Microsoft Teams has been one of the leading business communication platforms for the last seven years.
With instant messaging, video conferencing, and file-sharing options, this platform streamlines team communication and collaboration.
However, Microsoft Teams is primarily the right solution for organizations that already use Microsoft products. If that’s not the case with your organization, you should consider other options that offer similar or even more comprehensive features.
To find free Microsoft Teams alternatives whose features will perfectly suit your team’s needs, read on this blog post!
Table of Contents
Pumble — Best for seamless internal communication
Pumble is a team communication and collaboration software that helps teams of all sizes stay organized and collaborate effectively.
Pumble streamlines team communication and levels up productivity by providing:
- Private and public channels,
- Direct messages,
- Audio and video calls, and
- Voice and video messages.
As a remote worker who keeps connected with the team via Pumble on a daily basis, I would highlight that Pumble’s interface is very user-friendly and well-organized.
Unlike Microsoft Teams, Pumble has a file browser, so you can easily find all files shared in channels or direct messages.
I always find everything I need quickly and easily. The greatest advantage is that you have unlimited access to all messages and files ever sent in your workspace, for free!
What’s more, starting a video call is a piece of cake — you can create a meeting link in one click and share it with your colleagues.
Pumble pros:
- Generous free version
- Unlimited message history
- Unlimited number of users
- 10 GB of storage space in the free version
Pumble cons:
- Limited integration options
Meeting recording that allows you to access, share, and manage recordings for later
Key feature:
High quality video meetings
Available for:
Desktop — Windows, Mac, and Linux; Mobile — Android and iOS
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans from $2.49 per user per month
Free Microsoft Teams alternative
If you’re considering Microsoft Teams — try Pumble, for easy navigation and 24/7 web support.
Google Meet — Best for organizations that need integrations with Google Workspace
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, Google made meeting options available for all users.
As a video and audio conferencing component of Google Workspace, Google Meet offers free calls for up to 100 participants with a time limit of 1 hour. However, 1-on-1 calls can last for up to 24 hours.
You can easily join a meeting directly from Google Calendar, Gmail, or email invite. What’s more, you can schedule a meeting via Google Calendar and start it immediately, or create one for later.
I like that the free plan offers a screen-sharing option, but, as it permits sharing only one screen at a time, I can see how some presenters may find it difficult to present all important information efficiently.
After trying the free version of Google Meet, I would highlight the chat box as one of the better features, as it allows for better flow in meetings — you can leave your comments or ask questions without interrupting the presenter.
However, keep in mind that conversations are deleted once the meeting is over, so I wouldn’t recommend sharing important information and links in this way.
With the Business Standard and Business Plus paid plans, you can hold meetings for up to 150 and 250 people, while the Enterprise plan expands the participant number to 1000. Also, the Enterprise plan offers great additional features such as:
- Noise cancelation,
- Meeting recording, and
- Attendance tracking.
Compared to Microsoft Teams pricing, Google Meet is slightly more expensive, but all its paid plans offer greater value.
Google Meet pros:
- Integration with other Google apps (Google Docs, Google Calendar, etc.)
- Screen-sharing-option
- Chat box for sharing questions, comments, and links
- Integration with more than 200 applications
Google Meet cons:
- Limited features (absence of waiting room and whiteboard)
- Limited number of displayed participants
Highlight feature:
Free cloud storage of 15 GB per user
What’s new in Google Meet:
Avoiding video distraction in meetings — you can use an option for hiding participants with video feeds that distract you, and focusing your meeting view on the presenter.
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans from $6 per user per month
Available for:
Desktop — Windows, Mac, and Linux; Mobile — Android and iOS
💡PUMBLE PRO TIP
To see a more detailed comparison between Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, make sure to read our blog post:
Zoom — Best for external meetings
As a video conferencing tool, Zoom has numerous capabilities and features such as high participant capacity and outstanding video and audio quality.
Its free plan includes:
- Unlimited group meetings for up to 40 minutes,
- 1-on-1 meetings for up to 30 hours,
- Group and private chats, and
- Hosting up to 100 participants.
In addition to basic features, the Zoom Pro plan includes features such as live streaming through Facebook and YouTube and co-hosting.
However, if you want to expand the number of participants, you’ll need to purchase the Business or Enterprise plan (which allow hosting up to 300 and 1000 participants, respectively).
To start the meeting and invite participants, you need to install the app and create an account. However, participants don’t have to sign up to join the meeting.
