Zoom vs. Microsoft Teams: Which One to Choose in 2024
Discover which is better for you in 2024: Zoom or Microsoft Teams? Compare features and make the best choice for your needs!
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Choosing the right video conferencing tool can make a huge difference in how your team connects, collaborates, and stays productive. In 2024, Zoom and Microsoft Teams remain two front-runners, each offering unique features that cater to different needs.
But with both platforms constantly evolving, how can you know which one is the best fit for your organization?
In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between Zoom and Microsoft Teams, highlight their strengths and weaknesses, and help you decide which platform suits your needs best. Let’s dive in!
Zoom and Microsoft Teams: an Overview
Both Zoom and Teams are excellent video conferencing platforms but differ in terms of functionality. This is why the best option depends on your specific requirements for communication and collaboration. Here’s what to expect from each platform!
A. Zoom
Zoom is a Cloud-based video conferencing tool known for its reliability and ease of use. It allows users to set up virtual meetings, host webinars, make audio calls, and more, all from a straightforward interface that anyone can quickly learn.
The platform has become a go-to choice for both businesses and individual users looking for a simple yet effective way to stay connected.
Here are Zoom’s key features :
- Participant capacity: Have up to 100 attendees in a single online meeting.
- Unlimited video calls: Host group video calls for up to 40 minutes per session.
- 1:1 meetings: Enjoy unlimited one-on-ones with a time limit of 30 hours per session (paid plans only).
- File sharing: Share files easily using third-party tools like Dropbox and Google Drive.
- Cloud storage: Store and access your meeting recordings and data securely in the Cloud (paid plans only).
- Device compatibility: Schedule and join Zoom meetings on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Zoom is an excellent option for those who need a reliable, versatile, and user-friendly platform for internal and external meetings and events, whether in a professional or personal setting.
B. Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a unified communications platform that brings together chat, voice calls, virtual meetings, and file sharing into one shared workspace. It integrates seamlessly with Office 365 tools, making it suitable for businesses that already use Microsoft’s suite of productivity apps.
Here are Microsoft Teams’ key features:
- Unlimited group video calls: Host group video calls with a time limit of 60 minutes per session.
- Participant capacity: Get up to 100 participants in a single Microsoft team meeting.
- File sharing: Easily share files through Microsoft apps like SharePoint and Office 365 (paid plans only).
- Cloud storage: Store and access files directly in the Cloud, to easily collaborate on documents.
- Customizable video features: Use customized virtual backgrounds and digital whiteboards during video calls for a more personalized experience (paid plans only).
- Device compatibility: Enjoy MS Teams on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux, ensuring accessibility across various devices (paid plans only).
Microsoft Teams is a versatile solution for businesses looking for a centralized workspace that supports communication, collaboration, and document management, all while staying in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Zoom vs. Microsoft Teams: Comparison Table
Here’s a quick overview of Zoom’s and MS Teams’ features, which we’ll break down extensively below!
Zoom vs. Microsoft Teams: Feature Comparison
In this section, we’ll analyze in detail how these two video conferencing tools compare in terms of:
- Accessibility and limits
- AI features
- Scheduling and setup
- Collaboration tools
- Meeting management and host controls
- Video quality
- Meeting recording features
- Appearance filters
- Room systems
- Live streaming and webinars
- Chat features
- Integrations
- Cloud storage
- Pricing and plans
- Security features
1. Accessibility and Limits
Depending on the size of your organization and the type of events you host, the participant limits may influence your decision. Here's how Zoom and Microsoft Teams compare in terms of accessibility and participant limits.
Zoom’s free plan accommodates 100 participants for 40-minute meetings, while the Enterprise plan can handle up to 500 participants. With an add-on, Zoom can support up to 1,000 attendees.
On the other hand, Microsoft Teams supports up to 100 participants on its free plan and up to 300 on its basic paid plan. It can also host up to 20,000 listen-only participants with Microsoft Office accounts and 10,000 participants for live events.
While Zoom offers more flexibility for very large meetings with its add-on for up to 1,000 participants, Microsoft Teams shines in live events, where it can host up to 20,000 listen-only participants, making it ideal for larger company-wide broadcasts or webinars.
