Microsoft Teams and Zoom are two of the best-known platforms for online meetings. Both are now much more than a video tool: they offer chat, phone, webinars and AI assistants. Which one fits your organization best? This article puts the differences side by side, fairly. Zoom has grown into the broader Zoom Workplace, and Teams Live Events have been replaced by town halls. Prices and limits change often, so always check them on the official websites.
In short
- Choose Teams if you already work with Microsoft 365 and want meetings, chat, files and collaboration in one place.
- Choose Zoom if meetings and webinars are central, you work a lot with external participants who don't have Microsoft 365, or your organization already runs on Zoom.
- Both work in the browser, on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, and both can coexist.
Comparison of the main features
| Feature | Microsoft Teams | Zoom |
|---|---|---|
| Video meetings | Yes, with gallery view, Together mode, breakout rooms | Yes, with gallery view, breakout rooms |
| Chat and channels | Core of the product, with teams and channels | Team Chat, built into Zoom Workplace |
| Files and documents | Co-authoring in Word, Excel and PowerPoint via SharePoint and OneDrive | Zoom Docs and integrations with other storage services |
| Webinars and large events | Webinars and town halls | Zoom Webinars and Zoom Events |
| Phone | Teams Phone (extra license) | Zoom Phone (extra license) |
| AI assistant | Microsoft 365 Copilot and Teams Premium (extra license) | Zoom AI Companion (depends on plan) |
| Free version | Yes, with limits on duration and features | Yes, with limits on duration and features |
| Management and security | Through Microsoft 365, Entra ID and Purview | Through the Zoom admin portal, with SSO integrations |
Teams strengths
- Everything in one place: chat, meetings, files, tasks and apps live in the same environment.
- Integration with Microsoft 365: co-authoring documents, Planner, Loop and the Outlook calendar.
- Management and compliance: the same identity, MFA, DLP and retention policies as the rest of Microsoft 365.
- Often already included in many Microsoft 365 plans. Note that in the European Union, Microsoft also sells plans without Teams.
Zoom strengths
- Simplicity: joining is quick, even for people who rarely use the platform.
- Strong in meetings and webinars, with many options for events.
- Independent of an office suite: works just as well alongside Google Workspace as alongside Microsoft 365.
Using Teams and Zoom together
You don't always have to choose. External partners sometimes invite you to a Zoom meeting, and Zoom users can join a Teams meeting from the browser. Read joining a Teams meeting as an external guest to see what that looks like.
How to make the choice
- Check which licenses you already have. Paying twice for the same feature is rarely necessary.
- Decide what matters most: internal collaboration, or external meetings and events.
- Test both with a small group of users, with your own headsets and meeting rooms.
- Compare current prices and terms on the Microsoft and Zoom websites.
Also see Microsoft Teams compared with WhatsApp and why use Microsoft Teams.
Read also
Microsoft Teams vs WhatsApp: when to use which app
Five reasons to start with Microsoft Teams, and how to begin
Schedule and host a webinar with Microsoft Teams
Nederlandstalige versie: Microsoft Teams versus Zoom: de verschillen op een rij