Microsoft Teams Review (2026): Pricing, Pros and Cons
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Short answer
Microsoft Teams ranks #2 of 6 in our video conferencing tools ranking (90/100). Best value, and best for Microsoft 365 companies. Paid plans start at $4/user/mo (Teams Essentials, paid yearly; Microsoft 365 Business Basic $7).
What is Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams combines meetings, chat and file sharing. Teams Essentials ($4 per user paid yearly) allows 300 participants, 30-hour meetings and 10 GB of cloud storage per user; Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($7) adds business email and Office web apps, and Business Standard with Copilot ($23.50) adds webinars.
Who it's best for
Companies that run on Microsoft 365, or any team that wants large, long meetings for the lowest per-user price.
Why we rank it
It's the cheapest paid plan here by a wide margin, and that $4 plan already allows 300 participants and 30-hour meetings.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- 300 participants and 30-hour meetings from $4 per user
- Business email and Office apps from $7 with Business Basic
- Free plan allows 60-minute meetings for 100 people
Watch-outs
- Paid plans are annual, auto-renewing subscriptions
- Copilot is an add-on below Business Standard
- Trial needs a credit card and converts to paid
Skip it if: Most of your meetings are with outside guests who don't use Microsoft tools and you want the simplest join flow.
Microsoft Teams pricing
Paid plans start at $4/user/mo (Teams Essentials, paid yearly; Microsoft 365 Business Basic $7). Free plan or trial: Free plan (60-minute meetings, 100 participants); 1-month trial.
From Microsoft Teams's pricing page, checked on the date at the top of this review. See how it compares on price in our video conferencing tools pricing overview.
How we scored Microsoft Teams
Video conferencing score: 90/100
Each criterion is rated 0 to 5 and weighted for the category. See our methodology.
How Microsoft Teams compares
| # | Tool | Best for | Starting price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoom Workplace | Best overall for meetings, recording and AI notes | $14.16/user/mo | 93/100 |
| 2 | Microsoft Teams | Best value, and best for Microsoft 365 companies | $4/user/mo | 90/100 |
| 3 | Google Meet | Google Workspace teams | $7/user/mo | 85/100 |
| 4 | Webex | Large enterprises with strict security needs | Free | 84/100 |
| 5 | Zoho Meeting | Best budget pick for small teams | From $1/host/mo | 79/100 |
| 6 | Whereby | Simple browser meetings with clients | $10.99/host/mo | 71/100 |
Alternatives and comparisons
Microsoft Teams FAQ
How much does Microsoft Teams cost?
Paid plans start at $4/user/mo (Teams Essentials, paid yearly; Microsoft 365 Business Basic $7). Free plan or trial: Free plan (60-minute meetings, 100 participants); 1-month trial.
Is Microsoft Teams worth it?
Microsoft Teams scores 90/100 in our video conferencing tools ranking, where it is best value, and best for Microsoft 365 companies. It's a weaker fit if: most of your meetings are with outside guests who don't use Microsoft tools and you want the simplest join flow.
Does Microsoft Teams have a free plan or trial?
Free plan (60-minute meetings, 100 participants); 1-month trial.
What are the best Microsoft Teams alternatives?
In our video conferencing tools ranking, the closest alternatives are Zoom Workplace, Google Meet and Webex.