Below are comparison tables of common features in Teams and Zoom that are available for staff to use. It is not a full list of features, but covers the most commonly used features. It is updated when new elements are available.
When deciding on which platform is most appropriate for your programme, think about what activities you need to facilitate and also how many students will be participating. LEaD recommends using the same solution across a programme so that you can share practice with your colleagues and ensure a consistent approach for students.
| Feature | MS Teams Meeting | Zoom |
|---|---|---|
|
Maximum number of participants |
1,000 Meetings |
300 |
|
Invite participants with a URL |
Yes | Yes |
|
Enable participants to join anonymously |
Live Events only | No |
|
Joining password |
No | Yes |
|
Schedule recurring session |
Yes | Yes |
|
Integrates with calendar invites e.g. Outlook, iCal |
Yes | Yes |
|
Moodle integration |
No |
No |
|
Display session timer |
Yes | Yes |
|
Display session name |
Yes | Yes |
|
Display session participants |
Yes | Yes |
|
Change a participant into a presenter |
Yes | Yes |
|
Automatic recording of attendance which is viewable after the session |
Yes | Yes |
|
Provide analytics on participant usage e.g. viewing time |
Live Events only * |
Yes |
|
Record session |
Yes | Yes |
|
Schedule automatic recording |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Download recording |
Yes | Yes |
|
Share recordings via URL |
Yes | Yes |
| Features | MS Teams Meeting | Zoom |
|---|---|---|
|
Number of participant video screens |
49 (in large gallery view) | 49 |
|
Presenter can mute all audio |
Yes | Yes |
|
Individuals can turn off incoming video to help with low bandwidth |
Yes | Yes |
|
Blur or add a picture for virtual camera background |
Yes | Depending on device processing power |
|
Add additional video sources e.g. webcam, tablet |
Yes |
Yes - iPad/iPhone or Hue |
|
Presenter can share their computer audio during screen share i.e. system audio |
Yes | Yes |
| Features | MS Teams Meeting | Zoom |
|---|---|---|
|
Screen, application & file share |
Yes | Yes |
|
Chat in main room/space |
Yes | Yes |
| Presenters can have private chats with individuals within the session | No | Yes |
|
Export chat transcript |
Live Events only * |
Yes |
|
Emoticons able to be used in chat |
Yes | Yes |
| Emoticons able to be used on chat contributions | Yes | No |
|
Draw or annotate on screen i.e. whiteboard |
Yes | Yes |
|
Presenter can control who annotates on screen |
Yes | Yes |
|
Export drawings from session |
Yes | Yes |
|
Breakout rooms |
Yes | Yes |
|
Chat in breakout rooms |
Yes | Yes |
| Chat saved in app for later viewing (including breakout room chats) | Yes | No |
|
File collaboration in breakout rooms |
No (can be facilitated via OneDrive links) |
No (can be facilitated via OneDrive links) |
|
Presenter can retrieve breakout room files |
Yes (if shared in the breakout room chat) |
No |
|
Notifications to participants of breakout room allocation |
Yes | Yes |
|
Polling |
Yes | Yes (Desktop version only) |
|
Ability to display poll results on the screen |
Yes | Yes |
|
Alert for participant questions i.e. raise hand |
Yes | Yes |
| Features | MS Teams Meeting | Zoom |
|---|---|---|
|
Local phone number to join without a computer |
Yes | Yes |
|
Support for screenreaders |
Yes | Yes |
|
Automatic captioning |
Yes | Yes |
|
Manual captioning |
No | Yes |
|
Functions on all devices e.g. phones, tablets & computers |
Yes | Yes |
|
Functions on major browsers |
Yes | Yes |
*This refers to Live Events which is an extension of Microsoft Teams meetings, enabling users to broadcast video and meeting content to a large online audience, such as a conference. The IT Audio-Visual team offer support to run Live Events and large scale Teams meetings and you can request support via IT Self Service Portal.