2. AI Features
Both Zoom and Microsoft Teams are embracing AI to enhance user experience and boost productivity, but each platform takes a slightly different approach.
Zoom launched its new AI Companion, an assistant that offers a conversational interface where users can ask questions about previous meetings, get summaries, and even identify action items. The AI Companion also integrates with third-party apps, making it a versatile tool for collaboration.
Here are Zoom’s AI features for meetings:
- AI companion for meetings: Provides summaries, action items, and answers to questions based on past meetings and chats
- Zoom Whiteboard: Users can generate images and fill templates using the AI Companion
- Zoom team chat: The AI summarizes chat threads and offers sentence auto-completion to streamline messaging
- Zoom docs: Users can create and manage documents with AI support, including content summaries and integration of meeting information.
Microsoft Teams also integrates AI to simplify collaboration, especially with its Intelligent Recap feature, which automatically generates meeting notes and suggests follow-up actions.
Here are Microsoft Teams’ AI features for meetings:
- Intelligent recap: Automatically captures meeting notes and suggests actionable steps, much like Zoom’s AI companion.
- AI-generated translations: Available for premium users only, this feature translates meetings into 40 languages, making meetings more inclusive.
- Personalized time markers: This AI feature notes when participants enter or leave a meeting, making it easier to review missed parts.
If you want to have AI simplify your meetings on both platforms at no extra cost, a meeting assistant like MeetGeek may be exactly what you need. Not only does MeetGeek create AI meeting notes, but it also highlights key information in the full meeting transcripts.
Additionally, we offer smart meeting templates that you can use to personalize summaries according to your needs. Plus, at the end of each meeting, you get accurate AI insights into your performance, so you can improve the quality of your sessions.
3. Scheduling and Setup
Zoom provides a lot of flexibility when scheduling meetings:
- You can schedule meetings using the Zoom desktop app, the Zoom website, or the Zoom mobile app.
- All options allow you to set up one-off or recurring meetings and customize meeting details like date, time, and participants.
- Zoom also integrates well with calendars like Google Calendar, iCal, and Outlook, making it simple to add meeting details directly to attendees' calendars.
A key advantage of Zoom is that it allows multiple hosts, making it easier to share meeting responsibilities. It’s up to you to identify the level of flexibility you require, so you can decide accordingly.
Microsoft Teams, on the other hand, streamlines the scheduling process through its integration with Microsoft Outlook and Teams channels:
- You can schedule a meeting directly from Outlook by creating a new event and selecting the Teams meeting option, which automatically adds the meeting link to the invite.
- Alternatively, you can schedule a meeting within a Teams channel, which is especially useful for recurring or recorded meetings, as the recording is stored in the channel afterward.
One limitation to keep in mind is that only one person can control the room settings as the meeting organizer, which can be tricky if that person is unavailable.
4. Collaboration Tools
When it comes to collaboration, Microsoft Teams offers more advanced features compared to Zoom, making it a stronger option for teams that need seamless integration with other tools.
Zoom provides basic features for collaboration, such as:
- Whiteboards: Available as an add-on feature, allowing users to brainstorm and collaborate visually
- Chat: While useful during meetings, it offers basic functionalities like emojis and live notes. However, more advanced features, like personalized stickers or deep integration with external apps, are missing.
- Live notes: These can be added during meetings, but they lack the depth and real-time document collaboration that Microsoft Teams offers.
On the other hand, Microsoft Teams excels in collaboration with its robust set of built-in tools:
- Whiteboards: Included for Microsoft 365 users, allowing teams to collaborate without extra costs
- Chat: Offers more versatility with features like personalized stickers and enhanced messaging capabilities, making communication more engaging and project-focused
- Real-Time collaboration on Office apps: Teams integrates directly with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, allowing users to work on documents during calls and make updates in real-time, without leaving the meeting.
While Zoom has made strides in offering collaboration features, Microsoft Teams provides a more seamless and integrated experience, especially for users already using Microsoft 365 apps. This makes Teams a better choice for organizations focused on deep collaboration across multiple tools.
