Which is Best for your Organization? 

During this COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses, schools, and folks have had to transition from open communication to only strict remote options. Video-conferencing apps like Microsoft Teams and Zoom have surged in popularity over the last months as about 90% of American states are under orders to stay home — meaning people are increasingly turning to virtual tools to hold work meetings, attend classes, and socialize.

Nonetheless, most people have run into an issue when trying to decide what software to use for hosting video conferences, uniting their workforce, and handling communication within teams. They have narrowed their choice to the two most prominent remote work platforms in the market, Microsoft Teams and Zoom.  Over the past few months, both platforms have grown an impressive number of users joining and have implemented features, updates, and tools that adhere to the needs of remote users. This exponential rise from both services has made it difficult to make an informed and confident decision. In this article, we aim to provide some clarity as to which software is right for your business by looking at the overview, features, functions, and costs of Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

Overview

What is Microsoft Teams? Microsoft Teams is a chat-based workspace with audio and video calls; it supports an integration with Microsoft 360, which as a result, creates a holistic workspace. Ultimately, Teams is designed to improve internal communications, provide a cross-functional collaboration software, and deliver a high-performance video, chatting, and audio tool. 

What is Zoom? Zoom is a simple-to-use web conferencing software that allows uses to hold large online meetings. This cross-platform solution makes it simple to connect with others through high-quality video and audio chat, whether you’re at your computer or using a smartphone.

Features

  • Both platforms, Microsoft Teams and Zoom, have a multitude of inclusive, simple, and effective collaboration tools they offer. These are standard features that both platforms provide:
    • highly compatible with Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux
    • superior video and audio screen sharing, file sharing through chat, breakout rooms, and recordable meeting
    • remote control and instant messaging capabilities
  • Microsoft Teams unique features include:
    • video & audio sync with Microsoft 360 apps
      • OneDrive, DropBox, Power Automate, Power Apps, Yammer, etc.
    • “integration” allows for easy file share during sessions and backups 
    • Nine users visible per screen
    • meeting encryption and app security
    • the complex interface allows for multi-functionality
  • Zoom unique features include:
    • webinar option for significantly large calls
    • user visibility during calls (49 max per screen)
    • the simple interface requires little support (IT) or training

Although their features are somewhat similar, the differences make them useful for specific ways of collaboration. To know which is right for your business, we will discuss how the features above make each valuable tool for different functions.

Functions

  • Microsoft Teams gives you good conferencing options and an integrated collaboration platform package (with Microsoft 360). Functions include:
    • 250 people, 10000 for live streaming
    • focus on text-based communication (e.g., workspaces with channels, file sharing, instant messaging, searchable conversations, and automation tools)
    • great for internal collaboration
  • Zoom gives you maximum visibility of users and the largest meeting options. Functions include:
    • 500 people, webinar option
    • focus on video and audio calls (e.g.remote control, virtual backgrounds, annotating)
    • good for external collaboration

Cost

  • Teams
    • $5 per month per user
    • Some extra costs (webinars)
    • Premium subscription, which costs a monthly fee of $12.50 per person, however once equipped, productivity apps and services, meetings and calls, and security are available for up to 300 users.
  • Zoom
    • $15 per month per host
    • Some extra costs (webinars)
    • Business Plan and Enterprise Plan are available for $19.99 per month, providing various features targeted towards larger businesses with more employees

It is important to note that both Teams and Zoom have free options you can try out to see which is best. Additionally, Microsoft has made a free 6-month trial of Teams available to users. You can use each platform to build an inclusive environment for communication, complete with integrations, and even telephony. 

Conclusion: Microsoft Teams WINS

Zoom has become famous for several valid reasons. Many workers, students, and businesses amidst this crisis have fully integrated with Zoom and have found the simplistic interface and high user visibility very attractive. Yet, as with the recent security and privacy breaches surrounding Zoom, many people have looked to other options. Microsoft teams have tight integration with Office 365 security and productivity apps. Therefore, Microsoft Teams is perfect for internal collaboration. It offers straightforward and secure chatting and channel solutions; it is great for doing everything Zoom is capable of and keeping an entire organization on the same page. 

To answer the question “Which is best for your business?” you must decide what you are looking for in a collaboration tool. If the video and audio features are the most important to you, Zoom is a viable option. However, if you are looking for a platform that can integrate with your current workspace, inclusive team-environment, and allows for more customization while offering security as we work from home in this situation, Microsoft Teams is your best option.

Microsoft Teams is a very sophisticated modern platform that has various functionalities, tools, and collaboration options. Many have taken the first steps investing in this valuable Office 365 business app; however, not everyone has received guidance or expert support to use and deploy it throughout their organization effectively.

Get ahead of the curve by supporting your people now and after this quarantine. The inability to adapt to an in-house and remote software post-quarantine will make organizations lose a lot of effort, money, and time. No matter when, where, and how you decide to work, Microsoft Teams is the foundation for having successful internal collaboration and united company culture. If you have any questions, our experts are available for any information you might need around Office 365, SharePoint, and digital workplace support. Don’t hesitate to contact us; we are here to help you reach a thriving digital transformation.

Brian Long
Client Development & Success Director, Klarinet Solutions

Brian Long is experienced in Enterprise Sales Technology and Sales Leadership Professional, with more than 20+ in the industry. Long enables organizations with Modern Digital Workplace Solutions, as the Client Success & Development Director at Klarinet Solutions. With years of experience leveraging technical hands-on knowledge, Long brings a multitude of historical performance of long-term projects and solutions, giving him a unique position to assess and diagnose the evolving business needs of Modern, Remote and Hybrid Workplaces today.