Zoom vs Microsoft Teams
Written by Connor Blake ·
Edited by Sebastiaan Smits ·
Fact-checked by Mateus Rocha ·
Published September 30, 2026 · Updated September 30, 2026
Zoom is a meetings product first, strongest when the other party is outside your company. Microsoft Teams is a workplace hub inside Microsoft 365 where meetings sit next to chat, files and phone. Firms whose calendar is full of client and partner calls tend toward Zoom; firms on Microsoft 365 whose meetings are mostly internal should already be using Teams.
Side by side
 Zoom |  Microsoft Teams | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Market-leading meetings platform grown into a work suite | Meetings, chat and calling inside Microsoft 365 |
| Best for | External-facing teams of any size | Microsoft 365 organizations |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Pricing model | Per user / month | Per user / month |
| Pricing | Per user per month on published tiers, with a free plan capped at 40 minutes per meeting; webinars, rooms, phone and larger meetings are add-ons. | Included in many Microsoft 365 business plans or sold as Teams Essentials per user per month; phone, rooms and Copilot are extra. |
| Free option | Free plan | Free trial |
| Place in our video conferencing software ranking | #4 of 14 | #5 of 14 |
| Website | zoom.com | microsoft.com |
Both are reviewed in full in Best Video Conferencing Software in 2026. Position in that ranking can be paid for; the wording of a review or of this comparison cannot. Placement disclosure.
Which one to choose
Choose Zoom if
most of your meetings involve clients, candidates or partners, you run large external events, and you are not committed to the Microsoft 365 way of working.
Zoom, #4 in the ranking · Visit Zoom →
Choose Microsoft Teams if
your company runs on Microsoft 365, meetings are mainly internal, and you want recordings, chat, files and retention rules governed in one place.
Microsoft Teams, #5 in the ranking · Visit Microsoft Teams →
Where they differ
Meeting people outside the organization
Zoom is what most outsiders expect when an invitation arrives, and its quality on poor connections is excellent, even if the desktop app nudges guests to install. Teams guests often hit sign-in prompts and browser limitations, and the client confuses occasional users. For client-facing work, Zoom causes fewer lost first minutes.
Edge: Zoom
Meetings as part of daily work
Teams ties meetings to Outlook calendars, persistent team chat, SharePoint and OneDrive files and Teams Phone, with retention and compliance policies set centrally. Zoom now sells chat, phone and docs too, but for a Microsoft 365 customer those duplicate tools already owned. As an internal hub for a Microsoft shop, Teams is the clear choice.
Edge: Microsoft Teams
The add-on bill
Zoom charges per user and includes AI Companion summaries on paid plans, then adds webinars, large meetings, cloud storage, rooms and phone. Teams is included in many Microsoft 365 business plans or sold as Teams Essentials, with Copilot, Teams Phone, Teams Premium and room licenses each extra. Both headline prices understate the total; the cheaper one depends on what you already license.
Edge: even
Webinars and big external events
Zoom's webinar and events products are mature and its large meetings dependable. Teams offers webinars and town halls, but its meeting features can lag Zoom's in large external events, and external guests often struggle with its sign-in prompts. For a public-facing event program, Zoom is the safer platform.
Edge: Zoom
Tally: Zoom 2, Microsoft Teams 1, even 1.
When neither fits
A company on Google Workspace needs neither: Google Meet is already included and joins from the browser. A small client-facing business that wants only simple calls with no download or account for guests is better served by Whereby.
See Google Meet and Whereby among the 14 products in Best Video Conferencing Software in 2026.
Questions and answers
Should a Microsoft 365 company pay for Zoom on top of Teams?
Usually not if meetings are mainly internal, because Teams is likely already licensed and tied to chat, files and retention policies. A second platform earns its cost when external guests struggle with Teams or when you run large external events.
Is Zoom or Microsoft Teams better for client meetings?
Zoom, on the data we hold. Outsiders expect it and its call quality on weak networks is excellent. Teams guests frequently run into sign-in prompts and browser limitations. Zoom's desktop app does push guests toward an install, so check that with your own clients.
Are AI summaries included in Zoom and Microsoft Teams?
In Zoom, AI Companion summaries and follow-ups are included on paid plans. In Teams, summaries and meeting recaps come from Copilot for licensed users, and Copilot is an extra cost. Budget for that difference if AI notes are a requirement.