A Macarons alternative for Slack
Macarons shuts down on 31 August 2026. CoffeeSlack does the same job — random coffee pairings inside Slack — and it is free for every team while we are in beta. Here is what carries over, what we do not do, and the one habit your team will need to change.
What carries over
Random pairs inside a channel
Macarons
Yes
CoffeeSlack
Yes. Pick one or more channels, and only those members can be matched.
Choose how often rounds run
Macarons
Yes
CoffeeSlack
Yes. Weekly, every other week, monthly, or a custom window you define.
Conversation starters
Macarons
Built-in or your own
CoffeeSlack
Same. A built-in set, or write your own from the dashboard.
Avoid re-pairing the same people
Macarons
Not offered
CoffeeSlack
Yes, and you choose how many past rounds to look back over.
Groups larger than two
Macarons
Yes, you set the size
CoffeeSlack
Pairs only. With an odd number, the last three become a trio.
Sit one out
Macarons
Pause, or take part every other time
CoffeeSlack
No per-person setting. Joining covers a calendar month, so sitting out means not joining the next one.
Price
Macarons
$0.99 per person each month
CoffeeSlack
Free for every team during our beta. No card.
The one habit that changes
Macarons paired the channel
Everyone in the channel was in, and sitting out was a setting each person could change.
CoffeeSlack asks people to join
Each person types /coffee in Slack, or clicks Participatein the app’s Home tab, and fills in a short form. Joining covers a calendar month, and nobody is paired without joining.
That difference is deliberate — being introduced to a stranger is a small brave act, and we would rather people chose it. It does mean your first month will be smaller than the channel was. When pairing is limited to the channels you pick, as the steps below set up, the people in them who have not joined get a reminder the day before registration closes — and the dashboard shows you who has joined before a round runs.
What we do not do
- No group size setting. We pair two people. When the count is odd, the last three become a trio so nobody is left out.
- No “every other round” option. Joining covers a calendar month. To take part less often, a person simply does not join the next month.
- No introduction emails during the beta. Pairs are introduced by Slack DM only.
Switching takes about five minutes
Step 1
Add CoffeeSlack to Slack
One admin does this once, for the whole team.
Step 2
Pick the channels and the rhythm
In the dashboard, choose which channels go into the pool — the group of people who can be matched with each other — and how often rounds run. A change of rhythm starts next month unless you tick Apply immediately.
Step 3
Tell your team to type /coffee
They fill in a short form, once a month. Nobody installs anything.
Step 4
Turn Macarons off once CoffeeSlack is running
Until 31 August 2026 both apps would introduce people, which is one introduction too many.
Keep the ritual your team already had
One admin adds CoffeeSlack, picks the channels and the rhythm, and rounds run on their own from then on. A change of rhythm starts next month unless you tick Apply immediately.