# Slack Connect vs guest accounts

> Use Slack Connect when a client has its own Slack, and guest accounts when they do not. What each means, who controls it, and how apps treat each.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-07
- **Category**: Tools
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-compare/slack-connect-vs-guest-accounts

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Use Slack Connect when the client already has its own Slack workspace: one channel then sits in both workspaces, and each company manages its own people. Use a guest account when the client has no Slack and only needs one or two of your channels: you invite them into your workspace and control what they see.

## Side by side

| | Slack Connect | Guest account |
|---|---|---|
| Whose workspace | Both. The channel appears in each company's Slack | Yours. The guest joins your workspace |
| Who manages the person | Their company | You |
| Client needs Slack already | Yes, or a trial | No |
| Plans | Paid plans. Free allows Slack Connect 1:1 only | Check Slack's pricing page for which plans include guests |
| Scale | Up to 250 organisations in one channel | One person at a time |
| Best for | Client teams already on Slack | Small clients, freelancers, one contact |

Slack Connect facts from [slack.com/intl/en-in/connect](https://slack.com/intl/en-in/connect) and Slack's India pricing page, checked 6 Nov 2026.

## The three differences that matter

### Who owns the account

With Slack Connect, the client's people sign in to their own Slack. When someone leaves the client, the client removes them. With a guest, the account lives in your workspace. You add and remove each person yourself.

### What the client needs

Slack Connect needs the client to have Slack. On Pro and Business+, eligible partners on Slack's free plan get a 90-day free trial of Pro. On Enterprise+, free-plan partners can join without upgrading. A guest needs only an email invite, which suits a founder who will never set up a workspace.

### How apps treat outsiders

Apps often behave differently for people outside your company.

- Motion's help says Runneth is not available to Slack guests.
- In Marxx, people from other companies in a shared channel can't use Marxx buttons, and @Marxx does not answer in channels shared with other companies. We make Marxx.

Plan for this: keep tool bots in your internal channels, and post summaries where the client can see them.

## Worked example

Say you run three clients. Northwind Escapes has 40 staff on Slack, so you open #ext-northwind through Slack Connect and their admin handles their side. Orbit Fitness is a two-person studio with no Slack, so you invite the owner as a guest to #ext-orbit only. Mango Lane Foods prefers WhatsApp, so it gets no shared channel at all.

| Client | Their Slack | Your choice |
|---|---|---|
| Northwind Escapes | Yes | Slack Connect |
| Orbit Fitness | No | Guest in one channel |
| Mango Lane Foods | No, prefers WhatsApp | No shared channel |

## Who should pick which

- **Client on Slack, several people:** Slack Connect.
- **Client not on Slack, one or two people:** guest account.
- **Client who will not open Slack:** neither. Use WhatsApp or email, and keep Slack internal.

For setup steps, see [how to set up Slack for an ad agency](/guides/how-to-set-up-slack-for-an-ad-agency), the [Slack Connect glossary entry](/glossary/slack-connect) and [Marxx in Slack](/features/slack).

## FAQ

### Can a guest see my other channels?

A guest sees only the channels you add them to. Check the member list of each internal channel to be sure no guest slipped in.

### Can I turn a guest into a Slack Connect partner later?

Yes, in practice. Once the client sets up its own Slack, open a Slack Connect channel and remove the guest account.

### Which is safer for client data?

Both keep the client out of your internal channels if you set them up that way. The bigger risk is posting internal details in the shared channel.

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