Drawing No. COLLAB-2026-SPEC-001

teams vs alternatives

Technical specification sheet — four major collaboration platforms examined objectively on features, pricing, strengths, and trade-offs to help organisations make informed procurement decisions.

SPEC-01

microsoft teams

Complete Enterprise Suite

The most comprehensive collaboration package available. Persistent chat, HD video for 300 participants, file collaboration via SharePoint and OneDrive, task management, Loop components, Whiteboard, Communities, and Town Halls — all included at base price. The 2026 build adds Copilot unified across all surfaces, custom recap templates, podcast-style audio recaps, voice enrollment, brand impersonation protection, and two-way Direct Guest Join with Google Meet. Interactive meeting agents arriving mid-2026. Requires Microsoft 365 for maximum value.

Users

320M

Base $

$4/mo

Mtg Cap

300

Apps

1,000+

Free

60 min

HD Video 300 pax SharePoint Files Loop & Whiteboard Planner Tasks Town Halls 1K 30+ Captions Voice Enrollment Copilot AI +$30 Phone +$10

Verdict The Swiss Army Knife of collaboration — nothing else delivers this many tools in a single package at this price. Best for M365-native organisations. Pair with Slack if messaging depth is critical.

Limitations

Copilot AI requires additional $30/user/month
Resource heavy on legacy hardware
Threading quality trails Slack
Enterprise deploy: 1–3 weeks
Needs full M365 ecosystem
Can overwhelm new users

SPEC-02

zoom workplace

Video-First Powerhouse

The gold standard for video communication. Adaptive bitrate delivers crystal-clear video on any connection. AI Companion 2.0 included at no extra cost on all paid plans — meeting summaries, action items, message drafting, smart scheduling — a significant cost advantage versus Teams' $30/month Copilot add-on. Ecosystem-independent: works with Microsoft, Google, or standalone. Holds ~56% global video market share with 300M+ daily participants. Meetings scale to 1,000 participants and webinars to 10,000.

Users

300M

Base $

$13.33

Mtg Cap

1,000

Apps

2,000+

AI Cost

Best Video Engine AI Companion FREE 1K Meetings 10K Webinar Clips 2.0 Zoom Docs 2K+ Marketplace Phone Add-on Events Add-on

Verdict The best video engine on the market, now with free AI. For client meetings, webinars, and any cross-ecosystem gathering, nothing else compares. Pair with Slack for complete messaging coverage.

Limitations

Free tier: 40 min (Teams/Meet offer 60)
Pro $13.33 is 3x Teams' base
Chat not a primary messenger
Usually paired with Slack
Download required
2020 security legacy

SPEC-03

slack

Integration Nerve Center

The definitive messaging platform and integration hub. 2,600+ plugins create the most connected workspace available — no competitor approaches this density. Channel-based threading, instant search, emoji culture, and Slack Connect create the most refined daily communication experience. Owned by Salesforce ($27.7B, 2021). Achieves 87% user satisfaction — the highest in class. Slack Agents bring AI-powered task automation, while Workflow Builder enables no-code process design.

Users

47M

Base $

$8.75

Huddle

~50

Apps

2,600+

Rating

87%

2,600+ Plugins Channels & Threads Slack Connect Workflow Builder Slack Agents Salesforce CRM Canvas Docs Full AI Biz+ Only

Verdict The nervous system connecting every tool. Nothing else wires together GitHub, Jira, Figma, Notion, Salesforce, and 2,600+ more. Always pair with Zoom for video. Best for dev teams, creative agencies, and tool-heavy organisations.

Limitations

Video capped at ~50 (Huddles)
No webinar/event capability
Free: 90-day history, 10 apps
Full AI needs Business+ ($12.50)
Steep scaling at 500+ users
Channel sprawl risk

SPEC-04

google meet

Zero-Installation Standard

The only major collaboration platform requiring absolutely no installation. Click a link from Gmail or Calendar — you're in a meeting. No download, no admin permissions. Guests don't need Google accounts. Gemini AI included on all Workspace plans. Google Docs live co-editing during meetings is a unique capability. 60-minute free tier tied with Teams for the longest. #1 video platform by search volume in 28+ countries. Two-way Direct Guest Join with Teams Rooms new for 2026.

Install

None

Base $

Free

60 min

Free Cap

100

Zero Install 60-Min Free Gemini AI Incl. Live Docs Edit Teams Interop No Guest Acct

Verdict The anti-installer. When collaboration should just happen — no barriers, no downloads, no IT tickets — this is the answer. Best for Google Workspace teams, education, and zero-friction believers.

Limitations

Fewer advanced controls
100-user free cap (Teams: 300)
Narrower integration ecosystem
Google Chat less refined
Needs Google Workspace
Fewer breakout controls

feature matrix

cross-reference

Capability	Teams	Zoom	Slack	Meet
HD Video	✓ 300	✓ 1,000	~50	✓ 100
Persistent Chat	✓	Basic	✓ Best	Basic
File Collaboration	✓ Deep	Docs	Canvas	✓ Deep
AI Included Free	+$30/mo	✓ Free	Tiered	✓ Free
Integrations	1,000+	2,000+	2,600+	Fewer
Telephony	+$10	Add-on	—	—
Webinars	1,000	10,000	—	—
Zero-Install	Web app	Download	Web app	✓ Native
Free Duration	60 min	40 min	Unlimited*	60 min
Compliance	✓ Full	✓ Full	✓ Grid	✓ Full

pricing specification

teams

/user/month

Essentials $4 — E5 up to $22. Copilot AI adds $30/mo. Free 60-min tier, 100 users.

zoom

$13

/user/month

Pro $13.33 — Biz+ $21.99. AI Companion: FREE on all paid. Free 40-min tier.

slack

$8.75

/user/month

Pro $8.75 — Biz+ $12.50. Full AI: Business+ only. Free 90-day history.

meet

browser-native

Starter $7 — Plus $18. Gemini AI on all paid plans. Free 60 min, 100 users.

"The wisest decision-maker matches the right tool to the organisation's ecosystem, communication style, and technical requirements — rather than choosing one platform for everything."

Drawn by

Independent Analysis

Date

2026 Edition

Classification

Informational Only

Disclaimer

Not Procurement Advice