Zoom vs Skype Comparison: Which is Better? A Detailed Comparison of Zoom Vs Skype
While some segments of the economy are cautiously reopening, most people are still working or learning from home. Most businesses are waiting to see how the situation unfolds, with rumors of promising potential vaccines emerging every day. However, since businesses can’t afford to halt operations indefinitely, most of us are working from home. Colleges have decided to adopt the distance learning format, which means students are relying on the internet as well.
In either scenario, it is more than likely that you will need a
face-to-face to get stuff done, and applications like Skype or the more recent
Zoom can help. However, which one would be the better option? This blog offers
a detailed comparison between Zoom Vs Skype
to help you decide.
The Zoom Vs Skype Showdown
There are certain basic features you look for in a video call app.
However, under the current circumstances, you will probably be conferencing
with multiple people. This is an entirely different ballgame compared to your
nightly Facetime sessions with your friends. In this case, there are more
variables to consider when comparing video conferencing applications. This blog
compares two of the most popular platforms, Zoom and Skype side by side. Read
on to find out which is the winner in terms of:
1.
Video Quality
2.
Limits On People In A Single Call
3.
Sign Up/Registration Requirements
4.
Device Compatibility
5.
Encryption and Security
6.
Pricing
Let’s examine these in more detail below.
Video
Quality
Unless you enjoy pixelated faces and scratchy conversation, the video
quality a conferencing platform offers is likely a priority for you. Whether
you have to lead an important business meeting or present a paper in the next
philosophy class, poor video quality will ruin the experience. Both for you as
well as other participants in the conference. Lucky for you, both these
platforms offer a maximum video resolution of 1080p, which can lay your fears
to rest.
However, your video quality also depends on the hardware you have as
well as the quality and speed of your network. A solid, dependable plan like Spectrum internet services can help
you ensure you have all the bandwidth and network strength you need for video
conferencing. Of course, the camera you have will have a massive impact on
video quality. Don’t skimp! Please also note that both you and your team will
need to select the 1080p option on Zoom, which isn’t enabled by default.
The Verdict: Both
platforms support 1080p video, but Skype has lower internet consumption at 1.2
Mbps for HD calls compared to Zoom’s recommended 3 Mbps.
Limits On
People In A Single Call
The next question your mind in terms of video conferences is how many
participants you can fit into a single call. If you have a team of 50 or fewer
people, you can easily make do with the free version of Skype, which allows up
to 50 participants in a single conference. Upgrading to the paid version from
Microsoft allows you to add up to 300 participants.
However, to quote from The Wolf
of Wall Street, those are rookie numbers when compared to Zoom participant
limits. On the free plan, Zoom lets you add up to 100 participants in a single
call, which is twice as many as the free version of Skype. However, on the paid
version, you can add up to a staggering 1,000 individuals. This makes it the
perfect option for larger enterprises with thousands of employees.
The Verdict: Zoom lets you
add more participants on both the free version (100 to Skype’s 50) and the paid
plan (1,000 to Skype’s 300)
Sign
Up/Registration Requirements
One of the best things about Zoom is its ease of use. You don’t have
to sign in or download an application to your device. You can simply join a
Zoom conference using your browser. In the past, this would have been a clear
win over Skype. However, Microsoft’s video conferencing platform recently
introduced a very similar Meet Now feature, allowing users to join conferences
directly without registering with Microsoft or downloading an application.
Foregoing registrations and sign-ins help make managing and joining
video conferences more streamlined. It doesn’t matter what application a
particular user has on their phone. Anyone can join the conference using the
unique link both platforms generate. And it usually takes nothing more than
clicking or tapping on the link. Once you’re in the conference, both platforms
allow you to use the full range of features.
The Verdict: Both Skype
and Zoom let you join conferences without having to register or sign-up or
download an application. However, Zoom did it first.
Device
Compatibility
Think of all the possible devices you use for work or learning.
There’s your laptop, your desktop, your tablet, and your smartphone. Some or
all of them may run either Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, or Mac. That’s not to
mention the different manufacturers that make these kinds of devices. It would
be a nightmare if your service was only compatible with just one type of
device. You’ll be relieved to know, however, that both Skype and Zoom have a
wide range of compatible devices. There’s virtually no excuse you can give for
missing your next video conference.
The Verdict: Both
platforms are compatible across a wide range of operating systems and hardware,
so there’s no clear winner in this area.
Encryption
and Security
Privacy and security are very major concerns. Businesses often have to
discuss confidential and sensitive information, which could have disastrous
results if leaked or stolen. At the same time, even if you’re a college
freshman, you likely aren’t comfortable with the idea of a digital Peeping Tom.
With constantly evolving cyber threats, you rely on the software and hardware
you use to protect you. Microsoft is one of the oldest players in the
technology game and has put a lot of effort into the security and encryption
standards it follows.
Of course, Zoom also boasts end-to-end encryption as well as
cutting-edge security, the platform was outed over security concerns recently.
This even led Zoom to shut down its operations for a period of around 90 days.
Zoombombing, or forcing your way into conferences without the right
authorization, has proven to be a big nuisance that the company is working on
eliminating.
The Verdict: Skype is the
clear winner in terms of end-to-end encryption and security, while Zoom has
taken some negative press over the matter. However, improvements are said to be
in the works.
Pricing
When all is said and done, at the end of the day, if you aren’t
offered a good price for a service, you likely won’t consider paying for it.
The same principle applies to video conferencing platforms and their plans. In Zoom Vs Skype, the ultimate point of comparison
is the price points they offer. Both services offer free versions, which is
great for basic usage. However, you will need to upgrade to a paid plan to
unlock more features and a better service tier.
Zoom currently offers 3 plans in addition to its premium plan. The Pro
plan is priced at $14.99, whereas the premium Enterprise plan has a price tag
of $19.99. However, it is important to note that Zoom charges you per host instead
of per user.
By comparison, Skype Business plans include Microsoft Teams, with the
lowest plan starting at just $5 per user per month. The premium Teams plan
including Office 365 costs $20.00 per user per month. Depending on how many
users you might have, this can either cost you a lot more or a lot less than a
Zoom plan.
The Verdict: Skype prices
its plans based on the number of users per month, whereas Zoom bases its
pricing on the number of hosts per month. The right price depends on how many
users or hosts you have.
Michael Conley is a 35-year-old digital security specialist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and one of the finest writers here at 