Is the Slack MCP server free?

Slack does not state a price or a required plan for MCP on its developer documentation.

Can Claude send Slack messages?

Yes. The server can send, schedule and draft messages, within the permissions you grant.

Can any app use the Slack MCP server?

No. Only apps published in the Slack Marketplace, or internal apps, can use it, and admins approve them.

What can the Slack MCP server do for an agency?

By Tom Claydon, Co-founder, Nudge Search · Published 21 Oct 2026 · Updated 21 Oct 2026

The Slack MCP server lets Claude and other AI assistants search, read and send Slack messages, and work with channels, canvases and lists. Slack hosts it. Partner clients such as Claude connect without code; other AI apps need a registered Slack app approved by your workspace admin.

Disclosure: Nudge Search publishes this page. We make Nudge, a Google Ads MCP server, and have no tie to Slack.

Key facts

Maker	Slack (Salesforce)
Where it runs	Hosted by Slack (mcp.slack.com/mcp)
Works with	Claude.ai, Claude Code, Perplexity and Cursor without coding; other apps through a registered Slack app
Sign-in	Your Slack login, approved by your admin
Read or write	Both: search, read, send, schedule and draft messages, create channels, canvases and lists
Admin control	Admins approve MCP apps through Slack's normal app approval
Announced	17 February 2026

What can it do?

Search messages, files, users and channels.
Read channels and threads.
Send, schedule and draft messages.
Create channels; add and read reactions.
Create, update and read canvases and Slack Lists.
Upload files and read user profiles.

How do you connect it to Claude?

In Claude, open Connectors and add Slack.
Sign in to your workspace. Your admin may need to approve the app.
Ask, for example, "Summarise this week's messages in the client channel."

What limits does Slack state?

Rate limits are set per tool. For example, reading files allows 100+ calls a minute, reading a channel 50+, and searching users or channels 20+.
Message search and sending have their own special limits.
An app's IP allowlist also applies to MCP requests.
Only apps published in the Slack Marketplace, or internal apps, can use MCP.

How can a PPC agency use it?

Our suggestions, not Slack's claims:

Post daily account alerts or weekly summaries into each client's shared channel.
Search past client threads for a sign-off before making an account change.
Turn a thread of client feedback into a canvas brief for new ad copy.

What did we do with it?

On 21 October 2026 we connected Slack to Claude and ran a channel search. We did not send any messages.

Questions

Is the Slack MCP server free?: Slack does not state a price or a required plan for MCP on its developer documentation.
Can Claude send Slack messages?: Yes. The server can send, schedule and draft messages, within the permissions you grant.
Can any app use the Slack MCP server?: No. Only apps published in the Slack Marketplace, or internal apps, can use it, and admins approve them.

Sources

All read on 21 October 2026:

docs.slack.dev/ai/mcp-server
docs.slack.dev/changelog (announcement of 17 February 2026)
Slack help centre, managing AI connectors with an identity provider