In the Teams Rooms vs Zoom Rooms decision, choose the platform your organization already runs for meetings and calendar. Microsoft 365 organizations usually standardize on Teams Rooms, which Microsoft offers in Basic and Pro licenses; Zoom-first organizations use Zoom Rooms. Both can join the other's meetings, with limits.
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Should you choose Teams Rooms or Zoom Rooms?
Pick the platform that hosts most of your internal meetings. Rooms that run your primary platform natively give the best experience; interoperability covers external meetings but is a fallback, not a strategy.
If your staff live in Microsoft Teams for chat, meetings and calendar, Microsoft Teams Rooms will feel native. If Zoom is your meeting standard, Zoom Rooms will. Mixed organizations often choose by department or room type, keeping hardware standards as similar as possible.
How do Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms compare?
Both are dedicated room systems on certified hardware with centralized management. The main differences are licensing, management tooling and how each joins the other's meetings.
| Factor | Microsoft Teams Rooms | Zoom Rooms |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing | Teams Rooms Basic (free, up to 25 rooms) or Teams Rooms Pro | One Zoom Rooms license per shared-space room |
| Hardware | Certified Windows or Android systems and peripherals | Certified appliances or compute (Windows, macOS, Android) |
| Central management | Teams admin center; Teams Rooms Pro Management with Pro | Zoom Device Management in the Zoom web portal |
| Joining the other platform | Direct Guest Join to Zoom (up to 720p, one display); SIP join needs Pro + SIP plan | Join Teams via web client (single camera/mic/speaker); SIP interop needs a Microsoft CVI subscription |
| Other platforms | Direct Guest Join also supports Webex and Google Meet | Can join Webex, Google Meet and others via third-party join |
How does licensing differ?
Teams Rooms has a free Basic tier for up to 25 rooms and a paid Pro tier. Zoom Rooms requires a Zoom Rooms license for each shared-space room, while scheduling displays need a license assigned without consuming one.
Microsoft's licensing page lists dual screens, multi-camera, front row and Pro Management as Pro features. Zoom's room types and license requirements explain that a Zoom Room for shared spaces needs one license and a Personal Zoom Room needs none. Budget by room type, not just room count.
Can Teams Rooms join Zoom meetings, and vice versa?
Yes, both directions work, with trade-offs. Teams Rooms Direct Guest Join to Zoom runs at up to 720p on one display. A Zoom Room joining Teams through the web client uses a single camera, microphone and speaker.
Microsoft documents Direct Guest Join and SIP join; SIP join supports 1080p on two displays but requires Pro and a SIP plan. Zoom documents Zoom Interop for Microsoft Teams: the web-client method needs no extra license, while SIP interop needs a Microsoft CVI subscription. For guests who need full control, a bring-your-own-meeting USB connection is often simplest.
How are the rooms managed?
Teams Rooms are managed in the Teams admin center, with Teams Rooms Pro Management adding monitoring and staged updates for Pro rooms. Zoom Rooms are managed through Zoom Device Management in the Zoom web portal.
Microsoft describes Pro Management as health monitoring, automatic remediation and update rings. Zoom's Device Management provides app and firmware updates and remote management, and Zoom notes appliances need no MDM enrollment. Either way, pair platform monitoring with an AV service agreement for hardware faults.
Do network requirements differ?
Both need low-latency bandwidth and firewall access to their cloud services. Microsoft publishes Teams bandwidth and QoS guidance; Zoom publishes the ports Zoom Rooms use.
Microsoft recommends 2,500 kbps up and 4,000 kbps down for Teams meeting video per endpoint. Zoom's firewall guidance for Zoom Rooms lists TCP 443 and UDP 3478, 3479 and 8801 for room-to-cloud traffic, and notes that Wi-Fi client isolation must be disabled for controllers to reach rooms.
How should you decide?
Work through platform usage, room mix, licensing budget, external meeting patterns and IT management preferences. The answer is usually obvious once the organization's daily meeting platform is clear.
Decision framework
- Identify the platform that hosts most internal meetings and calendar invites.
- Count rooms by size; note which need dual displays or multiple cameras.
- Estimate licensing: Teams Rooms Basic vs Pro, or Zoom Rooms per room.
- Review how often you join external meetings on the other platform, and at what quality.
- Confirm which management console IT prefers and what monitoring you need.
- Standardize hardware so rooms can be converted later if the platform changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Teams Rooms or Zoom Rooms cheaper?
It depends on scale and features. Teams Rooms Basic is free with certified hardware for up to 25 rooms, which suits small single-display rooms. Pro features and larger estates change the math. Zoom Rooms requires a license per shared-space room. Compare the full cost — licensing, hardware and support — for your actual room mix.
Can one room run both Teams and Zoom natively?
A room system runs one native platform at a time and joins the other through interoperability or a bring-your-own-meeting connection. Some certified hardware can be reconfigured between platforms, which is useful if an organization later switches, but day to day each room has a primary platform.
Which platform works better with Microsoft 365 calendars?
Teams Rooms uses Microsoft 365 resource accounts natively. Zoom Rooms can also connect to Microsoft 365 calendars for scheduling. The practical difference is less about calendars and more about which meeting platform your people use, since the room should join those meetings natively.
Do we need different hardware for Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms?
Hardware must be certified for the platform you run. Some video bars and compute devices are certified for both platforms, while others are platform-specific. Checking Microsoft's and Zoom's certified lists before purchasing avoids buying hardware that cannot run your chosen platform or that limits a later switch.
What happens when a client sends a Zoom invite to our Teams Room?
If Direct Guest Join is enabled and the room mailbox processes external invitations, the room can join the Zoom meeting from its console, at up to 720p on one display according to Microsoft. Otherwise, a user can connect a laptop to the room over USB and run the Zoom meeting with the room's camera and audio.
Can we mix Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms in one office?
Yes. Some organizations run Teams Rooms in most spaces and Zoom Rooms where specific teams or clients rely on Zoom. Keeping the same camera, microphone and display standards across both reduces support effort, and documentation should make clear which platform each room runs.
Does platform choice affect the AV design?
Somewhat. Both platforms use similar cameras, microphones, DSPs and displays, so room engineering is largely the same. Licensing affects features like dual displays and multi-camera on Teams Rooms, and certified-hardware lists affect product selection, so the platform should be decided before equipment is specified.
Teams Rooms vs Zoom Rooms comes down to how you meet
For most businesses the Teams Rooms vs Zoom Rooms decision follows the meeting platform people already use. Licensing, interoperability and management then shape the room-by-room details.
If you are standardizing conference rooms in New York, we can map your room mix to the right platform and licensing.
Scope note: Licensing and product capabilities change frequently. Figures here reflect Microsoft and Zoom documentation as of the updated date; confirm current terms with Microsoft, Zoom or your licensing provider before purchasing.
References
- Microsoft Teams Rooms licenses — Microsoft Learn
- Enable Teams Rooms devices to join third-party meetings — Microsoft Learn
- Microsoft Teams Rooms Pro Management — Microsoft Learn
- Prepare your organization's network for Microsoft Teams — Microsoft Learn
- Zoom Rooms system requirements — Zoom Support
- Understanding Zoom Room types and license requirements — Zoom Support
- Using Zoom Interop for Microsoft Teams in Zoom Rooms — Zoom Support
- Getting started with Zoom Device Management — Zoom Support
- Firewall configuration for Zoom Rooms — Zoom Support
References verified and re-checked at each scheduled review. Read our editorial policy.