Microsoft Teams dominates enterprise adoption with 320+ million monthly active users and deeper Microsoft 365 integration, while Webex excels in meeting quality with superior video codecs and better performance on low-bandwidth networks. Teams is the market leader for organizations already invested in Microsoft, whereas Webex is preferred for pure video conferencing reliability.
Microsoft Teams vs Cisco Webex — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Enterprise collaboration platform integrated with Microsoft 365 suite, offering messaging, video calls, and Office app integration.
Enterprise video conferencing platform with AI features, deep integrations, and massive scalability.
Monthly Active Users. Microsoft 365 Integration. Video Codec Technology. Bandwidth Requirements (HD meeting). Base Plan Monthly Cost. Meeting Participant Limit (free tier). Enterprise Security Certifications
Choose Microsoft Teams if your organization uses Microsoft 365, requires deep integration with Office applications, or prioritizes cost-effectiveness and unified communications. Choose Cisco Webex if you need superior video quality for bandwidth-constrained environments, work with multi-platform teams, or require best-in-class meeting reliability independent of email and productivity suites.
Microsoft Teams: 320 million | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: ~700 | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Included with M365 | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: No, paid only | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Full native integration | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Often requires app/account | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 10,000 | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 60 minutes | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 50 rooms | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: $6/month (Microsoft 365 bundle) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Limited translation features | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: $6.00 (with Microsoft 365 Business Basic) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: $72 (bundled pricing) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 1,000+ | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Up to 10,000 | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Native with SharePoint, OneDrive, Office Web Apps | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Copilot Pro (enterprise AI, meeting insights) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 2-4 seconds average | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: $6 (Teams Essentials) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Maximum Free Tier Group Meeting Duration
Microsoft Teams: 24 hours | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 100 participants | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Premium only ($10/user/month) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 8+ apps (Outlook, Excel, Word, OneDrive, SharePoint, Project, Planner, Power BI) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Advanced Chat Features (Channels, Threading, Workflows)
Microsoft Teams: Advanced (channels, nested threads, queues, connectors) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 4.5 stars | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 3,669 reviews | Cisco Webex: N/A
3-Year Total Cost of Ownership (1,000 users)
Microsoft Teams: Lower (integrated M365) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 3,668 reviews | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 7.9% positive | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Limited to basic captions | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Basic transcription only | Cisco Webex: Yes, Business plan+
Microsoft Teams: Third-party device support only | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 1,000+ participants | Cisco Webex: 40,000
Microsoft Teams: $4.50 | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Limited (Copilot requires E5) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 4K at 30fps | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 31 languages | Cisco Webex: N/A
Enterprise Deployment Adoption (500+ seat orgs)
Microsoft Teams: 67% of deployments | Cisco Webex: N/A
3-Year TCO Advantage for 1,000 Users with M365
Microsoft Teams: 47% lower cost | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: $7.00 (Business Basic 2026 price) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 300+ participants | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Excellent (optimized for reliability) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 4K (3840x2160) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 40+ languages (Teams Premium) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Steep (enterprise-focused interface) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 350+ million monthly active users | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 320M | Cisco Webex: 220M
Microsoft Teams: 1080p (1920x1080) | Cisco Webex: 4K (3840x2160)
Microsoft Teams: 60 minutes (group calls) | Cisco Webex: 40 minutes (3+ participants)
Microsoft Teams: $6.50 or free with Microsoft 365 | Cisco Webex: $13.49
Microsoft Teams: Unlimited (OneDrive) | Cisco Webex: 30 days
Microsoft Teams: Full (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) | Cisco Webex: Limited (manual upload required)
Microsoft Teams: Copilot Pro required ($20+ per tenant) | Cisco Webex: Included free
Microsoft Teams: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Web | Cisco Webex: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
Microsoft Teams: 4.5 Mbps | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: $0 (Free) or $6 (Standard) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 500+ apps | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 10,000 participants | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Cloud-only (SaaS) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Proprietary (closed-source) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Copilot with GPT-4, speech-to-text, real-time translation | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Microsoft-managed regional datacenters (limited control) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 500+ | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 10000 | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: unlimited | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP, GDPR, DLP, eDiscovery | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 99.9% | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 360 million | Cisco Webex: 80 million
Microsoft Teams: 100 GB per user | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 90 days | Cisco Webex: N/A
Annual Subscription Cost (Pro, 100 users)
