Are you having a hard time choosing between Skype and Zoom for your virtual work meetings? You don’t have to rack your brains anymore. This article has all the details about the greatest video conference app rivalry, Skype vs Zoom. Each platform has its own pros and cons, and we’ll make it easier for you to pick the right one for you. Let’s get started!
Which One to Choose: Skype vs Zoom
Picking the right app, Skype vs Zoom is a hard choice for a lot of people. With everything switching to the digital platform, it is better to get a hold of both the apps and see which one fits better to your needs. Skype vs Zoom is not all that big a deal. Both have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Both Skype and Zoom facilitate video conferencing, online messaging, and video tools. Although Skype has been around for longer than Zoom, however, Zoom had an ideal situation for people to use its app. It is quite evident that many companies prefer Zoom over Skype, but we’ll see why that is the case in this article.
We will break down into different categories to compare both the apps, and the one that has more strengths according to you can be your winner. Get a pen and paper; your mental note-taking skills can also be used if you’re too lazy to grab an actual paper.
Skype vs Zoom: A Detailed Comparision
Given below is the list of categories we will be comparing Skype vs Zoom. These categories are important to take into account. Let’s start.
1. Creating an Account
Let’s begin with the first step for using an app. In some apps, you need to create an account to use it. Skype is the perfect example of that. Without logging in, you cannot use Skype. Zoom, on the other hand, lets the user join or host a meeting without signing in.
Recently, Skype released a new feature, “Meet Now”, which enables users to host and join meetings without having to sign in. Though Skype was inspired by Zoom, we’re glad that it also hopped onto the bandwagon.
2. Number of Participants
An easy way to pick Skype vs Zoom is to first check the number of participants for the meeting. This one integral question will quickly solve your problem. If your meeting is for a big group, say more than 100 participants, then Zoom is your answer. If the meeting group is less than 50 people, then you can opt for Skype.
However, if we consider the premium versions of both Skype and Zoom, then you can host more than 100 participants on both platforms. On Zoom, you can even have up to a thousand participants.
3. Affordability
If you’re deliberating on which software to buy for your business or company, then this is an important question to consider for Skype vs Zoom. The free versions of Skype and Zoom cannot allow a lot of people on the conference at the same time. Buying the software is a good expense but first, check your budget.
Zoom has three plans to choose from. The Pro plan costs $14.99 per month that allows 1,000 participants and 30 hour-long group meetings. A Business plan that charges $19.99 per month and a final Zoom United Business plan that is the most expensive of all, $30 per month.
Skype also has three plans and packages to choose from. The first is a Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan that costs $5 for every user per month. It comes with all the other apps and features of the Microsoft 365 plan (very useful for those who work with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on a daily basis).
The other plan is a Microsoft 365 Business Standard plan that is $12.50 per user per month. The last plan, Office 365 E3, is the most expensive one that charges $20 for every user per month.
An important thing to remember is that while Skype charges for every user, Zoom only charges for the main account buying the paid version. So in hindsight, Zoom will be cheaper for those who don’t require every user to have their own paid version.
4. App Availability
Lastly, we need to consider what all devices these apps are available for the best productivity. In the Skype vs Zoom competition, this factor also plays a major role.
Being able to access the software on your phone and laptop or PC can boost efficiency. Fortunately, both Skype and Zoom are available on most popular devices such as Android, Mac, Linux, iPhone/iPad, Web-based, and Windows.
Conclusion
That’s a wrap on Skype vs Zoom. We hope you were able to get useful insights from this article and come to a decision about which video conferencing app to use henceforth. Ensure that you go through all the comparison basics to get a good idea about both the apps. Lastly, regardless of the pros and cons, pick the one that you are most comfortable with. Have a good day!