While I was testing the app, I noticed that, despite a stable internet connection, it takes a long time to load and there’s a long delay when screen sharing. However, I was able to adjust the screen-sharing option because the app allows optimization of screen-sharing performance for video clips or text and images.
Zoom pros:
- HD video and HD voice
- User-friendly
- Whiteboard
- Many integrations with third-party vendors
Zoom cons:
- Limited free plan
- Security concerns
Highlight feature:
Translated captions feature available in 12 languages
What’s new in Zoom:
AI-powered Zoom docs, which help teams create documents and manage workflow smoothly
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans from $139.90 per year per user
Available for:
Desktop — Windows, Mac, and Linux; Mobile — Android and iOS
💡PUMBLE PRO TIP
If you’re wondering what the best Zoom alternatives are, read our blog post:
And to see a more detailed comparison between Zoom and Microsoft Teams, check out this blog post:
Webex — Best for organizations that need enterprise-level features
Another Microsoft Team alternative is Webex — a comprehensive video conferencing software suitable for organizations of all sizes.
Its free option offers robust features such as:
- Video messaging,
- Breakout rooms, and
- Meeting recordings.
However, I don’t like that the free plan doesn’t offer any cloud storage.
If you want to get 10 GB of cloud storage for recorded meetings, you have to upgrade your plan.
Webex’s paid plans are significantly more expensive than Microsoft Team’s, but they also offer a wide range of additional features, including advanced security features and post-meeting transcripts.
One of the Webex’s paid meeting plans — Webex’s Suit — enables features such as:
- Meeting length of up to 24 hours,
- Attendance list of up to 200 attendees,
- Business phone number,
- Unlimited local and domestic long-distance calling, and
- Visual voicemail.
Webex pros:
- High quality of video and audio
- 10 GB cloud storage (Business plan), and unlimited cloud storage (Enterprise plan)
- Meeting time for up to 24 hours
Webex cons:
- Complicated user interface
- Pricey paid options
Highlight feature:
AI capabilities that include language translation, closed captioning, and transcription
What’s new in Webex:
AI features for improving audio and video quality — Audio Codec and Super Resolution make outstanding audio and video quality even in poor network conditions.
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans from $14.50 per month per user
Available for:
Desktop — Windows and Mac; Mobile — Android and iOS
💡PUMBLE PRO TIP
If you want to learn more about the differences and similarities between Webex and Microsoft Teams, check out our blog post:
And, to learn about the best Webex alternative, make sure to check out the following resource:
Free Webex alternative
If you’re considering Webex — try Pumble, for no time limitations on your meetings.
Chanty — Best for organizations that need strong task management
Chanty is a team communication and collaboration software focused on task management.
With Chanty’s separate private and public channels, you can effectively organize all tasks and projects and keep everyone in the loop with @mentions.
My first impression is that the sign-up process is straightforward — you can simply enter your email address and use Chanty on the web.
When trying the free version of Chanty, I found the Teambook hub extremely useful, since it’s a one-stop shop for shared links and files, as well as saved messages.
It allows you to find all important messages and files in one place and offers a more sophisticated version of the search bar — you can use the search box to search for text to make this process more efficient.
Chanty pros:
- Unlimited searchable chat history
- Easy to use
- User-friendly interface
Chanty cons:
- Free version offers limited features (no video calls or group audio calls, workspaces limited to 5 members),
- Limited number of integrations
Key feature:
Teambook with conversations, tasks, members
What’s new in Chanty:
Updated reactions
Available for:
Desktop — Windows, Mac, and Linux; Mobile — Android and iOS
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans from $3 per user per month
Rocket.Chat — Best for organizations with high standards for data protection
Another Microsoft Teams alternative is Rocket.Chat — open-space team communication software that offers a self-hosting option.
In addition, Rocket.Chat offers a variety of features, including:
- Private and public channels,
- Group and 1-on-1 video calls, and
- Messaging people outside Rocket.Chat.
Compared to Microsoft Teams and other alternatives, Rocket.Chat is the king of data protection, as it lets you have full ownership of your data.
While signing up for the free version of Rocket.Chat, I noticed that the process is pretty complicated and time-consuming, as it has more steps than other apps on my list.
Rocket.Chat pro:
- Strong data protection
Rocket.Chat con:
- Complicated setup process
Key feature:
Group and 1-on-1 video calls are included in the free version.