Microsoft Teams: $7,800 or free with Microsoft 365 | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 450 MB | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 50-100ms | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 60 minutes (100 participants max) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: $6.00 | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 30fps | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 60+ languages | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Limited (fixed structure) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Free Tier Meeting Duration for Group Calls
Microsoft Teams: 60 minutes (unlimited participants) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: $70/year (via Microsoft 365 Business Basic) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 300 participants | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 5 GB (OneDrive) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 50 breakout rooms | Cisco Webex: N/A
Global Enterprise Video Conferencing Market Share (2024)
Microsoft Teams: 28.2% | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Native: Word, Excel, SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook, Power BI | Cisco Webex: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Pro/Standard)
Microsoft Teams: $0 (bundled) or $12.50 (standalone) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 200-300ms | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Last 3 months only | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 250GB | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Unlimited | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Native (deep) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 4.0/5 | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 300+ million users | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: $4.00 (Teams Essentials) - $12.50 (Teams Premium) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 2 GB per file | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 1,000+ native integrations | Cisco Webex: 200+ integrations
Microsoft Teams: Proprietary closed-source | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Cloud-only SaaS | Cisco Webex: N/A
Annual TCO (1,000 users, 3-year average)
Microsoft Teams: $48,000-150,000 | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 1000 (1TB OneDrive) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Maximum Video Conference Participants (Free)
Microsoft Teams: 1000+ | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: 4.1/5 (8,300 reviews) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: Basic keyword search (limited free tier) | Cisco Webex: N/A
Microsoft Teams: N/A | Cisco Webex: 100 participants
Microsoft Teams: N/A | Cisco Webex: 40,000 participants
Microsoft Teams: N/A | Cisco Webex: Unlimited
Microsoft Teams: N/A | Cisco Webex: $15.99
Microsoft Teams: N/A | Cisco Webex: Yes, all plans
Microsoft Teams: N/A | Cisco Webex: Webex Assistant (transcription, summary)
Microsoft Teams: N/A | Cisco Webex: 40 minutes unlimited users
Microsoft Teams: N/A | Cisco Webex: $14.99
Microsoft Teams: N/A | Cisco Webex: 16.5%
Microsoft Teams: N/A | Cisco Webex: Yes, deep native integration
Microsoft Teams: N/A | Cisco Webex: Good (Slack, Teams, Google)
How to choose between Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex
Microsoft Teams vs Cisco Webex — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Microsoft Teams vs Cisco Webex. Contains 131 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Microsoft Teams vs Cisco Webex — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Microsoft Teams vs Cisco Webex.
Which platform is better for organizations already using Microsoft 365?
Microsoft Teams is significantly better for Microsoft 365 organizations. Teams integrates natively with Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint—allowing users to schedule meetings, share documents, and collaborate without leaving their productivity apps. Webex requires manual plugin installation and provides only basic integration, making Teams the clear choice for Microsoft-centric enterprises.
What if my team has slow or unreliable internet connection?
Cisco Webex is the better choice for poor connectivity. Webex uses H.265 HEVC codec requiring only 2.5 Mbps for HD meetings, while Teams needs 4.5 Mbps. Webex maintains acceptable video quality on networks as low as 1.5 Mbps, whereas Teams noticeably degrades below 2 Mbps. For remote or field teams, Webex's efficiency advantage is decisive.
How much money would we save choosing Teams over Webex?
Teams' standard plan costs $6/month per user vs Webex at $13.49/month—a 55% savings per user annually. For a 500-person company, Teams saves approximately $44,940 per year. Additionally, Teams often bundles with Microsoft 365 subscriptions, eliminating additional costs. However, this savings applies only to standalone plans; pricing varies with enterprise contracts.
Which platform has better video quality and reliability?
Cisco Webex has superior video quality due to its advanced H.265 HEVC codec, which uses 40% less bandwidth while maintaining clarity. Webex also guarantees 98.99% uptime with redundant data centers. Teams offers 99.9% uptime but uses older H.264 codec. For organizations where meeting quality is critical (executive presentations, client calls), Webex's technical architecture is objectively better.
Can Webex replace Microsoft Teams for organizations using Microsoft 365?
Webex can handle meetings and video conferencing excellently but cannot fully replace Teams for integrated communication. Teams functions as a unified hub combining chat, file collaboration, and meetings within Microsoft 365. Webex excels at meetings but requires separate tools for chat/files. Many organizations use both: Teams for internal collaboration and Webex for external high-quality video calls.
How to Choose Between Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex
Monthly Active Users: Microsoft Teams has 320 million, while Cisco Webex has 80 million.
Microsoft 365 Integration: Microsoft Teams has Native integration with all Microsoft apps, while Cisco Webex has Limited integration via plugins.
Video Codec Technology: Microsoft Teams has H.264 standard, while Cisco Webex has H.265 HEVC (advanced).
Consider: Bandwidth Requirements (HD meeting)
Bandwidth Requirements (HD meeting): Microsoft Teams has 4.5 Mbps minimum, while Cisco Webex has 2.5 Mbps minimum.
Base Plan Monthly Cost: Microsoft Teams has $6-12 per user, while Cisco Webex has $13.49 per user.
Consider: Meeting Participant Limit (free tier)
Meeting Participant Limit (free tier): Microsoft Teams has 100 participants (60 min limit), while Cisco Webex has 100 participants (40 min limit).
Consider: Enterprise Security Certifications
Enterprise Security Certifications: Microsoft Teams has SOC 2, FedRAMP, HIPAA, GDPR, while Cisco Webex has SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, FIPS 140-2.