Choosing a new communication tool can be challenging — especially when you’re likely already familiar with one of the biggest names on the market. Yes, we’re referring to Skype — one of the first video conferencing software to go big. After acquiring Skype, Microsoft developed Teams, introducing features geared toward business users.
That raises a dilemma:
Should you stick with something you’re familiar with or go with a different app that’s better suited for professional use?
The answer isn’t so straightforward.
As easy to use as Skype is, its cracks begin to show when larger teams that require more robust features use it. Microsoft Teams addresses some of these issues — but how does it fit into a company’s work culture?
This article will compare Skype and Teams and reveal how these apps stack up against one another in 2024.
Skype vs. Teams in a nutshell
Skype entered the market in 2003 as one of the pioneers of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services. Over the past two decades, the platform has expanded its list of services to include Skype for Business, Skype Manager, Skype with Alexa, and Meet Now.
Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011 and went on to release Microsoft Teams — one of the leading team collaboration and messaging apps today, with 300 million daily active users — in 2017.
It’s worth noting that Microsoft decided to retire Skype for Business Online in 2021 — prompting the transition of Skype for Business users to Teams.
When deciding between Skype and Teams, be sure to factor in your needs and the size of your team — and consider an alternative like Lark that offers the scalability of Teams and the user-friendliness of Skype.
Which has the best features?
When you compare Skype and Teams in terms of key features, it’s clear that Teams is the more business-oriented platform of the two.
Skype’s main communication features include:
One-on-one and team messaging with custom reactions, @mentions, and smart replies with Cortana suggestions
Video and audio calling features — including screen sharing, live subtitles, customized backgrounds, call recording (which is available for 30 days), and the option to share files (maximum file size is 300 MB) — for up to 100 participants
Call forwarding and voicemail
Option to call landlines and mobile phones through Skype (requires a flat fee or paid subscription)
Real-time translation in direct messages, video and voice calls, with the text translator offering support for more than 60 languages
In comparison, Microsoft Teams offers more advanced meeting capabilities aimed at business users — with notable features such as:
One-on-one and team messaging with persistent chat, threads, rich text editing, @mentions, GIFs, stickers, scheduled sending, and suggested replies
Chat with self option, great for drafting messages, storing notes or files, and exploring Teams’ features
Online meetings with a 30-hour meeting duration limit for up to 300 participants, screen sharing, live captions, Breakout rooms, and the option to record meetings
Collaboration tools, including in-chat translation in 35 languages, polls, Microsoft Whiteboard, and real-time coauthoring and version history tracking
File sharing in channels, private chats, and video meetings, with support for larger files (maximum file size for attachments ranges from 2 GB to 1 TB per user)
File storage on OneDrive, up to 1 TB per user
Custom backgrounds for meetings, including blur effects, pre-designed backgrounds, and the option to upload images
Accessibility features, including real-time captions, meeting transcription, and support for sign language communication
Both platforms are available on Windows and Mac, as well as iOS and Android devices — with the Web apps supported on most browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.
Which has the best integrations?
Both platforms offer a wide range of video and audio calling features, but Microsoft Teams is the superior choice when it comes to third-party app integrations.
Skype doesn’t support third-party integrations. You’re limited to Skype’s native features — with no option to customize or automate certain aspects of your workflow.
That shouldn’t be a surprise; the platform’s target users aren’t necessarily businesses.
Microsoft Teams, on the other hand, supports third-party integration with over 2,000 different apps — including Asana, ClickUp, Trello, monday.com, Jira, Evernote, Lucidchart, Miro, and more.
Moreover, Teams supports native integration with the entire Microsoft ecosystem — including SharePoint, OneNote, Outlook, Microsoft Whiteboard, Power BI, Bookings, and Copilot for Sales — and allows users to build custom third-party app integrations.
If you don’t want to transition to the Microsoft ecosystem — or you’d like to reduce your reliance on third-party software — consider an alternative like Lark. It combines one-on-one and team messaging with full chat history, video conferencing, document collaboration — and more — in one platform.
Which has the best pricing?
One thing that Skype for Business and Teams have in common is the more-than-generous free version — but other than that, they follow two radically different pricing models.
Skype is completely free to use. You can use it for group and one-to-one chat and make Skype to Skype calls free of cost. Plus, the platform’s basic video conferencing tools — available with Meet Now — let you host or join video calls with up to 100 participants and a 24-hour duration limit.
There’s no premium version, but you can get paid add-ons like a Skype Number, pay-as-you-go Skype Credit, or monthly subscriptions that let you make landline calls through Skype.
Microsoft Teams also has a free plan — but it has a more complicated pricing structure, offering different packages within Business and Home plans and Teams Phone bundles.
The free version of Microsoft Teams includes unlimited instant messaging, group calls — with a 60-minute duration limit and support for up to 100 participants — and 5 GB of cloud storage per user.
It also has four premium plans for business users, ranging from $4 to $22 per user per month:
Microsoft Teams Essentials, which starts at $4 per month
Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which starts at $6 per month
Microsoft 365 Business Standard, which starts at $12.50 per month
Microsoft 365 Business Premium, which starts at $22 per month
Which has the best customer service?
Customer service is another area where Teams has a clear advantage over Skype.