5. Meeting Management and Host Controls
Microsoft Teams provides three roles for meeting management: organizer, co-organizer, and presenter. These roles allow varying degrees of control:
- Organizer: Full control, including managing breakout rooms, muting participants, and changing meeting options.
- Co-organizer: Shares many of the organizer's permissions, such as muting participants, managing the meeting, and controlling breakout rooms.
- Presenter: Can share content, manage Q&A, and assist with facilitating the meeting.
- Attendee: Limited to participating in the chat and viewing shared content, without control over the meeting.
Meanwhile, Zoom offers similar features with its host and co-host roles, but with some differences:
- Host: Full control over the Zoom meeting, including starting/stopping recordings, managing participants, and ending the meeting for everyone.
- Co-Host: Can assist with managing participants and other administrative tasks, but cannot start the meeting or make another participant a co-host.
- Alternative Host: If the main host is unavailable, they can assign an alternative host to start and run the meeting in their absence.
Both platforms provide solid tools for meeting management, so the choice depends on whether you need more granular control (Teams) or simpler, more universal host settings (Zoom).
6. Video Quality
Microsoft Teams is a good choice for those who need consistent high-definition video without additional costs. Zoom provides flexibility based on the user’s needs.
Microsoft Teams uses AI-based video optimization to automatically adjust the video quality based on the user’s network connection. This ensures that even in low-bandwidth situations, your video remains as clear as possible without significant disruptions.
Additionally, Microsoft Teams supports full HD 1080p video, which provides sharp and detailed visuals during most meetings. However, certain features, like live events, may have different quality constraints.
On the other hand, Zoom’s video meeting feature starts with a default video conference quality of 720p, which works well for most standard meetings. For users with a Zoom Business or Zoom Enterprise plan, the video quality can be increased to 1080p, allowing for crisper visuals during calls.
7. Meeting Recording Features
Microsoft Teams meeting recordings are automatically saved in the meeting chat and sent via email to all invitees, making it easy to access without any extra steps.
The recordings are stored in the Cloud with a generous 1 TB of space (per user) even on the Business Basic plan, ensuring plenty of room for storing important meetings and company documentation. Additionally, Teams integrates with other Microsoft tools, such as Microsoft 365 backup solution, including a built-in Wiki for organizing and storing company processes.
On the other hand, Zoom recording features require a bit more manual effort. While recordings are saved locally or in the Cloud, you'll need to manually share them with attendees. Zoom offers 5-10 GB of Cloud storage on most plans, but unlimited storage is only available with the Enterprise plan.
PRO TIP: If you're looking to avoid the role limitations and time restrictions in Google Meet and Zoom, MeetGeek has you covered. MeetGeek is an AI-powered meeting automation platform that can join, record, transcribe, summarize, and follow up on all your meetings—even the ones you can’t attend.
Here’s how MeetGeek enhances your MS Teams and Zoom experience:
- Automated recording and transcription: Once you sync your calendar with MeetGeek, it joins meetings on its own, recording and transcribing everything automatically on either Zoom or MS Teams.
- AI-generated summaries: MeetGeek creates concise and actionable summaries of your meetings, helping you get organized and prepared for the next sessions.
- Action item identification: MeetGeek uses AI to pinpoint key action items and the responsible parties for each of them, ensuring tasks are clear and easy to follow up on.
- Automated follow-ups: After each meeting, MeetGeek sends follow-up emails with important details to keep everyone on the same page. You can even set custom workflows that direct the follow-ups to different teams or individuals outside your organization.
- Meeting repository: All your meeting notes are stored in one secure, centralized place, no matter where you’re having them — on Zoom, MS Teams, or on Google Meet. This makes it simple to access and share past discussions.
- Conversation intelligence: MeetGeek analyzes meetings to provide insights on team performance and meeting effectiveness, helping you improve productivity. Plus, you can always customize the reports with the KPIs that matter most to you.
- Automated workflows: MeetGeek integrates with over 2,000 tools, including Slack, Notion, and Zapier automating task updates and syncing information across your digital workspace for seamless collaboration.
