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Software · head to head

Microsoft Teams vs Salesforce

Microsoft Teams logo

Microsoft Teams

Software

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salesforce logo

Salesforce

Software

World's #1 CRM

From
$25/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; Salesforce sales Cloud tiers as captured 2 January 2024: Starter Suite $25/user/month, Professional $80/user/month, Enterprise $165/user/month, all USD billed annually
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Salesforce covers Contact management.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Teams and Salesforce differ
AttributeMicrosoft TeamsSalesforce
Starting priceFree$25/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded19751999

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 Microsoft Teams

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

Only in Salesforce

  • Contact management
  • Opportunity management
  • Lead management
  • Reports & dashboards
  • Email integration
  • Workflow automation
  • Mobile access
  • AppExchange

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • ISO27001
  • HIPAA

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Teams

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

Salesforce

  • Sales managementnot Microsoft Teams
  • Customer servicenot Microsoft Teams
  • Marketing automationnot Microsoft Teams
  • Lead generationnot Microsoft Teams
  • Analytics & reportingnot 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

Salesforce

  • Sales Cloud tiers as captured 2 January 2024: Starter Suite $25/user/month, Professional $80/user/month, Enterprise $165/user/month, all USD billed 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

Salesforce

$25/month
  • Essentials$25/month
    • Account & contact management
    • Opportunity tracking
    • Lead management
  • Professional$80/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Complete CRM
    • Lead scoring
  • Enterprise$165/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Workflow automation
    • Advanced analytics
  • Unlimited$330/month
    • Everything in Enterprise
    • Unlimited customizations
    • 24/7 support

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 Salesforce if

  • You need contact management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want opportunity management.
Salesforce review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Teams or Salesforce better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Teams starts at Free and Salesforce at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Teams or Salesforce?
Microsoft Teams has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Teams and $25/month for Salesforce.
Does Microsoft Teams or Salesforce run on more platforms?
Microsoft Teams runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Salesforce runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Microsoft Teams for free?
Yes. Microsoft Teams has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Salesforce starts at $25/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 Salesforce is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Teams do that Salesforce cannot?
Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Video conferencing, Screen sharing, File collaboration. Salesforce covers Contact management, Opportunity management, Lead management, Reports & dashboards. Both handle SOC2, ISO27001, HIPAA.

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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