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Software · head to head

Lark vs Microsoft Teams

Lark logo

Lark

Software

The super app for team collaboration

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: Lark lark's own pricing page description states it offers a free starter pack, a Pro plan, and an Enterprise plan, and directs buyers to Contact us rather than publishing Pro/Enterprise figures on the rendered page.; Microsoft Teams resource-heavy application; slow to load and consumes significant CPU/memory compared to alternatives
  • They diverge on capability: Lark covers Team messaging, Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Lark and Microsoft Teams differ
AttributeLarkMicrosoft Teams
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, AndroidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Founded20191975

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), 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 Lark

  • Team messaging
  • Collaborative docs
  • Cloud storage
  • Calendar
  • Jira
  • GitHub
  • Salesforce
  • Google Workspace

Only in Microsoft Teams

  • Chat & channels
  • Screen sharing
  • File collaboration
  • Office integration
  • Live events
  • Phone system
  • Apps & workflows
  • Office 365

Both cover

  • Video conferencing
  • ISO27001
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Lark

  • Team communicationnot Microsoft Teams
  • Document collaborationnot Microsoft Teams
  • Project management
  • Company intranetnot Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams

  • Remote meetingsnot Lark
  • Team collaborationnot Lark
  • Document sharingnot Lark
  • Project management
  • Webinarsnot Lark

Both are used for project management, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Lark

  • Lark's own pricing page description states it offers a free starter pack, a Pro plan, and an Enterprise plan, and directs buyers to Contact us rather than publishing Pro/Enterprise figures on the rendered page.

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

Lark

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Up to 50 users
    • 100GB storage
    • Unlimited messaging
  • Pro$12/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 1TB storage per user
    • 24-hour meetings
  • Enterprise$20/month
    • SSO/SAML
    • eDiscovery
    • Custom retention

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 Lark if

  • You need team messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want collaborative docs.
Lark 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 screen sharing.
Microsoft Teams review

Questions people ask

Is Lark or Microsoft Teams better?
Neither clearly leads. Lark starts at Free and Microsoft Teams at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lark or Microsoft Teams?
Lark starts at Free and Microsoft Teams at Free.
Does Lark or Microsoft Teams run on more platforms?
Lark runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android. Microsoft Teams runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
Can I use Lark for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lark best used for?
Lark is most often used for team communication, document collaboration, project management, company intranet. Of those, team communication and document collaboration are not what Microsoft Teams is typically brought in for.
What can Lark do that Microsoft Teams cannot?
Lark covers Team messaging, Collaborative docs, Cloud storage, Calendar. Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Screen sharing, File collaboration, Office integration. Both handle Video conferencing, ISO27001, SOC2.

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

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