- Mobile app: Unlike most virtual assistants, that limit their functionality to the online world, MeetGeek’s mobile app offers the same features for your in-person meetings. Just press the record button and all your meetings will be recorded, transcribed, analyzed, and stored alongside virtual ones.
8. Appearance Filters
Zoom was one of the first to introduce a built-in filter that enhances your appearance by smoothing out skin and hair imperfections. This simple enhancement is great for users who want to look polished on screen without much effort.
Additionally, Zoom lets you change your virtual background with preset templates or custom images, helping you maintain privacy or add some fun to your meetings.
Microsoft Teams, just like Zoom, in addition to background changes, also allows you to soften your video feed for a more flattering look.
Moreover, recently, Teams introduced even more dynamic video filters that let you enhance your video stream with visual effects, such as changing the hue or adding animated frames. These filters not only help reduce distractions but also allow you to inject a bit of personality into each meeting.
9. Room Systems
A well-designed room system can make a big difference in how your organization collaborates, enabling smooth audio and video meetings while boosting productivity.
The Zoom platform offers great flexibility when it comes to setting up virtual rooms, allowing you to assign rooms to each team within your organization. It also provides a waiting room feature, making sure participants join the right breakout room.
What’s more, Zoom partners with certified integrators and hardware providers to ensure a top-notch room setup. It comes with features like screen sharing, webinars, whiteboards, and live captions, giving users plenty of options for interactive meetings.
Similarly, Microsoft Teams makes it easy to create or join a room with just a few clicks. You can set up channels for each department in your organization, giving teams their own space for focused work and group meetings. With a paid Microsoft Teams account, you can have up to 300 participants per session and broadcast events to up to 10,000 viewers. Additionally, it offers features like whiteboards, screen sharing, live events, and live captions in 28 languages.
10. Live Streaming and Webinars
Zoom provides flexible options for webinars with varying capacities depending on your needs.
- 500 participants: $79 per month or $690 per year
- 1,000 participants: $340 per month or $3,400 per year
- 3,000 participants: $921 per month or $9,210 per year
- 5,000 participants: $2,316 per month
- 10,000 participants: $6,036 per month
- 10,000+ participants: Custom
It’s ideal for events where a single presenter or a panel addresses an audience, and attendees can interact via chat, Q&A, and reactions. These features allow for an interactive, engaging experience even when participants don’t have a microphone or camera.
What’s more, Zoom attaches its webinar features to participants roles:
- Host: Manages the webinar by scheduling, starting/stopping recordings, and launching polls.
- Co-Host: Assists the host with tasks like starting/stopping webinars
- Panelists: Presenters who can share video, audio, and content, as well as moderate Q&A session
- Attendees: Viewers who can engage via chat, polls, and Q&A
Similarly, Microsoft Teams offers live streaming through both Teams Webinars and Teams Town Halls (formerly known as live events):
- Teams Webinars are included in the Microsoft 365 Business Standard subscription, allowing up to 1,000 participants without extra cost.
- Teams Town Halls support up to 10,000 participants, also included with Microsoft 365, making it an attractive choice for large-scale events.
Like Zoom, Teams offers role-specific features:
- Organizer: Schedules and manages the event
- Co-Organizer: Assists with webinar moderation and participant control
- Presenters: Share video, audio, and content, and can moderate Q&A
- Attendees: Participate through chat, Q&A, and reactions
However, unlike Zoom, Teams has a limitation in Town Halls, where attendee names are not visible during the event but can only be viewed in reports afterward.
11. Chat Features
Zoom offers basic chat functionality for virtual meetings:
- Meeting chat: During a Zoom call, users can send messages to all participants or select individuals for private chats. It also allows sharing of files and meeting notes within the session.
- Host controls: Zoom gives meeting hosts the ability to control the chat settings, such as disabling the chat entirely or preventing private messages.
However, Zoom’s chat feature is primarily tied to video meetings. If you want to chat outside meetings, you’ll need to use a separate platform, Zoom Chat, which supports messaging with individuals, groups, and channels, similar to Teams.
Microsoft Teams, on the other hand, provides a wide range of chat features designed to support both personal and professional communication:
- Individual chats: You can send one-on-one messages to any team member or contact.
