Zoom vs Google Meet vs Microsoft Teams (2026)
Three confirmed price increases this pass: Zoom's monthly billing rose — Pro $15.99→$16.99/mo, Business $19.99→$21.99/mo (annual rates held steady). A missing Business Plus tier ($22.49/mo, unlimited Zoom Phone) sits between Business and Enterprise. Separately, Microsoft 365 ($6→$7 Basic, $12.50→$14 Standard, effective July 1, 2026) and Google Workspace ($6→$7 Starter, $12→$14 Standard, $18→$22 Plus) both got more expensive.
Find yourself first
Teams choosing or reviewing their video platform
Weighing standalone reliability against zero-incremental-cost bundling.
Organizations already paying for M365 or Workspace
Now paying more for those suites after July 2026 price increases.
Teams needing webinars or large-audience events
100 to 50,000 attendees — Zoom remains the clear leader here.
Anyone who saw Zoom's old monthly prices
Pro and Business both rose since the last check on this page.
Teams wanting unlimited phone calling bundled in
Zoom Business Plus is a real tier worth knowing about.
Budget-conscious teams tracking suite price changes
Both Microsoft and Google raised prices on the suites that include free video.
Zoom, Microsoft, and Google all rose
The 10-second answer
Zoom
Pro $16.99/mo monthly ($13.33 annual, corrected). Business $21.99/mo monthly ($18.33 annual, corrected). New: Business Plus $22.49/mo adds unlimited phone. AI Companion included on all paid plans. Best for webinars and external meetings.
$16.99 → $21.99 → $22.49/moGoogle Meet
Included free in all Workspace plans, now from $7/user/mo (was $6, corrected). Browser-based, no install. Gemini AI summaries. Best for Workspace-native teams wanting zero additional video cost.
Included from $7/mo (was $6)Microsoft Teams
Included free in all M365 plans, now from $7/user/mo (was $6, corrected, effective Jul 1 2026). Video + chat + files in one platform. Microsoft Copilot AI meeting summaries.
Included from $7/mo (was $6)Match your situation
| Your situation | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Your team runs on Google Workspace | Google Meet (free) | Already included in your Workspace bill — no extra cost, even after the price rise. |
| Your team runs on Microsoft 365 | Teams (free with M365) | Already included in M365 — video + chat + files in one tool. |
| You need external-facing webinars (100-50,000) | Zoom Webinars | Best webinar platform available. Meet/Teams webinars not comparable. |
| Your clients and partners expect Zoom links | Zoom Pro $16.99/mo | Zoom is the default external collaboration standard for most businesses. |
| You need 1,000+ participant meetings | Zoom Enterprise (not Business) | Business only supports 300. For 1,000, need Enterprise or Large Meeting add-on. |
| You want unlimited Zoom Phone calling bundled with video | Zoom Business Plus $22.49/mo | New tier combining Business-level video with unlimited domestic calling. |
| You need no app install for external guests | Google Meet | Browser-based join via link. No download required for guests. |
| You want AI meeting summaries included free | Any — all three have it | Zoom AI Companion, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot all included in 2026. |
What will your team actually cost?
If your team is already on Workspace or M365, Meet and Teams cost $0 extra — select those plans to see the real comparison against standalone Zoom.
⚠️ Google Meet and Teams figures shown are the cost of the whole productivity suite (Workspace or M365) — if you already pay for either, the marginal video cost is $0. Zoom is always a separate, standalone subscription.
The numbers that matter
was $15.99 — annual rate unchanged at $13.33
was $19.99 — annual rate unchanged at $18.33
unlimited Zoom Phone calling bundled in
was $6 — rose July 1, 2026, confirmed official
was $6 — confirmed via official billing docs
NOT 1,000 — that requires Enterprise or Large Meeting add-on
Three platforms, three cost models
Zoom — Most Reliable, Now with Corrected Pricing and a New Tier
$16.99 → $21.99 → $22.49/moZoom earns its premium by being the most consistent, reliable video conferencing experience across different devices, networks, and technical setups. Monthly billing rates rose since the last check: Pro from $15.99 to $16.99/user/month, Business from $19.99 to $21.99/user/month (annual rates held at $13.33 and $18.33 respectively). A Business Plus tier at $22.49/user/month (annual) — bundling unlimited Zoom Phone calling with Business-level video — sits between Business and Enterprise and wasn't previously covered.
