GitLab for Slack vs PRFlow: Which Should You Use?
A detailed comparison of GitLab's official Slack integration versus PRFlow for merge request notifications.
If you're using GitLab and Slack, you've probably set up some kind of notification integration. The question is: are you using the right one?
In this comparison, we'll look at GitLab for Slack (GitLab's official app) and PRFlow to help you decide which GitLab Slack integration is right for your team.
The Problem with GitLab's Default Slack Notifications
GitLab's official Slack app sends a new message for every single event related to a merge request:
- MR opened
- Pipeline started
- Job running
- Job passed
- Pipeline passed
- Comment added
- MR approved
- MR merged
That's 8+ messages for a single merge request. Multiply that by the number of MRs your team opens each day, and your Slack channel becomes unreadable.
Teams often end up muting the channel entirely, which defeats the purpose of having notifications in the first place.
Feature Comparison
Here's how GitLab for Slack and PRFlow compare on the features that matter most:
| Feature | GitLab for Slack | PRFlow |
|---|---|---|
| One message per MR | No | Yes |
| CI/CD pipeline status | No | Yes |
| Comments in thread | No | Yes |
| Message updates in place | No | Yes |
| Slash commands | Yes | No |
| Issue notifications | Yes | No |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes (beta) |
When to Use GitLab for Slack
GitLab's official app is a good choice if:
- You need slash commands to interact with GitLab from Slack
- You want notifications for issues, not just merge requests
- You have a low volume of MRs and don't mind multiple messages
- You're using a dedicated channel that you don't mind being noisy
When to Use PRFlow
PRFlow is the better choice if:
- You're tired of notification spam in your Slack channels
- You want to see CI/CD pipeline status without checking GitLab
- You want code review comments synced to Slack threads
- Your team has a high volume of merge requests
- You want a clean, scannable notification channel
How PRFlow Works
PRFlow takes a different approach to GitLab Slack notifications:
- One message per merge request - Instead of flooding your channel, PRFlow sends a single message that updates as the MR progresses.
- CI/CD status included - See if your pipeline passed or failed right in the notification.
- Threaded comments - Code review comments appear in a Slack thread, keeping discussion organized.
- Real-time updates - The message updates in place as approvals, status changes, and merges happen.
The result? A merge request that would generate 10+ messages with GitLab for Slack becomes one clean, updating notification with PRFlow.
Conclusion
Both GitLab for Slack and PRFlow have their place. If you need slash commands and issue notifications, GitLab's official app covers those use cases.
But if your main goal is staying informed about merge requests without drowning in notifications, PRFlow is the better GitLab Slack integration for your team.
PRFlow is free during beta. Try it now and see the difference for yourself.