Zoom Workplace vs Microsoft Teams (2026): features, security and which one to buy
Zoom Workplace and Microsoft Teams compared on what they do, who they suit, their key features, pros and cons, and what each vendor publishes on security, admin and contract terms, with every fact checked on October 24, 2026.
Zoom Workplace or Microsoft Teams: the short answer
Choose Zoom Workplace if
- Teams whose main need is reliable video meetings with chat attached.
- Companies that want recording and AI summaries on every paid seat.
Choose Microsoft Teams if
- Organizations already on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID.
- Small businesses wanting meetings for up to 300 people at about $4/user/month.
What are Zoom Workplace and Microsoft Teams?
Zoom Workplace
Video meetings platform that bundles team chat, whiteboard and AI note-taking into per-user Pro and Business plans. Pick this when meetings are the daily core and chat is a bonus on the same seat. Plans differ mainly by meeting size, from 100 to 1,000 attendees. Admins can point security reviewers to the trust center, but test how channels and threads feel before dropping a chat-first tool.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft's chat, meetings and calling app, sold standalone as Teams Essentials or bundled in Microsoft 365 plans. IT admins in Microsoft 365 shops get Entra ID sign-in and Exchange-based chat storage without a separate vendor review. Small firms can buy Teams Essentials at $4.00 per user monthly, billed yearly. Run a pilot on typical laptops, as reviewers report slow, heavy clients.
Zoom Workplace vs Microsoft Teams: features compared
| Zoom Workplace | Microsoft Teams | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Video meetings platform that bundles team chat, whiteboard and AI note-taking into per-user Pro and Business plans. | Microsoft's chat, meetings and calling app, sold standalone as Teams Essentials or bundled in Microsoft 365 plans. |
| Best for | Teams whose main need is reliable video meetings with chat attached. | Organizations already on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID. |
| Company size | Small business to enterprise. | Small businesses (Essentials, Business) to enterprises (E3/E5) |
| Channels and threading | Team Chat with channels and threads (not confirmed by the vendor in detail) | Standard, private and shared channels; up to 1,000 channels per team; teams up to 25,000 members. |
| Built-in video and huddles | Native Zoom Meetings: 100 to 1,000 participants depending on plan. | Calls from chat up to 20 people; meetings up to 300 people on Essentials and Business plans, up to 1,000 on enterprise plans. |
| Search and message history limits | Not published | Chat stored in Exchange Online mailboxes; admin search and hold needs Exchange Online mailbox. |
| App integrations and bots | Not published | Teams apps available on Business and Enterprise plans; Loop integrations. |
| Guest and external access | Not published | Shared channels support external participants with Entra work or school accounts only. |
| Security and admin controls | Trust center lists SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP Moderate, PCI DSS. | Built on Entra ID and Microsoft 365 compliance; certification list not confirmed by the vendor. |
| Participant and meeting length limits | Basic 100 and 40 min; Pro 100; Business 300; Enterprise up to 1,000; 30 hour max on paid plans. | 300 on Essentials and Business plans; 1,000 on F1/F3/E3/E5 and similar; breakout rooms only up to 1,000 attendees; meetings and events capped at 30 hours. |
| Recording and AI transcription | Local recording on Basic; 10 GB cloud per license on Pro and Business; unlimited cloud on Enterprise; AI summaries unlimited on paid plans. | Recording max 4 hours or 1.5 GB, then restarts; recordings not uploaded stay downloadable 20 days. |
| Calendar and chat integrations | Not published | Tight Outlook and SharePoint integration; files stored in SharePoint (up to 250 GB per file) |
| Webinars and large events | Webinars and Large Meetings are paid add-ons (prices not published on the plans page) | Webinars and town halls (Teams events) available on Business plans; webinars/events on Business Standard and Premium per footnote. |
| Meeting room and hardware support | Not published | Teams Rooms licensed separately. |
| Free plan or trial | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starting price | $14.16 per user/month billed annually (Pro); $16.99 billed monthly | $4.00/user/month paid yearly (Teams Essentials) |
| G2 rating | 4.5 (56,500 reviews) | 4.4 (19,192 reviews) |
Pros and cons
Zoom Workplace
Pros
- Good video quality and easy screen sharing.
