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Software · head to head

Microsoft Teams vs Zoom Webinar

Microsoft Teams logo

Microsoft Teams

Software

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoom Webinar logo

Zoom Webinar

Software

Professional video conferencing and webinar hosting

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Teams resource-heavy application; slow to load and consumes significant CPU/memory compared to alternatives; Zoom Webinar free tier capped at 40 minutes per meeting with up to 100 participants
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Zoom Webinar covers HD video conferencing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Teams and Zoom Webinar actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Teams and Zoom Webinar differ
AttributeMicrosoft TeamsZoom Webinar
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidDesktop, Mobile, Tablet
Founded19752011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Microsoft Teams

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

Only in Zoom Webinar

  • HD video conferencing
  • Recording
  • Chat
  • Breakout rooms
  • Salesforce
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Google Workspace

Both cover

  • Screen sharing

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Teams

  • Remote meetingsnot Zoom Webinar
  • Team collaborationnot Zoom Webinar
  • Document sharingnot Zoom Webinar
  • Project managementnot Zoom Webinar
  • Webinarsnot Zoom Webinar

Zoom Webinar

  • Large-scale webinars up to 1,000 participants on Enterprise tiernot Microsoft Teams
  • Professional organisations needing end-to-end encryption and customer-managed keysnot Microsoft Teams
  • Hybrid work environments with integrated PBX phone servicenot 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

Zoom Webinar

  • Free tier capped at 40 minutes per meeting with up to 100 participants
  • Free tier lacks cloud storage and advanced AI Companion features
  • Higher tiers require commitments to larger participant counts (Business: 300, Enterprise: 1000)

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

Zoom Webinar

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zoom Webinar 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 Zoom Webinar if

  • You need hd video conferencing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Desktop, Mobile, Tablet.
  • You also want recording.
Zoom Webinar review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Teams or Zoom Webinar better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Teams starts at Free and Zoom Webinar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Teams or Zoom Webinar?
Microsoft Teams starts at Free and Zoom Webinar at Free.
Does Microsoft Teams or Zoom Webinar run on more platforms?
Microsoft Teams runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Zoom Webinar runs on Desktop, Mobile, Tablet.
Can I use Microsoft Teams for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Zoom Webinar is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Teams do that Zoom Webinar cannot?
Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Video conferencing, File collaboration, Office integration. Zoom Webinar covers HD video conferencing, Recording, Chat, Breakout rooms. Both handle Screen sharing.

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 Zoom Webinar

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