Skype vs. Microsoft Teams
No matter your business size or industry, video conferencing software is necessary to enable meetings while participants are not in the same geographic location. With features like screen sharing, in-meeting chat, and recording, video conferencing software is crucial for meetings between internal and external teams.
This article compares two popular video conferencing platforms, Skype and Microsoft Teams. While they have similar features, they’re different in terms of the best use cases for each. We’ll compare the platforms’ features, usability, and pricing, and include our expert recommendations to help you pick the best software for your business.
Our recommendations are based upon extensive research, discussions with small businesses, and dozens of hours spent hand-testing the leading video conferencing software platforms. Learn more about our research process here.
Skype & Microsoft Teams Comparison Summary
SoftwarePundit tested both Skype and Microsoft Teams. Skype received a rating of 87, while Microsoft Teams received a slightly higher score of 91.
While Skype has an adequate free video conferencing plan, the platform overall is less suitable for business video conferencing. It should be considered primarily if you want a personal communication tool or high-quality international calling.
On the other hand, Microsoft Teams is one of the best video conferencing tools for small businesses due to its ease of use, reliability, and overall value as one of Office 365’s tools.
Here’s a breakdown of our review criteria and how Skype and Microsoft Teams scored in each category.
| Criteria | Analyst Rating | Features | Usability | Pricing | Customer Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skype | 87 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 8 |
| Microsoft Teams | 91 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
Here are a few quick points to summarize who we recommend each tool for:
- You’re interested in landline and international calling
- You’d like 4-hour free video calls
- You’re in the market for a personal communication platform
- You’d like to use the video conferencing platform for your business
- You already use other Office 365 tools
- You’d like to host webinars with Microsoft Teams
Table of Contents
- Skype & Microsoft Teams Comparison Summary
- Who Should Purchase Skype?
- Who Should Purchase Microsoft Teams?
- Skype & Microsoft Teams Price Comparison
- Skype & Microsoft Teams Feature Comparison
- Bottom Line
Who Should Purchase Skype?
Skype is a communication platform that specializes in instant messaging and landline calls. The monthly pricing is incredibly affordable in terms of the calling plans.
Skype is helpful because it’s easier to join calls via a browser than with other tools, which incessantly prompt participants to download software. However, Skype is not among the best video conferencing platforms for businesses. It should be considered primarily if personal instant messaging and Skype to Phone are of particular interest.
Who Should Purchase Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams is part of the Office 365 suite of products and is therefore a popular software solution with companies who already use Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft OneDrive. Microsoft Teams will automatically sync up with Outlook and the other Office 365 tools.
Microsoft Teams costs between $5 per user per month and $12.50 per user per month depending on your plan. The flexibility to pay per user may be particularly appealing for those in search of the ultimate flexibility.
Skype & Microsoft Teams Price Comparison
Both Skype and Microsoft Teams have highly valuable free plans. Otherwise, Skype’s base pricing for the calling plans ranges from $2.99 per month to $7.99 per month. On the other hand, Microsoft Teams costs $5 per user per month or $12.50 per user per month.
Skype Pricing Details
As mentioned, Skype’s video conferencing and chat features are free. Calling costs between $2.99 per month and $7.99 per month depending on the regions you’d like to call.
| United States Subscription |
|
| North America Subscription |
|
| India Subscription |
|
Microsoft Teams Pricing Details
Microsoft Teams pricing is free for 100 participants and hour-long calls. The paid plans cost $5 per user per month or $12.50 per user per month depending on which applications you want.
| Microsoft Teams |
|
| Microsoft 365 Business Basic |
|
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard |
|
Skype & Microsoft Teams Feature Comparison
Both platforms offer high-quality video calls, voice calls, and chat messaging. Microsoft Teams has webinar capabilities, which Skype doesn’t. In fact, Skype’s old webinar plan, Skype for Business, was replaced in favor of Microsoft Teams.
Top Features: Skype
Skype’s best features are long-distance calling to landlines and various countries and chat transcripts. Skype also makes it very easy to join video calls from a browser without downloading software, whereas most video conferencing competitors make it more difficult.
For a closer look at Skype, read the full Skype review.
Long-Distance Calls
Skype to Phone is one of the best international calling subscription services, and Microsoft Teams does not come close to Skype’s functionality in this regard. Pricing for this feature is also very reasonable for small businesses.
For between $2.99 per month and $7.99 per month, you can call mobile phones and landlines in various countries.
Video Meetings
Skype’s video calls will look like the image below. For free, Skype allows for 4-hour calls and up to 100 participants. Microsoft Team’s free plan is also very valuable, but only allows meetings to last for an hour.
In a meeting, you can:
- Send chats
- Record the meeting
- See the participant list
- Raise your hand
- React with emojis
- Share the meeting link
Top Features: Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is particularly valuable because it syncs seamlessly with other Office 365 tools like Outlook, PowerPoint, and more. Otherwise, it also provides high-quality video meetings and chat transcripts.
For a more in-depth overview about Microsoft Teams, read the full Microsoft Teams review.
Meetings
Meetings in Microsoft Teams look similar to those in Skype. In terms of the in-meeting capabilities, the two platforms are quite similar.
Chat & Transcripts
Like Skype, Microsoft Teams provides a chat transcript once meetings have ended. This can be helpful for reviewing what was said and sent during calls. It’s particularly helpful because other competitors, like Google Meet, do not save any chats after meetings end.
Webinars
Microsoft Teams has webinar capabilities, which Skype no longer does. Though the webinars are not as powerful as other competitors offer, it’s a reliable cost-effective option for small businesses who likely don’t need massive webinar participant limits.
Bottom Line
In general, Skype is no longer an industry standard for video conferencing. We found that it’s more ideal for a personal messaging platform rather than a business video conferencing tool. The free plan is valuable and Skype’s international calling capabilities are unmatched.
On the other hand, Microsoft Teams is a high-quality and affordable video conferencing platform for freelancers and small businesses. If you already use other Microsoft products, we highly recommend this as your chosen tool. Even if you don’t use Office 365, it’s still a fantastic platform.
If you’re interested, visit Skype or Microsoft Teams today to get started.