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Microsoft Teams vs Salesforce Service Cloud

Microsoft Teams logo

Microsoft Teams

All industries

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Salesforce Service Cloud logo

Salesforce Service Cloud

Customer Support

Customer service software that powers loyalty

From
$25/month
Rated
-

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 Service Cloud the vendor's own pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 29 December 2021 listed four Service Cloud tiers billed annually per user per month in USD: $25, $75, $150 (Enterprise, marked most popular), and $300; add-ons such as Omni-Channel Supervisor cost an additional $75 per user per month and Google Apps/Outlook integration an additional $25 per user per month on lower tiers
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Salesforce Service Cloud covers Case management.

Where they differ

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

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

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Salesforce Service Cloud

  • Case management
  • Omnichannel routing
  • AI-powered bots
  • Field service
  • Self-service
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce CRM
  • Slack

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • ISO27001
  • HIPAA
  • FedRAMP

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Teams

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

Salesforce Service Cloud

  • Enterprise customer servicenot Microsoft Teams
  • Field servicenot Microsoft Teams
  • Self-service portalsnot Microsoft Teams
  • AI-powered supportnot 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 Service Cloud

  • The vendor's own pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 29 December 2021 listed four Service Cloud tiers billed annually per user per month in USD: $25, $75, $150 (Enterprise, marked most popular), and $300; add-ons such as Omni-Channel Supervisor cost an additional $75 per user per month and Google Apps/Outlook integration an additional $25 per user per month on lower tiers

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 Service Cloud

$25/month
  • Essentials$25/month
    • Case management
    • Knowledge base
    • Web & email support
  • Professional$80/month
    • CTI
    • Omni-channel routing
    • Custom reports
  • Enterprise$165/month
    • Web API
    • Einstein AI
    • Workflow automation
  • Unlimited$330/month
    • 24/7 support
    • Configuration services
    • Premier success

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.

Choose Salesforce Service Cloud if

  • You need case management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want omnichannel routing.

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Teams or Salesforce Service Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Teams starts at Free and Salesforce Service Cloud 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 Service Cloud?
Microsoft Teams has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Teams and $25/month for Salesforce Service Cloud.
Does Microsoft Teams or Salesforce Service Cloud run on more platforms?
Microsoft Teams runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Salesforce Service Cloud runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Microsoft Teams for free?
Yes. Microsoft Teams has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Salesforce Service Cloud 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 Service Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Teams do that Salesforce Service Cloud cannot?
Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Video conferencing, Screen sharing, File collaboration. Salesforce Service Cloud covers Case management, Omnichannel routing, AI-powered bots, Field service. Both handle SOC2, ISO27001, HIPAA, FedRAMP.

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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