Teams versus Zoom

[ITIgnoramus]

I've started doing some work online and some of my clients offer to send me a link to Teams. (It's not really up to them as I'm the provider of the service they want.) I have never used Teams as I'm self employed as a sole trader. I understand from my DP and other people that Teams is used a lot in companies.

I've always refused, kindly, and say I use Zoom.

I don't especially like Microsoft email and much prefer google mail.

What is the difference? I use the free version of Zoom (40 mins) as my calls as less than that.

Teams and Zoom do more or less the same thing for online meetings. Zoom does some things a bit better, Teams does some other things a bit better. But there's not a lot of difference between them. Teams can also do a bunch of other stuff but if you're not a user of other Microsoft products those extra features won't be relevant.

If you're invited to a Teams meeting you can join it without having to install an app. You can also use it for free, with or without the app. If you're running it for free you're limited to 60 minutes.

Businesses are tending to move towards Teams as it's included in the Microsoft Office license costs that a lot of companies are already paying for, whereas Zoom is an extra cost.

I’m an online facilitator and definitely prefer the functionality of Zoom so typically opt for that unless the client has a preference elsewhere. In practical terms they all do pretty much the same thing so if a client prefers Teams it’s no biggy. I do try to avoid Google Meet though, I have had lots of issues with scheduled sessions on that platform.

I used to use zoom a LOT. Now I've moved over to teams and I think I prefer it. The link with the rest of the 365 suite is so convenient.

I use both. In my main job I use Teams, and in my own private work I use Zoom. Teams is good for its integration with outlook etc and having chats with colleagues. I personally prefer Zoom for my private work, that’s what I’m used to. I have the paid for package so no time limits.

Zoom has better video conferencing functionality. I wouldn’t be happy using the free version. I’d pay for it as a self employed person as more flexibility.

Teams is better integrated into Microsoft generally. You can do meeting transcripts that load right into where the meeting is on your calendar. It drops neatly into the outlook calendar. People can chat during the meeting sharing links and it saves it all for you. Working as part of a Team and on ongoing projects, I much prefer Teams.

Zoom works better though if you really just need a video conference and not collaboration. Some people are just used to using one or the other.

For meetings with individual clients (who tend not to have Teams), I prefer Zoom. But some people who use Teams for everything else prefer it because it slots right into with all their other meetings, etc. It probably depends a bit on your industry.

Zoom is much better for bigger and longer meetings. It can also facilitate interpreting. There's a host and the host can mute noisy people, chuck out certain participants, etc. For a short meeting with a small number of people, I don't think it makes any difference which you use. Teams is good enough for that.

Teams is part of the standard Microsoft package on most corporate IT systems. So it’s installed there on the desktop ready to go in the same way word and excel. It often auto boots on start up, and is running continually in the background.

For organisations that use Microsoft, it’s the default communication program. A lot of organisations limit program installation rights to system administrators only so those staff won’t necessarily have Zoom installed and only be able to use the web client.

Zoom only is a right pain for me on our company IT set up, and have stopped using a coach who would only use that platform. The hassle meant that the interaction always started off on the wrong foot.

we don’t have Zoom at work and can’t access it, just Teams so we don’t use anything that’s Zoom only.

We use teams at work and every time I have to join an external zoom call it messes up my laptop. All the mic settings seem to change. I hate the background filter system on it too.

Thanks all. I will stick with Zoom.