- Most reliable video quality across all network conditions and devices
- Best webinar platform — Zoom Webinars handles up to 50,000 attendees
- Zoom AI Companion included on all paid plans — summaries, action items, transcripts
- New Business Plus tier bundles unlimited phone calling with video for one price
- Requires separate subscription on top of Workspace or M365 you already pay for
- Business plan supports 300 participants — not 1,000 as commonly misreported
- Renewal uplifts of 5-40% documented — negotiate price caps upfront
- Free plan 40-minute limit disrupts regular team meetings
Google Meet — Free with Workspace, Now a Pricier Workspace
Included from $7/mo (was $6)Google Meet's biggest advantage remains zero incremental cost: it's included in every Google Workspace plan at no extra charge. What changed is the Workspace price itself — Business Starter rose from $6 to $7/user/month, Standard from $12 to $14, and Plus from $18 to $22, confirmed via a source that checked directly against Google's official billing documentation. The "Meet is free" math still holds, but the baseline it's free relative to just got more expensive.
- Included at zero extra cost in all Google Workspace plans
- Browser-based — external guests join via link without installing anything
- Noise cancellation and live captions (60+ languages on paid plans) built in
- Gemini AI: real-time meeting notes, summaries, and translated captions
- Breakout rooms available but less feature-rich than Zoom's
- Webinar capabilities newer and less mature than Zoom Webinars
- Workspace's July 2026 price rise means the "free" baseline costs more now
- 100 participant limit on free personal plan
Microsoft Teams — Video + Chat + Files, Now Costing More With M365
Included from $7/mo (was $6)Teams differentiates by being more than a video tool — meetings, persistent chat, file sharing, and Office document co-editing all in one interface. Like Meet, Teams is included at no extra cost in M365 Business plans. As of July 1, 2026, those base subscriptions got more expensive: Business Basic rose from $6 to $7/user/month, Business Standard from $12.50 to $14/user/month — both confirmed directly against Microsoft's own pricing. Business Premium held flat; Teams Essentials ($4/mo) was unaffected.
- Included at zero extra cost in all Microsoft 365 Business plans
- Video + chat + files + Office document co-editing all in one platform
- Microsoft Copilot AI meeting summaries and action item extraction
- Up to 1,000 participants on paid plans (better than Zoom Business's 300)
- Most cluttered interface — steep learning curve for non-technical users
- Performance can lag on older hardware or large team deployments
- M365 Business Basic and Standard both rose in price July 1, 2026
- Often adopted because it's bundled, not because users prefer it
Strengths at a glance
| Criteria | Zoom | Google Meet | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro/entry price (monthly) | $16.99/user/mo (corrected) | $0 extra — included in Workspace | $0 extra — included in M365 |
| Business participants | 300 (not 1,000) | 500-1,000 on Workspace+ | Up to 1,000 on paid plans |
| Video quality | Best — most reliable | Good, comparable for standard use | Good, can lag on older hardware |
| Webinars | Best — up to 50,000 | Newer, still maturing | Limited |
| Renewal/suite price stability | 5-40% renewal uplifts documented | Workspace rose across all 3 tiers in 2026 | M365 rose July 1, 2026 |
| Unlimited phone calling bundled | Business Plus $22.49/mo (new) | Not applicable | PSTN calling, higher tiers |
🟢 STRONG · 🟠 ACCEPTABLE WITH CAVEATS · 🔴 WEAK / WATCH OUT
Feature by feature
| Feature | Zoom | Google Meet | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan meeting limit | ⚡ 40 minutes (group) | ✓ 60 minutes | ✓ 60 minutes |
