It’s incredibly difficult to pick the perfect web conferencing software, especially when you have to decide between two of the best in the business. Both Microsoft Teams and Zoom are two of the most popular web conferencing solutions on the market – and for good reason too. Teams is unique because it can be used individually or as part of the greater Microsoft Office package, making it ideal for regular users and for businesses who can integrate Teams into their existing system. Meanwhile, Zoom offers its users fantastic performance, high-quality calls, and is able to host much larger meetings. It’s truly a heavyweight contest between two of best options on the web conferencing market.
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Microsoft Teams
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Zoom
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Brand/logo
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Visit brand site
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Read review
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Rating
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Audio support
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Video support
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Chat support
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Video quality
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HQ
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HD
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Maximum resolution
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1080p
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1080p
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Encryption
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SRTP
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AES-256
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HIPAA compliance
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Maximum attendees
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250
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1
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Whiteboard
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Polls
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Screen sharing
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Remote control
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Meeting recording
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Mobile recording
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Maximum recording length
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Unlimited
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Unlimited
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Meeting transcription
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Meeting lock
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Microsoft entered the web conferencing market later than most, having released Teams in 2017. However, since then it has made great strides very quickly, and Teams is now one of the most feature-filled web conferencing options. Microsoft Teams allows for meetings of up to 250 participants but with the downside of only being able to show nine webcams at one time. Teams provides unlimited recording time for meetings and they can be instantly shared through Microsoft Stream afterwards. Meetings are fully interactive with chat, file sharing, screen sharing, and with additional apps that can provide full whiteboard functionality. Microsoft Teams allows users to install integrations, with categories like analytics, HR, project management apps to choose from, turning Teams into an ideal workplace tool. One such integration is in fact a Zoom app, so a Teams user can arrange a meeting with a Zoom user without any issues.
The impressive Teams apps are available for all the major platforms, including Linux, and mobile apps for Android and iOS. Users can get started with Microsoft Teams for free, although of course the free version doesn’t have all the features compared to the premium versions. However, Teams comes at a low price and can also be purchased as a part of a Microsoft bundle alongside other Office software.
Up against Microsoft Teams is Zoom, a solution that has become synonymous with web conferencing. Zoom has had a rapid rise since 2011 and has managed to overcome security concerns to remain the most popular web conferencing software. This is thanks to just how impressive the overall service is. Zoom allows for a huge number of attendees in any one meeting, and with the choice of displaying up to 49 cameras on screen at once – all at a high quality. One useful Zoom feature you don’t find in Microsoft Teams is the ability to create breakdown rooms. Breakdown rooms split conferences into separate smaller meetings – a really helpful way to encourage group discussions. You can then regroup to the original meeting to report back. Of course, one of features people most associate with Zoom is the dynamic backgrounds. By replacing your background with an image, Zoom provides users with a way of hiding any mess in your room or, more importantly for businesses, covering up any confidential information.
Like Microsoft Teams, Zoom has apps for all the major platforms, and a browser version. There’s a free Zoom version available too, although group meetings are restricted to 40 minutes only. Because of this for most users upgrading will be essential. Fortunately, the service is well-priced for what you get – costing roughly the same as Teams.
With all things considered, it’s difficult to decide between two of the best in the business. For a workplace environment, Microsoft Teams certainly has the edge. Thanks to the way it merges with the rest of the Microsoft Office software, it could become a virtual workplace environment. For larger web conferencing, Zoom is the clear victor – allowing up to 49 cameras on display at once, and far greater total attendees than Teams. For everyday usage too, Zoom is a much more simplified application, making it a superior choice for social meetings. Considering that both have free versions and that they can communicate with each other, the best solution may be to use both Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
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