Business chat and collaboration applications have seen a massive surge in recent years, as more companies look for ways to support a growing team of versatile, flexible users. Microsoft Teams has been one of the solutions with the most attention lately after Microsoft announced that Teams would officially be replacing the popular “Skype for Business” offering.
Though most experts believe that Slack is still leading the way when it comes to collaboration tools, Microsoft has added a host of new features into the mix over the last few months which is helping to bring it up to pace with other UC providers. Here, we’ll look at how Microsoft Teams stacks up against HipChat, the other Atlassian offering besides Stride.
Microsoft Teams vs HipChat: Features
Last year, Microsoft Teams was still struggling to find its place in the business communication space. However, today, it’s emerged as a powerful solution for those who want simple, effective, and diverse collaboration features.
Both Teams and HipChat include:
- Third-party integration
- Search functionality
- Real-Time updates
- Video conferencing
- Instant messaging
- Chat functionality
- API
- Guest Access
HipChat focuses more heavily on the “social” side of team tools. For instance, there’s call sharing functionality, RSS feeds, private text chat, and “tagging”. However, Microsoft steps ahead with a range of bot integrations, a custom user interface, and of course, the all-important integration with the Microsoft Office 365 framework.
Microsoft Teams vs HipChat: Ease of Use
Both Microsoft Teams and HipChat support their users on web and mobile. Although it’s worth noting that Microsoft only delivers online support to its users when they face a problem, while Atlassian is happy to guide customers through their own knowledge base, and phone supports too.
Despite this, many users might consider Teams to be the easier solution to adopt, simply because it feels like a natural part of the rest Microsoft Office tools they’re using every day. If your business is constantly working with the Office 365 framework, then the Teams app is a natural addition to your workflow, and it ensures that you don’t have to waste time and effort flipping between apps.
Microsoft Teams vs HipChat: Pricing
Both Microsoft Teams and HipChat are available primarily as a subscription-based solution for enterprises and businesses alike. With Microsoft Teams, you access your collaboration as part of a broader subscription to the rest of the Microsoft Office 365 portfolio. The downside for Teams in comparison to HipChat right now, is that while HipChat has a freemium account solution and free trial available, Microsoft does not.
However, it is worth noting that rumours suggest that Microsoft will be bringing their own free version of Microsoft Teams into the mix sometime soon. If that is the case, then Teams and HipChat will soon be in similar standing.
Which One is Right for You?
When it comes to ease of use and overall accessibility, Microsoft edges just ahead of HipChat, thanks to its close integration with the rest of the Office environment. However, if you’re not used to using Office 365, then this integration may not mean much to you. On the other hand, for now, HipChat offers slightly more value for money because there is a range of freemium and free trial options available.
