How does your business manage video conferencing and team meetings in 2020?
The pandemic has changed the landscape of online communications. Traditional services like Skype and Cisco have lost ground to new providers like Zoom.
Microsoft Teams hosts new conferencing features to tie with their collaboration software. But how does the service compare to Zoom?
This article examines the Microsoft Teams vs Zoom debate.
We break down the pros and cons of each and compare the Microsoft Teams app to Zoom’s offering. Which will come out on top? Read on to find out.
What Is Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams is a workspace application designed to bring people and content together.
The Microsoft Teams app is part of the Microsoft 365 package that includes Office software like Word and Excel. It offers secure Cloud storage and Cloud services such as Exchange and SharePoint.
Teams acts as a central hub to share and edit content in real-time.
Employees can customize their workspaces to suit their needs. They can virtual-chat via instant messaging, audio calls, and video conferencing. And all data is encrypted and supports key compliance standards.
What Is Zoom?
Zoom offers an easy way to make conference calls for up to 1,000 participants at the same time.
The service became popular during the pandemic as people needed a no-nonsense method to video chat. Over 300 million participants use the service daily but Zoom has come under criticism.
Ironically, because Zoom is so easy to use, many people set their security settings too low. Zoom-bombing sees unwanted guests join your chat. And as such, many governmental agencies banned the service from their computers.
Zoom vs Microsoft Teams Features
Both services offer a range of communication features including:
- Web conferencing
- Instant messaging
- File sharing
- Screen sharing
Zoom excels in webinars where thousands of virtual attendees can watch and listen to guest speakers. Their enterprise phone systems offer HD quality calls. And their service runs smoothly and mostly without interruptions.
Microsoft Teams meeting software is geared at the Office market. Participants meet, discuss, and share spreadsheets, docs, etc.
It’s the combination of working on Office files and VoIP and video conferencing that’s so appealing. And as many businesses already subscribe to the Microsoft 365 plans, Teams is already there to be used.
Microsoft Teams vs Zoom Pricing
Zoom’s prices start from free for a very basic package. But for small teams, the Pro plan costs $14.99 per month.
For that, you get all the basic features plus user management and reporting. Meeting duration is bumped to 24 hours and you’re allocated 1GB of recording storage.
Teams is part of Microsoft 365 and the basic plan is only $5 per user per month.
Not only do you get all MS Teams’ features but also premium web app versions of Office. And for $12.50p/m, you get to install the full suite onto your computer.
Who Wins the War?
So who’s the winner between Microsoft Teams vs Zoom?
If you only require video or audio conferencing with the ability to view up 1,000 video participants then Zoom may be the best choice.
You get 40 minutes and can host up to 100 participants for free. However, if you need Office integration, install Microsoft Teams.
Teams lets you collaborate in real-time on your Office documents. You’ll enjoy full integration across Microsoft’s apps. And it works on all devices including mobile phones.
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Photos courtesy of gettyimages.com