- Simple scheduling and joining.
Cons
- Feature set seen as limited versus suites.
- Connectivity issues and meeting fatigue.
Microsoft Teams
Pros
- Easy to use, strong file sharing and communication features.
- Tight fit with Microsoft 365.
Cons
- Performance issues and heavy resource use.
- Complicated interface, slow loading.
Zoom Workplace vs Microsoft Teams pricing
For 20 users on the cheapest plan that fits, Microsoft Teams costs $960 a year and Zoom Workplace $3,398 at list price, a difference of $2,438.
| Zoom Workplace | Microsoft Teams | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | per user | per user, bundled in Microsoft 365 or standalone |
| Per seat per month | $18.33 (Business, billed annually); $14.16 on Pro. | $4.00 (Teams Essentials, paid yearly); $7.00 Business Basic paid yearly. |
| Billing | Monthly and annual. | Annual commitment for list prices; monthly billing priced higher on Business Basic. |
| 20 users per year | $3,398 (Pro) | $960 (Teams Essentials) |
| Add-ons | Large Meeting (1,000 participants), price not published; Webinars, price not published on plans page. | Teams Phone and calling plans, audio conferencing, Teams Premium, Teams Rooms: separate licenses, prices not listed here. |
Security, admin and contract: Zoom Workplace vs Microsoft Teams
What each vendor states publicly about single sign-on, provisioning, audit logs, data location and the contract. A blank is a question for the sales call, not a no.
| Zoom Workplace | Microsoft Teams | |
|---|---|---|
| SAML SSO | Not published | Via Microsoft Entra ID, included with the Microsoft 365 tenant (plan-level detail not confirmed by the vendor) |
| Contract | Monthly or annual; quarterly and multi-year prepaid via sales. | Annual subscription; monthly billing option on Business Basic at higher price. |
Differences most comparisons miss
Worth knowing about Zoom Workplace
- Free Basic caps meetings at 40 minutes; paid plans allow 30 hours.
- Cloud recording is only 10 GB per license on Pro and Business.
- Webinars and Large Meetings (1,000 participants) are separate paid add-ons.
- Nonprofits get 50% off Pro, Business and add-ons when verified.
Worth knowing about Microsoft Teams
- Teams Essentials ($4/user/month) is cheaper than Business Basic ($7) but does not include the rest of Microsoft 365 apps.
- Meeting cap is 300 people on Essentials and Business plans, 1,000 on enterprise plans.
- Teams live events retired June 30, 2026; events scheduled earlier run until Feb 28, 2027.
- Admin chat search and legal hold need users to have Exchange Online mailboxes.
Zoom Workplace vs Microsoft Teams: frequently asked questions
Which is better, Zoom Workplace or Microsoft Teams?
It depends on the team. Zoom Workplace is the stronger pick for teams whose main need is reliable video meetings with chat attached, while Microsoft Teams suits organizations already on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID. Compare the feature rows above against your must-haves before you look at price.
Do Zoom Workplace and Microsoft Teams support SAML single sign-on?
Zoom Workplace: not stated on its public pages. Microsoft Teams: via Microsoft Entra ID, included with the Microsoft 365 tenant (plan-level detail not confirmed by the vendor). Confirm the plan in writing before you compare prices.
Is Microsoft Teams cheaper than Zoom Workplace?
At list price for 20 users on the cheapest plan that fits, Microsoft Teams costs $960 a year and Zoom Workplace $3,398. Add-ons, higher tiers and annual versus monthly billing can change that order.
Can I try Zoom Workplace and Microsoft Teams for free?
Zoom Workplace: free plan. Microsoft Teams: free plan.
Sources
Both columns use the same sources: vendor pricing and product pages, documentation, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Full source lists are on the Zoom Workplace and Microsoft Teams reviews.