If you’re experiencing issues, you can browse Skype Help — a knowledge base with resources, FAQs, troubleshooting tips, and basic how-to guides — or join the Microsoft Support Community and try to get an answer there.
However, Skype users are limited to self-service customer support:
It doesn’t offer 24/7 assistance in the form of chatbots or live chat support. Even when you go to the “Contact Us” page, you have to navigate through a series of prompts before reaching the option to chat with a Skype support agent.
Microsoft owns both platforms, so you can expect a few similarities when handling customer support.
Namely, you’ll also have access to the Microsoft Support Community — a forum where users can ask questions and discuss Teams — and the comprehensive library of resources in the Help & Learning Center.
Microsoft’s knowledge base includes training courses, a tech community blog, a downloadable guide, and troubleshooting resources.
The most significant advantage is that, compared to Skype, users have access to live and on-demand training and 24/7 phone and web support in addition to these self-help options.
Which is the easiest to use?
Skype is known for its simple, easy-to-navigate user interface. The chat window takes up most of the space, with additional features — a search bar, contacts, a recent chat list, notifications, and the “Meet Now” and “New Chat” options — located on the left.
And even if you don’t have Skype installed or haven’t created an account, you can join meetings as a guest on Skype for Business Web App; all you need is the Meet Now link.
There are some similarities, too, especially following Skype’s 2021 redesign. For instance, both apps have different views available in video calls — including Large gallery view and Together mode.
But overall, Skype is easier to set up and navigate; Teams’ feature-rich environment comes with a steeper learning curve.
Microsoft Teams’ user interface is a bit more complex.
There are several tabs on the right — including Activity, Community, Chat, Calendar, and Files — with each one opening an additional set of tools, features, and settings.
That’s one of the most significant downsides of Teams — with so much going on, it can get overwhelming for new users.
Users can join meetings in Teams using the Meeting ID provided in the invite or host a new meeting by clicking the “Meet now” button — with the option to schedule meetings within the Calendar.
As with Skype, it’s possible to join Teams meetings without an account and enter meetings from your browser — which is a plus if you don’t want to install the Teams app.
Which is the most secure and compliant?
Skype and Teams are part of the Microsoft ecosystem, so you’d expect both apps to follow the same security best practices — but that’s not necessarily the case.
Skype is far from unsafe; all Skype-to-Skype outgoing and incoming chat messages — including voice messages and file transfers — are encrypted using 256-bit Transport Layer Security (TLS) or Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).
However, keep in mind that, unlike Lark, Skype doesn’t enable end-to-end encryption by default. You’ll have to use the “Private Conversation” feature — otherwise, your conversations won’t be encrypted end-to-end.
With that said, Microsoft Teams has a more robust set of security features.
For starters, Teams is compliant with Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) by default.
It supports data encryption at rest and in transit based on industry standards — Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) — with the option to enable end-to-end encryption for one-on-one calls.
Moreover, you’ll have the option to set up multi-factor authentication and Single Sign-On (SSO) — and the Microsoft 365 Business Premium plan gives users access to enhanced cyber threat protection, including phishing attacks and viruses.
What are other users saying?
Most of Skype’s user base agrees that the platform is easy to use and has a minimal learning curve. Besides, most people have had the chance to use Skype before — or are at least familiar with it — so you shouldn’t have too much trouble introducing it in the workplace.
However, Skype can be too simple for serious business users:
Compared to other business apps for internal communication, it lacks advanced collaboration capabilities, and the connection can sometimes be unreliable — especially with a higher number of meeting participants.
Teams users, on the other hand, generally appreciate the platform’s feature-rich experience, advanced capabilities, and wide range of available third-party app integrations.
It has a solid reputation as a powerful platform for remote teams and virtual collaboration.
That said, some users have reported issues with the Teams mobile app. Plus, it has a steep learning curve — and the sheer amount of features, additional audio and video call settings, and notifications can be overwhelming.
Which is right for you?
It’s not necessarily a matter of which app is better; the question is which app would work for you — Skype for Business or Teams.
While it has some limitations, Skype offers ease of use and can be a good choice for individual users and smaller teams that need a simple app that allows them to send instant messages and make one-on-one and group video calls. Plus, it’s a more affordable option.
However, considering the lack of advanced collaboration features, it’s evident who Skype’s user base is — and it’s not large organizations.
Microsoft Teams’ extensive range of features might be overwhelming for smaller teams. That said, larger businesses will appreciate the platform’s overall reliability and security and access to advanced collaboration tools.
If you need an app that’s easy to use yet powerful and feature-rich, neither Skype for Business nor Teams would be the right choice.
Consider a versatile all-in-one solution like Lark that handles everything:
Conclusion
Both Skype and Microsoft Teams have features that will allow your team to communicate and collaborate remotely:
If you have a small team and value simplicity and ease of use, Skype can be a good choice — while Teams is a feature-rich solution that caters to the needs of large enterprises.
That said, you don’t have to choose between ease of use and advanced capabilities.
With Lark, you get the user-friendliness of Skype and the productivity and collaboration features of Microsoft Teams — combined into an all-in-one platform.
Keep reading:
10 Zoom alternatives for video conferencing in 2024
Elevate Team Collaboration with Optimal Record Meeting Strategies
