Why AI buyers want it
Agents need to learn coordination: asking the right person, following up, escalating. Chat threads linked to tickets and code show that loop, which is why chat is usually the backbone of a company archive deal.
Chat is the working record behind finished work, like a rehearsal log behind a performance: it shows how the result was reached.
What sets the price
- Threads linked to tickets, pull requests and docs.
- Several years of history.
- Many active channels across functions.
- English language.
Chat alone is worth less than chat linked to tickets, code and docs, so most deals bundle them. The estimate on this page prices chat on its own.
What blocks a deal, and the fix
- Direct messages and private channels
- Excluded by default; you choose what goes in.
- Plan limits on exports
- Some plans limit what an export includes. We guide the export route for your plan, or your admins approve a scoped connection instead.
- Personal information
- Names, emails, phone numbers and other identifiers are masked before delivery.
What owners overlook
- Deleting a workspace deletes the asset. Export before canceling, even if you have not decided to license anything.
- Public channels are usually the most valuable and the least sensitive.
Market evidence
- Startups that are shutting down are licensing emails and Slack messages through wind-down services that also strip personal information first.Gizmodo, (opens in a new tab)
- A whole company archive of email, Teams messages and code drew a winning bankruptcy auction bid of $10M; the sale still needed court approval.TIME, (opens in a new tab)
How a deal works
Appraise
Answer a few questions about what you have. See an indicative range, what sets it and what would raise it. No files, no access.About a minute
Verify title
We confirm the company controls the archive, check personal data and third-party rights, and assemble the ownership pack the deal needs.Before any offer
Route
The archive goes to the route that fits it: an exclusive lump sum for a term, or a non-exclusive revenue share.Sign and get paid
You approve the agreement and its scope before anything moves. We never hold your passwords: transfers use scoped, revocable connections your admins approve, or exports.Payment about 2 to 10 weeks after signing
Questions
How much is a Slack archive worth?
Chat is usually licensed as part of a company archive rather than alone, and chat linked to tickets, code and docs is worth more than chat alone. Operating company archives run $185,000 to $1M+. The estimate on this page prices chat on its own (One archive: 50 staff, 5 years, 1 tool type): $180,000 to $350,000, at Medium confidence.
Source: Rightmark,
Is it legal to license employees' chat messages?
The company generally controls its workspace data, but staff personal data is protected. Deals run on de-identified data, direct messages and HR channels can stay out, and staff are told where the law requires it. We check your jurisdiction before anything moves.
Do you need admin access to our workspace?
We never hold your passwords. Someone with admin rights either approves a scoped, revocable connection for a single transfer or runs the export. Some plans limit what an export includes, and we guide the route for yours.
Can we exclude sensitive channels?
Yes. Direct messages, HR, legal and any channel you name stay out.
What happens if we delete the workspace?
Treat deletion as final: export first, even if you have not decided to license anything. A deleted workspace cannot be appraised or licensed.
What do we warrant about the messages?
That the company controls the workspace and owns what it licenses. Channels shared with clients or partners carry their messages too, so leave them out unless those parties consent.