Best Watercooler Apps for Slack

Why install a watercooler app in your Slack?

When you work remotely, the occasions to connect with coworkers are quite rare. They need to be facilitated at some point. That's what watercoolers do.

A watercooler app can bring more casual conversations into your Slack, giving people a chance to relax, connect, and feel part of a community—even when they're working remotely.

What are the best watercooler apps for Slack?

Here is a list of the 3 best watercooler apps for Slack:

1. Alfy Matching
2. CultureBot
3. Donut

1. Alfy Matching

Alfy Matching is a virtual coffee chat app that integrates 100% in Slack.

Alfy is the best choice for a watercooler app for Slack:

• ✅ It has the best options
  • Cross team matching
  • Manual editing of the groups (exclude users, regroup manually etc.)
  • Scheduling assistant
    (Calendar integration to help employees schedule the meeting)
  • Conversation starters (see example below)
• ✅ It's the most affordable (even though it has the best options!) - Pricing available here
• ✅ It's used by thousands of companies worldwide (rated 4.8/5 on G2)

Example of Conversation starters from Alfy:

Customer testimonial for Alfy Matching for Slack

From Yulia Dureva:

Alfy is an excellent tool which my teams likes to use for our random coffee chats.

Read more testimonials for Alfy

Pricing Options

Alfy watercooler App is free for teams having fewer than 30 users.

Alfy Matching costs $1 per user per month for larger teams. ($0.8 per user paid yearly)

2. CultureBot

CultureBot is an Employee Experience Platform for Slack. It includes a watercooler feature.

A virtual opportunity for informal chats, fostering team bonding among remote employees.

How watercooler works with CultureBot?

CultureBot automatically sends a conversation starting message to the Slack channel of your choosing at the time you tell it to. Messages can even be customized.

Pricing options

CultureBot costs ~$2 per user per month. (2 times the price of Alfy 🤔)

3. Donut

Donut has a watercooler feature called "Donut Watercooler" used to recognize teammates, kickstart conversations on working styles and preferences, and more.

Here is a quote from their website:

Employees can expect an opportunity for fun and engaging asynchronous conversation that helps them get to know each other better. They can expect to share laughs, opinions on certain topics, and even fun memories without the additional pressure of booking meetings.

Donut is more than watercooler, it offers a whole employee experience platform that automates and scales people programs.

Pricing options

Donut costs ~$4 per user per month. (4 times the price of Alfy Matching😱)

Install Alfy Matching - The best watercooler app for Slack

Alfy Matching is not only the app having the best features but also the cheapest option out there. It makes it the obvious best choice for a watercooler app for Slack.

FAQ

How a watercooler app can boost employee engagement?

Here are 7 reasons why a watercooler app could benefit your Slack workspace and boost employee engagement. Some are obvious, others may not:

1. Encourages Team Bonding

Of course, watercooler apps help team members get to know each other on a personal level. They recreate the spontaneous “watercooler” moments that are often missing in remote work.

2. Boosts Employee Morale (and... Engagement)

Regular prompts or conversation starters can help break the ice, reduce isolation, and make work feel more enjoyable. Fun conversations and shared interests can go a long way in making employees feel more connected to each others.

3. Reduces Workplace Loneliness

Remote work can sometimes lead to feelings of loneliness and disconnection. By having informal chats, watercooler apps create a space for employees to engage without work pressure.

4. Promotes Cross-Departmental Interactions

Team members who may not work together on projects have a chance to connect, making it easier to share knowledge across departments. This can lead to new collaborations.

5. Enhances Company Culture

A watercooler app reflects a company’s commitment to a positive, people-first culture. It shows that leadership values social interaction, work-life balance, and employee well-being.

6. Easily Customizable and Fun

Many watercooler apps allow you to customize topics, control interaction frequency, and even add emojis or reactions to make things lively and on-brand for your team.

7. Low Effort, High Impact

Watercooler apps run in the background, so they’re easy to set up and maintain. Once configured, they require little to no effort while delivering consistent social benefits.

Why is it important to have a watercooler app when working remotely?

As stated previously, working remotely can lead to feelings of loneliness and disconnection. Connecting with others may not be easy or natural. Watercooler apps make it easier to have informal chats and engage with others.