Teams vs Zoom: Which One Is Right For Your Business?
As we begin to operate in a more hybrid working environment, technologies such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom still continue to play a pivotal role in helping keep office and remote workers connected. However, assessing which one is more suited to your business can still be challenging, below we explore what sets each apart.
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At the beginning of the pandemic when remote working suddenly became the norm, almost every organisation adopted some type of video conferencing and collaboration software, with two platforms dominating – Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
As we move into a hybrid working model, one that brings together remote and in-office working practices, these tools remain a crucial part of our working day. At a high level, both Microsoft Teams and Zoom offer video conferencing, yet subtle differences exist. Below we explore what sets each option apart, helping you identify the best fit solution for your organisation.
Ease Of Use
Microsoft Teams and Zoom both enable online virtual meetings, instant chats, audio calls as well as screen and file sharing. Other useful options such as breakout rooms, meeting record features and custom backgrounds are also seen across both technologies.
For Microsoft Teams, virtual meetings are just one of the ways colleagues can work with each other therefore it is best to download the app to get the best experience. Zoom has a simple user interface where anyone can join a meeting you are invited to using a code or link. However, both technologies require users to have an account to create the meetings themselves to invite other attendees.
Getting Set Up
Joining Zoom is quite straightforward, through the download of the app and signing up for the price plan that is most suited to your business. Zoom has a simple user interface and allows users to get up and running with little IT support or training. This differs for Microsoft Teams, as users need to learn how to use teams and channels, file-sharing and other integrations. The full set of collaborative features on Teams is definitely more than Zoom but it does take longer to onboard for that reason.
Pricing
Both Zoom and Microsoft Teams have free plans available, the main difference here is that Teams offers video calls, chat and some personal cloud storage whereas the zoom free plan simply offers video conferencing and puts a time limit on calls at 40 minutes each. When upgrading your Microsoft Teams subscription there are a number of flexible plans that can suit your business needs. Similarly, for Zoom, there are several product lines with different feature sets to choose from.
Security
Cybersecurity is something that is a critical consideration for all businesses when adopting new technology. When the pandemic first began, Zoom found itself in the middle of a media storm when a number of highly publicised ‘zoombombing’ incidents - where uninvited individuals joined and disrupted private meetings - raised concerns about the platforms security standards. However, Zoom has now become committed to continually monitoring and improving its security measures. Teams apply tough security measures and like Zoom is continually monitoring it and making improvements.
Integrations
Microsoft Teams is known for its baked-in integration of Office 365 apps setting up users with their complete digital workspace from the outset. Aside from the already set up integrations, Teams allows you to integrate other Microsoft and third-party applications to help make a unique digital space for each user. The idea here is that everything can be done from within Teams to bring more efficiency to a user’s workday. It is possible to add integrations to Zoom via its app marketplace and it is worth noting that Zoom is often added as an integration to other software particularly if it is used for video-conferencing only. For example, this is commonly seen with Slack and Zoom.
Deciding whether Microsoft Teams or Zoom is the technology for you really comes down to what your business needs are. If your business would benefit from a fully comprehensive collaborative solution that could become a one-stop shop for all other technologies through integrations, then Microsoft Teams may be the best option for your business. However, if you just simply need video conferencing software without the extras, Zoom could work for you. It is also becoming more common to see users using both, using Microsoft Teams to collaborate with colleagues, work on projects together and using Zoom to meet with clients outside the organisation due to its easily accessible nature.
Want to explore how technologies can expand possibilities for your business, get in touch to speak to one of our solution experts.
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