Zoom vs Microsoft Teams (2025): Which Video Conferencing Tool Is Better?

The battle between Zoom and Microsoft Teams is one of the most debated topics in remote work. Both platforms dominate the video conferencing market, but they take fundamentally different approaches to collaboration.

After using both extensively with real teams, here’s our honest breakdown of which tool wins — and for whom.

Quick Comparison#

Zoom Overview#

Zoom is purpose-built for video meetings. It does one thing — video conferencing — and does it exceptionally well. Features like AI Companion, advanced screen sharing, and webinar capabilities make it the professional’s choice for video-first communication.

Zoom Strengths#

• Superior video and audio quality — Zoom consistently delivers clearer video with less lag
• Better for webinars — Supports up to 50,000 view-only attendees with specialized webinar tools
• Easier to use — Simpler interface with less clutter than Teams
• AI Companion included — Meeting summaries and action items at no extra cost
• Better breakout room management — More intuitive controls for facilitators
• Works for external meetings — No account required for participants

Zoom Weaknesses#

• No team chat — Zoom Chat exists but is barely competitive with Slack or Teams
• Limited file sharing — Not designed for document collaboration
• 40-minute free limit — More restrictive than Teams’ 60 minutes
• Additional cost — Separate subscription on top of other tools
• Weaker integrations with productivity apps compared to Teams + Microsoft 365

Microsoft Teams Overview#

Teams is an all-in-one collaboration platform that combines video meetings, persistent chat, file sharing, and deep Office 365 integration. It’s a complete workspace, not just a meeting tool.

Teams Strengths#

• All-in-one platform — Chat, meetings, files, and apps in one place
• Included with Microsoft 365 — No additional cost if you already use Office
• Better team chat — Persistent channels and threads rival Slack
• Superior file collaboration — Native SharePoint/OneDrive integration
• More meeting participants — 300 on standard plans vs Zoom’s 100
• 60-minute free meetings — More generous than Zoom’s 40 minutes
• Deeper productivity integration — Word, Excel, PowerPoint collaboration built-in

Teams Weaknesses#

• Video quality slightly worse — More compression artifacts and lag than Zoom
• More complex interface — Steeper learning curve with cluttered UI
• Requires Microsoft account — Participants need accounts for full functionality
• AI costs extra — Copilot is $30/user/month on top of Microsoft 365
• Overkill for simple meetings — If you just need video, Teams is bloated

Feature Deep Dive#

Video and Audio Quality#

Winner: Zoom

This is Zoom’s core advantage. In side-by-side tests, Zoom delivers:

• Sharper video with less pixelation
• Better audio processing and noise cancellation
• Fewer frozen screens and dropped connections
• More reliable on poor internet connections

Teams’ video quality is acceptable, but if HD video is critical — for client presentations, webinars, or video podcasts — Zoom wins clearly.

Team Chat and Collaboration#

Winner: Microsoft Teams

Teams’ chat functionality is mature and feature-rich:

• Persistent channels organized by topic
• Threaded conversations keep discussions organized
• @mentions and notifications that actually work well
• Rich formatting with code blocks and markdown
• Deep search across all messages and files

Zoom Chat feels like an afterthought. It’s functional for quick messages during meetings but can’t replace Slack or Teams for ongoing team communication.

File Sharing and Document Collaboration#

Winner: Microsoft Teams

Teams integrates natively with SharePoint and OneDrive:

• Share files that sync automatically
• Co-edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in real-time
• Version history and document management
• Organized file storage by channel

Zoom has basic file sharing, but it’s clearly not designed for document collaboration. You’ll still need Google Drive, Dropbox, or SharePoint separately.

Screen Sharing#

Winner: Zoom

Zoom’s screen sharing is more advanced:

• Multiple simultaneous shares — Several people can share at once
• Advanced sharing options — Share specific apps, second camera, or iPhone screen
• Remote control — More reliable than Teams
• Optimized for video/audio — Better for sharing video content

Teams’ screen sharing works fine for basic demos, but Zoom’s flexibility and quality give it the edge for professional presentations.

Breakout Rooms#

Winner: Tie

Both platforms offer up to 50 breakout rooms with similar features. Zoom’s interface is slightly more intuitive for hosts, but the functionality is essentially equal. Both are excellent for workshops and training.

Recording and Transcription#

Winner: Zoom

Zoom includes:

• Cloud recording on all paid plans (5GB+)
• Automatic transcription with 85-90% accuracy
• AI-generated meeting summaries and action items
• Separate audio tracks for each speaker

Teams offers cloud recording to OneDrive, but transcription quality lags behind Zoom’s, and you need the $30/month Copilot add-on for AI summaries.

Integrations#

Winner: It depends

• Zoom integrates with 1,500+ third-party apps via marketplace — great if you use diverse tools
• Teams offers unbeatable Microsoft 365 integration — perfect if you live in the Microsoft ecosystem

If you’re a Microsoft shop, Teams’ native integration wins. If you use Slack, Asana, Salesforce, etc., Zoom’s broader marketplace is better.

Mobile Apps#

Winner: Tie

Both offer excellent mobile apps for iOS and Android. Zoom’s is slightly simpler, while Teams’ includes more features (chat, files). For meetings-only, Zoom edges ahead. For full mobile workspace, Teams wins.

Pricing Comparison#

Zoom Pricing#

Note: Pricing is per host (meeting organizer), not per participant.

Microsoft Teams Pricing#

Note: Teams pricing is per user, and includes Office apps, email, and cloud storage.

Value Analysis#

Winner: Microsoft Teams — if you need the full Microsoft 365 suite. At $12.50/user/month, you get Teams plus Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, and SharePoint.

Winner: Zoom — if you only need video conferencing. At $14.99/host/month for unlimited meetings, it’s simpler and potentially cheaper for small teams (only hosts pay).

Which Should You Choose?#

Choose Zoom If:#

• Video quality is your top priority
• You host webinars or large public events
• You need best-in-class recording and AI meeting summaries
• You already use Slack or another chat platform
• You work with clients/customers who don’t have Microsoft accounts
• You’re a consultant, coach, or educator hosting external meetings
• Your team is 1-10 people focused on video communication

Choose Microsoft Teams If:#

• You already use Microsoft 365 for Office apps
• You need an all-in-one platform (chat + meetings + files)
• Team collaboration is as important as video meetings
• Your company is heavily invested in Microsoft ecosystem
• You want one unified platform instead of multiple tools
• You need deep document co-editing and SharePoint integration
• Your team is 10+ people needing comprehensive collaboration

Can You Use Both?#

Yes, and some companies do. A common setup:

• Microsoft Teams for team chat, file sharing, and internal collaboration
• Zoom for client meetings, webinars, and important video calls

This “best of both worlds” approach costs more but maximizes strengths of each platform.

Zoom Pros and Cons#

Microsoft Teams Pros and Cons#

Our Bottom Line#

There’s no universal winner — it depends on your needs.

For most small businesses and remote teams already using Microsoft 365, Teams makes more sense. You’re already paying for it, and the all-in-one collaboration beats managing multiple tools.

For consultants, coaches, educators, and video-focused professionals, Zoom’s superior quality and AI features justify the standalone cost.

For larger enterprises, many run both: Teams for internal collaboration, Zoom for external meetings and webinars.

If forced to pick one for a generic remote team of 10-50 people, we’d choose Microsoft Teams for the better overall value — but we’d miss Zoom’s video quality.

FAQ#