- Group chats: Easily create group chats by adding participants, naming the group, and starting conversations instantly. This is great for both casual and work-related discussions.
- Channel chats: For professional collaboration, Teams allows users to chat within specific channels. Conversations are organized into threads, making it easy to follow discussions and replies.
- Meeting chats: During a live meeting, participants can engage in real-time chat, sharing notes, links, or documents without interrupting the flow of the meeting.
With Microsoft Teams, chats are available both during meetings and outside of them, providing flexibility for ongoing communication and collaboration.
For a more robust chat experience, Microsoft Teams is a clear winner, with features like individual chats, group chats, channel-based conversations, and ongoing access to chat history both inside and outside of meetings.
12. Integrations
Integrations with various applications allow you to bring information together and centralize your work, making it easier to incorporate different collaboration tools and boost productivity.
Zoom provides extensive integration options through its Zoom App Marketplace, which offers 2,798 integrations for both free and paid users. This includes popular productivity and project management tools like Asana, Smartsheet, HubSpot, Mural, Dropbox, and Slack, as well as native integration with MeetGeek.
Microsoft Teams, on the other hand, offers strong integration with the Microsoft Office ecosystem, making it an ideal choice for those already using tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Even free users can access these basic integrations, making it easy to work with familiar Microsoft Office tools.
Beyond Microsoft’s own apps, Teams also supports integration with non-Microsoft tools such as Adobe Creative Cloud, Mail Clark, MeetGeek, Zapier, ClickUp, GitHub, and various Google tools, including Google Drive and Google Workspace.
Microsoft Teams’ range of integrations allows teams to streamline workflows while staying within the Microsoft environment. Meanwhile, Zoom’s wide variety of integrations makes it a versatile option, allowing users to tailor their Zoom experience by connecting with tools that fit their specific needs, regardless of their existing software setup.
13. Cloud Storage
Zoom offers limited Cloud storage options unless you're on a higher-tier plan. Here’s a quick overview:
- Free plan: Zoom’s free plan doesn’t include cloud storage, so you’ll need to store your meeting recordings locally on your device.
- Pro plan: Provides 5 GB of cloud storage, enough for individual users or small teams that only need to store a handful of recordings.
- Business plan: Includes 10 GB of cloud storage, which is comparable to Microsoft Teams Essentials, and should be sufficient for moderate use.
- Enterprise plan: Offers unlimited cloud storage, ideal for larger businesses with extensive recording and unlimited file storage needs.
Comparatively, Microsoft Teams offers generous cloud storage, especially for users subscribed to Microsoft 365 plans. Even with its basic plans, Teams provides enough storage for most small to medium-sized businesses. Here’s a breakdown of what’s included:
- Free plan: No cloud storage is included in the free version of Teams, but you still get access to team chat and basic collaboration features.
- Microsoft Teams Essentials: Includes 10 GB of cloud storage, suitable for users who need basic file storage and collaboration without heavy demands.
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic: Offers 1 TB of cloud storage, which is ideal for businesses that need ample space to store meeting recordings, files, and more. This plan also includes access to Microsoft Office apps in web versions.
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard and Premium: These plans also come with 1 TB of Cloud storage, in addition to desktop versions of Office apps and advanced security features in the premium version.
14. Pricing and Plans
Both Zoom and Microsoft Teams offer free and paid plans, but each has different strengths when it comes to features and pricing.
Zoom has a free plan, offering unlimited 1:1 calls, 100 participants per meeting, and 40-minute group sessions.
The Pro plan starts at $12.49 per user per month, featuring 30-hour group meetings and add-ons for up to 1,000 participants. Zoom Business costs $18.32 per user per month and supports 300 participants, with features like managed domains.
For larger needs, Zoom Enterprise includes all advanced features and supports up to 1,000 participants, with customized pricing.
Microsoft Teams also provides a free plan with 60-minute video calls, up to 100 participants per session, and chat for up to 500,000 members.
Its paid plans start at $6 per user per month with Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which includes meetings for 300 attendees, web and mobile Office apps, and 1TB of cloud storage.
