Zoom is a real-time synchronous video conferencing platform for live meetings and webinars with up to 300 participants, while Loom is an asynchronous screen recording and video messaging tool designed for async communication and documentation. Choose based on whether you need live interaction or recorded video messages.
Zoom vs Loom — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Cloud-based video conferencing platform optimized for meetings and webinars
Async video messaging platform for screen recording and team collaboration
Communication Type. Live Participant Limit. Screen Recording Quality. Primary Use Case. AI Features (2026). Free Plan Recording Limit. Video Customization
Choose Zoom if you need live video conferencing, webinars, or real-time collaboration with multiple participants and advanced AI-powered meeting features. Choose Loom if your team relies on asynchronous communication, needs high-quality screen recordings with interactive elements, or prefers flexible video messaging without scheduling constraints.
Zoom: 5+ (Companion, Summaries, Previews, Smart Compose) | Loom: N/A
Zoom: Rich formatting, code blocks, file sharing, emoji reactions | Loom: N/A
Zoom: Third-party plugin required | Loom: N/A
Zoom: 6+ (polls, Q&A, reactions, hand raising, breakout rooms, live transcription) | Loom: N/A
Zoom: Extensive HD with filters | Loom: N/A
Zoom: iOS, Android, full feature parity | Loom: N/A
Zoom: Limited (varies by plan) | Loom: N/A
Zoom: 4.5 stars (6,286 reviews) | Loom: N/A
Zoom: Separate add-on service | Loom: N/A
Zoom: Third-party compatible | Loom: N/A
Zoom: 40 minutes (3+ participants) | Loom: 25 recordings
Zoom: Synchronous (real-time) | Loom: Asynchronous (recorded)
Zoom: Basic editing, transcription | Loom: Drawing tools, mouse emphasis, buttons, links, file embedding
Zoom: AI Companion 3.0, real-time translation, auto bug reporting | Loom: AI highlights, smart transcript
Zoom: 1000+ (webinar feature) | Loom: Not available
Zoom: Schedule meeting in advance | Loom: Record immediately without scheduling
Zoom: Yes (AI Companion 3.0) | Loom: N/A
Enterprise Deployment Adoption (500+ seat orgs)
3-Year TCO Advantage for 1,000 Users with M365
Zoom: Baseline (higher cost) | Loom: N/A
Zoom: AI Companion 3.0, agentic AI | Loom: N/A
Zoom: AI Companion 3.0, real-time translation, agentic AI | Loom: N/A
Zoom: Available (AI Companion 3.0) | Loom: N/A
Zoom: Secondary with Zoom Chat | Loom: N/A
Zoom: SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP, ISO 27001 | Loom: N/A
Zoom: 500+ (Professional tier) | Loom: N/A
Zoom: Not applicable (meeting-focused) | Loom: N/A
Zoom: AI Companion 3.0 with agentic AI | Loom: N/A
Zoom: Up to 100 (time-limited to 40 minutes) | Loom: Not applicable (no live meetings)
Average Setup Time for New Recording/Meeting
AI Transcription Support (Standard Tier)
Zoom: 40 hours/month (Zoom One plan) | Loom: Unlimited transcription
Zoom: N/A | Loom: Yes, generous free tier
Zoom: N/A | Loom: Basic view counts and engagement
Zoom: N/A | Loom: Limited enterprise options
Free Tier Monthly Recording/Creation Limit
Zoom: N/A | Loom: 5 GB (limited by 25 min cap)
Zoom: N/A | Loom: Auto-summarization, transcription, speaker identification
Zoom: N/A | Loom: Async video communication
Zoom: N/A | Loom: Unlimited duration, 25 slots
Zoom: N/A | Loom: 4 (captions, summaries, chapters, search)
Zoom: N/A | Loom: Timeline editor, cursor effects, zoom, drawing, speed control
Zoom: N/A | Loom: Unlimited duration per video
Zoom: N/A | Loom: $12/month (Pro, billed annually)
Zoom: N/A | Loom: Workspaces, commenting, reactions, sharing permissions
Zoom: N/A | Loom: 100+ (Slack, Notion, Gmail, HubSpot, etc.)
Zoom: N/A | Loom: Yes, included with searchability
Zoom vs Loom — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Zoom vs Loom. Contains 107 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Zoom vs Loom — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Zoom vs Loom.
What are the AI capabilities added in 2026?
Zoom added AI Companion 3.0 with real-time translation, automated meeting transcription, and new automated bug reporting that populates Jira tickets. Loom added AI-powered highlights and smart transcription. Zoom's 2026 AI updates are more comprehensive for meeting productivity.
Can I use Loom for live meetings like Zoom?
No, Loom is designed exclusively for asynchronous video messaging and screen recording. It cannot host live meetings or real-time video calls. For live interaction, use Zoom. Loom is ideal when team members need to watch recorded videos at their own pace.
Does Zoom have unlimited free recordings like Loom?
No. Zoom's free plan allows only 40-minute recordings for groups of 3+ participants. Loom's free plan offers unlimited video recordings with all core features included, making it far superior for teams that need to create many recorded videos without upgrading.
Which platform is better for remote teams across multiple time zones?
Loom is significantly better for distributed teams across time zones because it's asynchronous—team members can record messages and watch them on their own schedule without requiring everyone online simultaneously. Zoom requires scheduled meeting times, which can be difficult across distant time zones.
Can I embed links and buttons directly in videos?
Yes, but only with Loom. Loom lets you add clickable buttons, links, and file embeds directly in your video for interactive viewer experiences. Zoom doesn't offer this level of video interactivity—it's primarily a video conferencing platform, not a video messaging tool.
Communication Type: Zoom has Real-time synchronous meetings, while Loom has Asynchronous video messaging.
Live Participant Limit: Zoom has Up to 300 participants (Pro+), while Loom has N/A (asynchronous).
Screen Recording Quality: Zoom has 1080p at 60fps with HBM support, while Loom has Up to 4K resolution available.
Primary Use Case: Zoom has Live meetings, webinars, conferences, while Loom has Screen recordings, tutorials, async updates.
AI Features (2026): Zoom has AI Companion 3.0, real-time translation, automated bug reporting, while Loom has AI-powered highlights and transcription.
Free Plan Recording Limit: Zoom has 40 minutes for 3+ participants, while Loom has Unlimited recordings (all features included).
Video Customization: Zoom has Basic editing and transcription, while Loom has Drawing tools, mouse emphasis, custom thumbnails, embedded buttons/links.