the performance they need without breaking the budget.