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Software · head to head

Airbase vs Microsoft Teams

Airbase logo

Airbase

Software

The first all-in-one spend management platform

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Teams logo

Microsoft Teams

Software

Meet, chat, call, and collaborate in just one place

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Teams has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Airbase airbase was acquired by Paylocity; its pricing page now redirects to paylocity.com/pricing and the product is marketed as 'Airbase, a Paylocity Company' within Paylocity's HCM platform rather than as a standalone product.; Microsoft Teams resource-heavy application; slow to load and consumes significant CPU/memory compared to alternatives
  • They diverge on capability: Airbase covers Corporate cards, Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airbase and Microsoft Teams actually diverge.

Attributes where Airbase and Microsoft Teams differ
AttributeAirbaseMicrosoft Teams
Starting price$29/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Founded20171975

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Airbase

  • Corporate cards
  • Bill payments
  • Expense management
  • Procurement
  • Approvals
  • NetSuite
  • Sage Intacct
  • QuickBooks

Only in Microsoft Teams

  • Chat & channels
  • Video conferencing
  • Screen sharing
  • File collaboration
  • Office integration
  • Live events
  • Phone system
  • Apps & workflows

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Airbase

  • Spend managementnot Microsoft Teams
  • Expense reportingnot Microsoft Teams
  • Vendor paymentsnot Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams

  • Remote meetingsnot Airbase
  • Team collaborationnot Airbase
  • Document sharingnot Airbase
  • Project managementnot Airbase
  • Webinarsnot Airbase

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Airbase

  • Airbase was acquired by Paylocity; its pricing page now redirects to paylocity.com/pricing and the product is marketed as 'Airbase, a Paylocity Company' within Paylocity's HCM platform rather than as a standalone product.

Microsoft Teams

  • Resource-heavy application; slow to load and consumes significant CPU/memory compared to alternatives
  • Limited channel structure; maximum of 200 public and 30 private channels per team
  • Cannot invite guest users to specific channels; guest access grants full team visibility
  • Unable to chat during screen sharing; limits real-time collaborative communication
  • Limited customization options for branding and interface; cluttered UX compared to Slack
  • Channels cannot be moved between teams; requires manual replication for reorganization

Pricing, plan by plan

Airbase

$29/month
  • StandardFree
    • Corporate cards
    • Expense reports
    • Bill pay
  • Premium$10/month
    • Advanced approvals
    • NetSuite sync
    • Procurement
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom workflows
    • API access
    • Dedicated support

Microsoft Teams

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited chat
    • 100 participants in meetings
    • 5GB file storage
  • Microsoft Teams Essentials$4/month
    • 300 participants in meetings
    • 10GB cloud storage
    • Phone & web support
  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic$6/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • 1TB OneDrive storage
    • Web & mobile Office apps
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard$12.5/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Desktop Office apps
    • Webinar hosting

Which should you pick?

Choose Airbase if

  • You need corporate cards.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want bill payments.
Airbase review

Choose Microsoft Teams if

  • You need chat & channels.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want video conferencing.
Microsoft Teams review

Questions people ask

Is Airbase or Microsoft Teams better?
Neither clearly leads. Airbase starts at $29/month and Microsoft Teams at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airbase or Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Airbase and Free for Microsoft Teams.
Does Airbase or Microsoft Teams run on more platforms?
Airbase runs on Web, Ios, Android. Microsoft Teams runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
Can I use Microsoft Teams for free?
Yes. Microsoft Teams has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Airbase starts at $29/month.
What is Airbase best used for?
Airbase is most often used for spend management, expense reporting, vendor payments. Of those, spend management and expense reporting are not what Microsoft Teams is typically brought in for.
What can Airbase do that Microsoft Teams cannot?
Airbase covers Corporate cards, Bill payments, Expense management, Procurement. Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Video conferencing, Screen sharing, File collaboration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Microsoft Teams: Does Microsoft Teams have a free tier?

Yes. Microsoft Teams offers a free Home tier with unlimited chat, 60-minute group meetings for up to 100 people, 5GB cloud storage, and basic file sharing, though limits are restrictive for growing teams.

Source
Microsoft Teams: What are Microsoft Teams' paid plans?

Microsoft Teams Essentials costs $4/user/month (chat, calling, meetings, 10GB storage). Microsoft 365 Business Basic costs $7/user/month (includes desktop Office apps, 1TB storage). Premium plans with Copilot start at $23.50/user/month.

Source
Microsoft Teams: What are Microsoft Teams' primary features?

Teams provides real-time chat, video and voice calling, meetings with up to 300 participants, file sharing and storage integration with OneDrive, recording and transcripts, and deep integration with Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Microsoft Teams: What integrations does Teams support?

Microsoft Teams integrates with calendar apps (Outlook, Google Calendar), project management tools (Trello), and works with Zapier for custom workflow automation. Teams also has native connectors to many Microsoft 365 apps and third-party services.

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Related pages

More on Airbase

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