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Microsoft Teams vs Namely

Microsoft Teams logo

Microsoft Teams

All industries

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Namely logo

Namely

Payroll & Benefits

The HR platform that employees love

From
$18/employee/month
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: Microsoft Teams resource-heavy application; slow to load and consumes significant CPU/memory compared to alternatives; Namely limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Namely covers HR Management.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Teams and Namely differ
AttributeMicrosoft TeamsNamely
Starting priceFree$18/employee/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryAll industriesPayroll & Benefits
Founded19752012

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Microsoft Teams

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

Only in Namely

  • HR Management
  • Payroll
  • Benefits Administration
  • Time Off Management
  • Performance Management
  • Onboarding
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Teams

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

Namely

No use cases recorded yet. See the Namely review.

Where each one falls short

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

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

Namely

  • Limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions
  • Payroll limitations: better served for less complex organizations and struggles with complex time-and-attendance or multi-FEIN scenarios
  • Missing ATS and surveys: lacks built-in applicant tracking system and pulse survey capabilities
  • Slow support response times: pod-based support model has led to slow response times for customers
  • Designed for specific market segment: best fit is mid-sized companies with 50-350 employees

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Namely

$18/employee/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Namely review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Namely if

  • You need hr management.
  • You also want payroll.
Namely review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Teams or Namely better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Teams starts at Free and Namely at $18/employee/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Teams or Namely?
Microsoft Teams has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Teams and $18/employee/month for Namely.
Does Microsoft Teams or Namely run on more platforms?
Microsoft Teams runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Namely runs on Web.
Can I use Microsoft Teams for free?
Yes. Microsoft Teams has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Namely starts at $18/employee/month.
What is Microsoft Teams best used for?
Microsoft Teams is most often used for remote meetings, team collaboration, document sharing, project management. Of those, remote meetings and team collaboration are not what Namely is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Teams do that Namely cannot?
Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Video conferencing, Screen sharing, File collaboration. Namely covers HR Management, Payroll, Benefits Administration, Time Off Management.

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
Namely: Does Namely support global payroll?

Namely primarily focuses on mid-sized US-based companies with 50-350 employees. While it can handle complex payroll scenarios, it is better served for less complex organizations and does not have extensive global payroll capabilities compared to enterprise platforms.

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
Namely: What is included in Namely's Premium pricing?

Premium plans cost $18-24 per employee per month plus implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs. Plans include payroll, HR, benefits administration, time management, and talent management features.

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).

Namely: Does Namely include performance management features?

Yes, Namely offers customizable performance review modules enabling dynamic, ongoing feedback rather than traditional annual-only reviews. This is one of Namely's standout features.

Source
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.

Namely: How long does Namely implementation typically take?

Namely is designed for mid-sized companies and implementation timelines vary based on complexity. The platform includes implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs in addition to monthly per-employee pricing.

Source
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Related pages

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