What’s new in Rocket.Chat:
Reports dashboard — for organizing important customer support data by providing an overview of critical information such as conversations per status, channel, department, etc.
Available for:
Desktop — Windows, Mac, and Linux; Mobile — Android and iOS
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans from $4 per month, per user
Free Rocket.Chat alternative
If you’re considering Rocket.Chat — try Pumble, for easy navigation and 24/7 web support.
Bitrix24 — Best for businesses that need a complex CRM solution
Next on my list is Bitrix24 — a complex CRM platform that includes a wide range of communication and project management features.
Bitrix24 is a powerful lead management software that levels up cross-team collaboration and collaboration thanks to features like:
- Chat and calls,
- Calendar,
- Company workspace,
- Website builder, and
- Knowledge base.
In addition, you can hold meetings and create video conferences for up to 48 participants for an unlimited time.
The setup process is straightforward, but the first thing I noticed is the non-intuitive interface. It took me time to learn more about how to use the tools and where to find everything I needed — perhaps that’s the price we have to pay for the extensive list of Bitrix24’s tools and features.
Bitrix24 pros:
- Extensive list of features
- Free plan for an unlimited number of users
Bitrix24 cons:
- Pricey
- Complicated to use
Key feature:
Built-in telephony that enables users to call anyone around the world
What’s new in Bitrix24:
New mobile calendar for better organizing personal and work schedules — with Open slots feature that allows easy customizing time slots from smartphones
Available for:
Desktop — Windows, Mac, and Linux; Mobile — Android and iOS
Pricing:
Free plan available; Paid plans starting from $49 per month, for all users
Zoho Meeting — Best for organizations that host webinars regularly
Another great Microsoft alternative is Zoho Meeting — a web-based online meeting and webinar software.
My first impression is that the interface is clear and user-friendly. On the left sidebar, you can easily find your upcoming and past webinars and meetings, as well as schedule new ones.
The great advantage of Zoho Meeting is that you can hold an unlimited number of meetings and webinars that can last up to 60 minutes for 100 participants, for free!
In addition, if you’re an organizer or co-organizer, you can share the screen regardless of whether you’re on your phone or computer.
What’s more, the free option offers features like the meeting chat and meeting notes where you can share attachments. And, unlike with some other apps, the notes you took and messages you exchanged won’t disappear after the meeting, and you can view and download them.
Zoho Meeting divides its paid plans into 2 categories: Meeting and Webinar, and both have standard and business versions.
Meeting paid plans include additional features like:
- Recording,
- Meeting polls,
- 14-hour meetings,
- Meeting room, etc.
However, with paid plans, you can host meetings with up to only 250 participants, which is far fewer compared to Microsoft Teams and some other Microsoft Team alternatives on my list.
As part of the paid Webinars plans, in addition to free features, you’ll get access to:
- 24-hour webinars,
- Cloud recording storage for 25 webinars,
- Live streaming, etc.
Zoho Meeting pros:
- 14-day free trial
- Easy to sign up and use
Zoho Meeting cons:
- Limited third-party integration options (only 13)
- Limited number of meeting participants (100 in free, and 250 in paid versions)
Key feature:
Live polls (you can share the results with meeting participants)
What’s new in Zoho Meeting:
Meeting rooms — a new add-on for organizing dedicated online meeting rooms
Available for:
Desktop — Windows, Mac, and Linux; Mobile — Android and iOS
Pricing:
Free plan available; Meeting paid plans from $1 per host per month, Webinar paid plans from $7.5 per organizer per month
Free Zoho Meeting alternative
If you’re considering Zoho Meeting — try Pumble, for easy navigation and 24/7 web support.
How to choose the best Microsoft Teams alternative?
When choosing the best Microsoft Teams alternative for you, don’t forget to determine what might be the critical, decision-making factors for your team.
To find the right solution for your team or organization, consider the following things:
- The most adequate communication channel,
- The size of your team(s),
- Duration of your meetings.
For example, Microsoft Teams has a limitation of 200 public and 30 private channels, which may be a deal breaker for organizations that have many teams and departments and want to organize their conversations accordingly.
If this is the case, Pumble is the right fit as it allows creating an unlimited number of channels for an unlimited number of users, for free!
Consider your team’s needs when choosing the right Microsoft Teams alternative
To enhance collaboration and make your team communication smooth and effective, finding the right business software is more than half of the job.
Use our list to test and find the ideal Microsoft Teams alternative for you, and level up your team collaboration.
