All industries · head to head
Zoom vs Cisco Webex
Zoom
All industries
Video conferencing that's easy, reliable, and secure
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Cisco Webex
Webinar & Virtual Events
The leading enterprise video conferencing platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Zoom cost creep from add-ons increases pricing from $14/user to $25+/user when including Phone and advanced features; Cisco Webex listed on UK G-Cloud at £6 per user per month for Cisco Webex, via reseller Conscia Group UK Ltd (ITGL)
- They diverge on capability: Zoom covers HD video & audio, Cisco Webex covers HD video.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Zoom and Cisco Webex actually diverge.
| Attribute | Zoom | Cisco Webex |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS | Web, Desktop Mac, Desktop Windows, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android |
| Category | All industries | Webinar & Virtual Events |
| Founded | 2011 | 1984 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Zoom
- HD video & audio
- Recording & transcripts
- Breakout rooms
- Polling & Q&A
- Chat
- Whiteboard
- HubSpot
- Dropbox
Only in Cisco Webex
- HD video
- Recording
- Transcription
- Web support
- Desktop Mac support
- Desktop Windows support
- Mobile iOS support
- Mobile Android support
Both cover
- Screen sharing
- Virtual backgrounds
- Slack
- Microsoft Teams
- Google Calendar
- Outlook
- Salesforce
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Zoom
- Team meetingsnot Cisco Webex
- Webinarsnot Cisco Webex
- Virtual eventsnot Cisco Webex
- Online trainingnot Cisco Webex
- Telehealthnot Cisco Webex
Cisco Webex
- Video Conferencingnot Zoom
- Team Collaborationnot Zoom
- Project Managementnot Zoom
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Zoom
- Cost creep from add-ons increases pricing from $14/user to $25+/user when including Phone and advanced features
- Feature set is overwhelming with complex navigation and too many options
- Limited analytics and coaching features compared to dedicated contact center platforms
- Call recording and admin oversight lack strict governance needed for regulated industries
Cisco Webex
- Listed on UK G-Cloud at £6 per user per month for Cisco Webex, via reseller Conscia Group UK Ltd (ITGL)
Pricing, plan by plan
Zoom
Free- BasicFree
- 100 participants
- 40-minute group meetings
- Unlimited 1-on-1 meetings
- Pro$14.99/month
- 100 participants
- 30-hour group meetings
- Cloud recording (5GB)
- Business$19.99/month
- 300 participants
- Single sign-on
- Recording transcripts
- Enterprise$25/month
- 500 participants
- Advanced admin features
- Executive business review
Cisco Webex
Free- FreeFree
- 40-min group meetings
- Unlimited 1:1 calls
- HD video
- Starter$13.5/month
- Unlimited meetings
- 100 participants
- Recording
- Pro$26.99/month
- 300 participants
- Advanced security
- Priority support
Which should you pick?
Choose Zoom if
- You need hd video & audio.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
- You also want recording & transcripts.
Choose Cisco Webex if
- You need hd video.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Desktop Mac, Desktop Windows, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android.
- You also want recording.
Questions people ask
- Is Zoom or Cisco Webex better?
- Neither clearly leads. Zoom starts at Free and Cisco Webex at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Zoom or Cisco Webex?
- Zoom starts at Free and Cisco Webex at Free.
- Does Zoom or Cisco Webex run on more platforms?
- Zoom runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS. Cisco Webex runs on Web, Desktop Mac, Desktop Windows, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android.
- Can I use Zoom for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Zoom best used for?
- Zoom is most often used for team meetings, webinars, virtual events, online training. Of those, team meetings and webinars are not what Cisco Webex is typically brought in for.
- What can Zoom do that Cisco Webex cannot?
- Zoom covers HD video & audio, Recording & transcripts, Breakout rooms, Polling & Q&A. Cisco Webex covers HD video, Recording, Transcription, Web support. Both handle Screen sharing, Virtual backgrounds, Slack, Microsoft Teams.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Zoom: What are Zoom's main pricing tiers?
Zoom offers a free Basic plan with 40-minute limits for group meetings, Pro at $14.16/user/month, Business at $15.58/user/month with 300 participant capacity, and Enterprise with custom pricing. Additional costs apply for Phone ($10.50/user/month), Webinars, and Rooms.
SourceZoom: What integrations does Zoom support?
Zoom integrates with Salesforce, Slack, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, HubSpot, Zendesk, and many other business applications, though integration depth varies by partner.
SourceZoom: Can Zoom be used for webinars?
Yes, Zoom Webinars is available as a separate product starting at $66.67 per month, providing larger audience capabilities and specialized webinar features.
Source