The Business Standard plan at $12.50 per user per month adds webinars and desktop Office apps, while Microsoft 365 Premium at $22 per user per month offers advanced security and device management. All paid plans come with a 30-day free trial.
15. Security Features
Zoom has made significant improvements to its security in recent years, aiming to offer a safe and reliable platform for users. It encrypts all voice calls, video chats, and screen sharing using 256-bit AES encryption, making it challenging for unauthorized parties to access your data.
Zoom also offers the option to enable end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for video meetings, ensuring that no third party, including Zoom, can view the content of your meetings. Additionally, Zoom offers advanced chat encryption, which means that only the intended recipients can read your private messages, so communication between team members stays secure.
Meanwhile, Microsoft Teams is built on the secure foundation of Microsoft 365’s enterprise-grade cloud. This means that users benefit from the same security framework that protects Microsoft’s suite of productivity tools. Teams supports two-factor authentication (2FA) across the organization, adding an extra layer of security to user logins.
Additionally, Microsoft Teams encrypts data both at rest and during transmission, keeping your sensitive information protected.
Microsoft Teams vs. Zoom: Customer Reviews & Reputation
When it comes to customer reviews, users have shared mixed opinions about Microsoft Teams and Zoom, highlighting their strengths depending on specific needs.
With a 4.3/5 score on G2, Microsoft Teams is highly praised for its deep integration with the Microsoft Office 365 ecosystem. Users appreciate the advanced features that Teams offers, such as PowerPoint Live and Copilot for Teams, which provide powerful tools for collaboration and productivity.
Additionally, Teams' channels and chat capabilities also make it more versatile for internal collaboration. Many users see Teams as a valuable tool for organizations already using Microsoft 365, with its seamless integration offering great value. Read the full review here.
On the other hand, with a 4.5/5 score on G2, Zoom is favored for its simplicity and reliability when it comes to pure video conferencing. Users mention that Zoom's client is lightweight and easy to use, making it a preferred option for those who prioritize video quality and ease of use. Read the full review here.
What’s more, Zoom’s fast pace of innovation, particularly with features like AI Companion, is another plus for users who want a streamlined video conferencing solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Microsoft Teams Better than Zoom?
Whether Microsoft Teams is better than Zoom depends on your needs. Microsoft Teams is excellent if you're already using Microsoft 365 tools, as it integrates seamlessly with apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It’s also ideal for teams that require strong collaboration features, such as channels for group work, file sharing, and real-time document editing.
On the other hand, Zoom is a simpler solution focused on high-quality video conferencing. If your main goal is to have easy, reliable virtual meetings, Zoom might be a better fit. Ultimately, Teams is better for collaboration, while Zoom is better for video meetings.
2. What Are the Weaknesses of Zoom?
While Zoom is popular for its user-friendly interface and reliable video conferencing, it has a few limitations:
- The free Zoom plan restricts group meetings to 40 minutes, which can be inconvenient for longer meetings.
- Cloud storage is limited unless you are on a higher-tier plan, and advanced collaboration tools are less integrated compared to Microsoft Teams.
- Zoom also lacks some deeper productivity features that Teams offers, like real-time document editing within meetings.
3. Which Is More Accessible, Teams or Zoom?
Both Teams and Zoom are accessible across multiple platforms, including desktop, mobile, and web browsers.
Zoom’s video conferencing app is often seen as easier to use, especially for those who need quick and straightforward video meetings without much setup.
However, the Microsoft Teams app offers greater accessibility for users who are already working within the Microsoft 365 environment, with direct access to Office apps and tools.
Win the Race of Video Conferencing Tools with MeetGeek!
Choosing between Zoom and Microsoft Teams really comes down to what you need most. If your focus is on seamless video meetings with external guests, Zoom is a great choice. It’s simple, reliable, and perfect for video conferencing.
On the other hand, if your team relies heavily on collaboration and uses Microsoft 365 tools, Microsoft Teams will provide you with a more integrated workspace, complete with chat, file sharing, and real-time document editing.
If you're looking for an advanced solution that makes either option the right one, why not give MeetGeek a try? It’s a powerful AI meeting assistant that can help you automate note-taking and streamline your workflow. Start your free trial today!
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