| Free plan participants | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Paid participants (max) | ⚡ 300 (Business) — not 1,000 | ✓ 1,000 (Workspace Business Plus) | ✓ 1,000 (paid plans) |
| Included free with | ✗ Standalone only | ✓ All Google Workspace plans | ✓ All Microsoft 365 plans |
| Entry monthly price | $16.99/mo (corrected) | Starter $7/mo (corrected) | M365 Basic $7/mo (corrected) |
| Unlimited phone calling | ✓ Business Plus $22.49/mo (new) | ✗ Not applicable | ⚡ Higher M365 tiers |
| Webinars | ✓ Best — Zoom Webinars, up to 50,000 | ⚡ Meet Webinars (newer, maturing) | ⚡ Teams Webinars (limited) |
| AI meeting summaries | ✓ Zoom AI Companion (included paid plans) | ✓ Google Gemini integration | ✓ Microsoft Copilot |
Every plan, verified
Three separate price corrections converge on this page: Zoom's monthly rates, Microsoft 365's July 2026 increase, and Google Workspace's 2026 increase. All three affect the "should I pay for Zoom on top of what I already have" calculation.
| Plan | Zoom | Google Meet | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 40-min group meetings · 100 participants · unlimited 1:1s | 60-min meetings · 100 participants · no app download needed | 60-min meetings · 100 participants |
| Entry paid | Pro $16.99/mo monthly (corrected, was $15.99) · $13.33/mo annual | Workspace Starter $7/user/mo (corrected, was $6) | Teams Essentials $4/user/mo (standalone) or M365 Basic $7/user/mo (corrected, was $6) |
| Mid tier | Business $21.99/mo monthly (corrected, was $19.99) · $18.33/mo annual · 300 participants | Workspace Standard $14/user/mo (corrected, was $12) · 500 participants | M365 Business Standard $14/user/mo (corrected, was $12.50) · full Office apps |
| Upper tier | Business Plus $22.49/mo (new tier) — unlimited Zoom Phone calling | Workspace Business Plus $22/user/mo (corrected, was $18) · 1,000 participants | Included on M365 Business Premium ($22/mo, unaffected) |
| Large meetings | Enterprise (custom) or Large Meeting add-on: $50/mo (500 ppl) or $149/mo (1,000 ppl) | Included on Business Plus | Included on M365 Business Standard & higher |
| Watch out for | Business ≠ 1,000 participants (it's 300). Renewal uplifts 5-40% documented. | "Free" baseline just got more expensive across all three Workspace tiers. | "Free" baseline rose July 1, 2026 on Basic and Standard specifically. |
Choose by fit
Choose Zoom if…
- You need standalone video not tied to a productivity suite
- You run webinars or large virtual events (100-50,000 attendees)
- Your clients and partners expect Zoom links for external meetings
- You want unlimited phone calling bundled via Business Plus
- You need the most reliable video quality across variable network conditions
Choose Google Meet if…
- Your organization already uses Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Docs)
- You want meetings that launch directly from Google Calendar invitations
- External guests should join without installing anything (browser-based)
- You want Gemini AI meeting notes integrated with Google Workspace
- Paying twice for video conferencing when Workspace already includes it makes no sense
Choose Teams if…
- Your organization already uses Microsoft 365
- Office document collaboration during meetings is important
- You want video + persistent chat + file sharing in a single Microsoft tool
- Phone system capabilities (PSTN calling) are required
- Microsoft Copilot AI integration with the rest of M365 matters
Match the tool to your job
Best video quality
ZoomMost reliable in low-bandwidth conditions.
Best for Google Workspace
Google MeetIncluded free. Calendar-native. Browser join.
Best for Microsoft 365
TeamsIncluded free. Video + chat + files.
Best webinars
Zoom WebinarsUp to 50,000 attendees. Best Q&A, polls.
