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Microsoft Teams vs RingCentral Video

Microsoft Teams logo

Microsoft Teams

Software

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RingCentral Video logo

RingCentral Video

Software

Connected cloud communications

From
$19.99/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; RingCentral Video unlimited calling is limited to the US and Canada markets; other international calls are charged per minute at the published international rates table
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, RingCentral Video covers HD video conferencing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Teams and RingCentral Video actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Teams and RingCentral Video differ
AttributeMicrosoft TeamsRingCentral Video
Starting priceFree$19.99/month
Free tierYesNo
Founded19751999

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android), 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 Microsoft Teams

  • Chat & channels
  • Video conferencing
  • File collaboration
  • Office integration
  • Live events
  • Phone system
  • Apps & workflows
  • Office 365

Only in RingCentral Video

  • HD video conferencing
  • Voice and video calling
  • Virtual backgrounds
  • Recording and transcription
  • Chat and messaging
  • Calendar integration
  • Meeting attendee controls
  • Microsoft 365

Both cover

  • Screen sharing
  • Outlook
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Teams

  • Remote meetingsnot RingCentral Video
  • Team collaborationnot RingCentral Video
  • Document sharingnot RingCentral Video
  • Project managementnot RingCentral Video
  • Webinarsnot RingCentral Video

RingCentral Video

  • Cloud business phone system with video meetings and team messagingnot Microsoft Teams
  • Replacing on-premise PBX hardware for distributed teamsnot Microsoft Teams

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

RingCentral Video

  • Unlimited calling is limited to the US and Canada markets; other international calls are charged per minute at the published international rates table
  • The free trial is only for new subscribers and is capped at five users and two desktop phones, with SMS unavailable during the trial
  • Trial hardware must be returned within 21 days of trial cancellation to avoid hardware charges
  • Phone rental is available only with a multi-year contract
  • Automated, high volume or marketing SMS costs extra as RingCentral High Volume SMS, and TCR registration is required for SMS and MMS
  • A Mobile User extension is free to add but is billed at the same monthly rate as a Digital Line in any month it is used to make or receive a call
  • The Webinar 500 discount lasts one year on a one year commitment, after which pricing reverts to $75 per host per month or the then current retail price
  • Taxes and recovery fees including the Federal Universal Service Recovery Fee, E911 Service Fee and Compliance and Administrative Cost Recovery Fee are added on top
  • The advertised savings of up to 33% require paying annually

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

RingCentral Video

$19.99/month
  • Essentials$19.99/month
    • Video meetings
    • Phone service
    • Text messaging
  • Standard$27.99/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Advanced meeting controls
    • Call recording
  • Premium$34.99/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Advanced security features
    • Compliance recording
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • Custom deployment
    • Dedicated account manager

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 RingCentral Video if

  • You need hd video conferencing.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want voice and video calling.
RingCentral Video review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Teams or RingCentral Video better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Teams starts at Free and RingCentral Video at $19.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Teams or RingCentral Video?
Microsoft Teams has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Teams and $19.99/month for RingCentral Video.
Does Microsoft Teams or RingCentral Video run on more platforms?
Microsoft Teams runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. RingCentral Video 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. RingCentral Video starts at $19.99/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 RingCentral Video is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Teams do that RingCentral Video cannot?
Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Video conferencing, File collaboration, Office integration. RingCentral Video covers HD video conferencing, Voice and video calling, Virtual backgrounds, Recording and transcription. Both handle Screen sharing, Outlook, 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

More on Microsoft Teams

More on RingCentral Video

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