Zoom vs Teams (what’s the difference?)

With video meetings being more relevant (and used) than ever before, we thought we’d provide a breakdown on the different platforms and services, as well as what we use here at RCSD.

There are multiple popular video conferencing platforms available, including Zoom, Teams, Skype, Snapchat, and FaceTime (to just name a few). Zoom, available for free personal use, has become so popular, in fact, that it has become synonymous with video meetings (e.g. let’s zoom on Sunday!). However, if someone says they want to zoom, they may actually be referring to another service! Always check to make sure you know which app they are using.

At RCSD, we use Microsoft Teams to provide video chat/meeting services. Any staff member can create a Team, make a voice call, or start a video chat with anyone inside or outside the organization. Teams is available as an app for Windows, Android, and iOS, as well as through a web browser.

Prior to Teams, RCSD used Skype for internal messaging and calls. Skype is being deprecated, however (IT term for being abandoned and replaced), so if you’re still using it, make sure to switch over to Teams!

Not sure how to use Teams? We provide instruction and advice through our training site, umbrella.rcsd.ca. If you need a quick refresher (or more in-depth training), check out the Teams course available there!