Best guest experience
Google MeetJoin in browser, no download. Zero friction.
Best doc collaboration
TeamsEdit Word/Excel inside the meeting.
Video + unlimited phone, one bill
Zoom Business PlusNew $22.49/mo tier bundles both.
Best for external meetings
ZoomClient standard. Most cross-platform reliable.
What vendors won't lead with
💵 Zoom's monthly billing rates rose — check which rate you're quoting
Pro monthly is now $16.99 (was $15.99); Business monthly is now $21.99 (was $19.99). Annual rates held steady at $13.33 and $18.33 respectively. If you're comparing against old marketing or an older guide, confirm which billing term the number reflects.
📞 Zoom Business Plus is a real, distinct tier
At $22.49/user/month (annual), Business Plus bundles unlimited Zoom Phone domestic calling with Business-level video. It's easy to overlook since some sources list only Basic/Pro/Business/Enterprise, skipping this tier entirely.
📈 Microsoft 365's "free" baseline got more expensive July 1, 2026
Business Basic rose $6→$7/user/month, Standard $12.50→$14/user/month. If your org's "Teams is free" math is based on old M365 pricing, it's understating your actual current spend.
📈 Google Workspace's "free" baseline also rose in 2026
Business Starter $6→$7, Standard $12→$14, Plus $18→$22/user/month. Same logic applies — the suite Google Meet rides along in for free just got pricier.
🚫 Zoom Business still supports 300 participants, not 1,000
This remains one of the most commonly misreported facts in video conferencing comparisons. For 1,000-participant meetings, you need Zoom Enterprise (custom pricing, 100+ user minimum) or the Large Meeting add-on ($149/month per license for 1,000).
💰 Zoom renewal uplifts of 5-40% remain well-documented
Vendr buyer data documents Zoom renewal price increases of 5-40% at contract renewal — separate from the base monthly-rate increases confirmed this pass. Negotiate price cap language ("not to exceed X% annual increase") when signing annual contracts.
Quick answers
Zoom Pro costs $16.99/user/month on monthly billing, or $13.33/user/month on annual billing. Business costs $21.99/user/month monthly, or $18.33/user/month annual. A Business Plus tier at $22.49/user/month (annual) adds unlimited Zoom Phone calling. These monthly rates rose from $15.99 (Pro) and $19.99 (Business) since an earlier check on this page — annual rates held steady.
Zoom Business supports up to 300 participants per meeting — not 1,000 as many comparison guides incorrectly state. For 1,000-participant meetings, you need either Zoom Enterprise (custom pricing, typically requires 100+ user minimum) or the Large Meeting add-on ($50/month per license for 500 participants, $149/month per license for 1,000 participants).
Yes, both rose. Microsoft 365 Business Basic went from $6 to $7/user/month and Business Standard from $12.50 to $14/user/month, effective July 1, 2026. Google Workspace Business Starter went from $6 to $7, Standard from $12 to $14, and Plus from $18 to $22/user/month. Since Teams and Google Meet are included free with these suites, the "free" video baseline is now pricier for both.
Teams has a free plan with 60-minute meeting limits and 100 participants. Teams is included in all Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise plans at no extra cost — from M365 Business Basic, now $7/user/month. The standalone Teams Essentials plan at $4/user/month is for organizations wanting Teams without the full M365 suite.
The decision comes down to three factors: whether your external clients expect Zoom links, whether you run webinars or large events (100-50,000 attendees) where Zoom Webinars is significantly more capable, and whether Zoom's video quality advantage is worth the added cost for your specific use case. For internal meetings only, the case for paying extra for Zoom is weak. Many organizations use Teams or Meet internally and Zoom for external calls.
Ready to choose your video conferencing platform?
All three offer free plans. If you already pay for Workspace or M365, Meet and Teams cost nothing extra. Zoom is worth the standalone cost for webinars and external meetings where clients expect Zoom links.