Self-host
Self-host is free and good. Here's when hosted is worth it.
The open-source package reads and writes Slack, saves workflow profiles, and runs catch-ups on your machine. Hosted adds scheduled runs while your machine is off, signed delivery, and shared team profiles. This page states the ownership tradeoff without spin.
The one thing self-host can't give you
Slack session credentials can rotate and require reconnection on either path. Hosted Individual does not claim otherwise. It adds encrypted opt-in credential storage across worker restarts, saved schedules that run while your machine is off, signed downstream delivery, and a hosted model that writes the brief when no client is open.
$ npx -y @jtalk22/slack-mcp --setup
> session token connected
> expires in ~14 days # self-host
> hosted credential mode: persistent / opt-in (Pro)
> expires: never
npm install path
npx -y @jtalk22/slack-mcp --setup
20 tools, MIT licensed, 24,448 npm downloads from Oct 5, 2025 through Oct 4, 2026. Full runtime and token control on your machine.
Docker path
docker pull ghcr.io/jtalk22/slack-mcp-server:latest
The public repo carries full self-host docs, release notes, and issue tracking.
Decision matrix
- Self-host — $0: 20 tools, saved profiles, local catch-ups with linked evidence, and full runtime control. MIT licensed, no monthly plan. Built-in token refresh is available on macOS with Chrome.
- Cloud Free: $0 (no card) — hosted inference with real quotas: 2,000 requests + 25 AI tool calls per month.
- Cloud Individual: $19/mo — unlimited requests + unlimited inference tools + saved schedules + 1 workspace.
- Cloud Small team: $49/mo flat for up to 5 operators + shared workflow profiles.
- Safeguard: $199/mo (waitlist) — agent approval gates, workspace memory, and workspace-wide audit remain in development; join the waitlist.
When to self-host
- You want full control over runtime and tokens
- You prefer npm or Docker over a managed endpoint
- You're comfortable operating the transport and re-auth yourself
- You do not need hosted summaries, triage, search, or contract generation
When to stay hosted
- You want encrypted credential persistence across worker restarts, with reconnection when Slack rotates the session
- You need hosted summaries, action-item extraction, and decision briefs
- You want Claude first and Gemini CLI second without building your own remote transport
Team still deciding?
Send the workspace context to deployment review. That keeps plan fit, support expectations, and security questions on the hosted surface instead of scattered across email.