Microsoft Teams vs. Zoom
When addressing the question of Microsoft Teams vs. Zoom, there are a few different contexts you must keep in mind. These all have to do with one organizational profile and what you are looking to get from each platform.
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Conferencing
If conferencing software is your primary goal, then both platforms have exceptional conferencing features. Microsoft Teams does not work with a dial-in number out of the box and requires an IT professional to set it up and an additional license.
Both Zoom and Teams can host webinar events, however, Zoom does have more webinar features available. Zoom does both large conferencing and has dial-in features out of the box. If you need to expand your max webinar limit, it is a simple license upgrade that does not require an IT professional.
Collaboration
If collaboration is your primary use for the software, Microsoft Teams has advanced tools to aid in this process. Even though Zoom now has direct and group messaging, it does not contain as many of the advanced collaboration features that Teams has. Along with direct and group messaging, Microsoft Teams has dedicated containers with additional channels that allow for effective organization and collaboration.
Microsoft Teams is also part of the Microsoft 365 Cloud Productivity Stack and takes full advantage of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint online. It can directly integrate with OneDrive and SharePoint online as well. The integrations don’t stop there! Microsoft Teams can integrate with many other applications to provide single-application expertise to end-users. Imagine having all your work in one application! Zoom has improved their integration capabilities, but Microsoft Teams still has them beat.
Security
Let’s talk about the security of both platforms, as there has been a lot of news coverage around this topic – Zoom specifically. While there were some issues with Zoom security, most of these came to light during the heavy adoption period in March 2020 as countries shutdown for COVID-19. Zoom quickly moved to enhance its security features and was transparent about its efforts. At no time did Zoom have any egregious security issues, and much of this was overblown as sensationalism.
Every application has security holes, whether discovered or not. It is essential to understand that both products are mature enterprise applications that have many resources dedicated to maintaining their security. Microsoft alone employs a team of over 3500, plus security professionals, alongside advanced AI systems to monitor and maintain the integrity of its product.
Pricing
Pricing is important to mention here. When you compare the number of resources you get with Teams, Zoom may seem expensive. Microsoft Teams gives you much more value at a lower price point so, in that respect, they are the clear winner.
Final Thoughts
If your organization is looking for a simple web conferencing tool, isn’t on Microsoft 365, or wants to avoid extra cost and complexity, Zoom is the right choice for you. If your organization is on Microsoft 365 and is looking to increase communication, collaboration, and efficiency, then Microsoft Teams is the top choice. Some organizations will elect to choose both platforms because of the added cost and complexity of setting up all the extra conferencing features on Teams.
Need a Hand?
Whether you’re still unsure of which platform to choose or just could use a hand with implementation, EMPIST’s team of experts is here to help. We are a Microsoft Cloud Solutions Provider (CSP) as well as a Zoom Partner, so we are ready to assist regardless of which platform is best for you. Click here to book an intro call or click here to request more information.
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