Videoconferencing Tool Comparison

ITS offers a variety of conferencing options for all faculty, staff, and students to use at no cost. Use this resource to help make a decision about which tool to use based on the set of features you need.

  Zoom Zoom Webinars Microsoft Teams Google Meet Canvas Conferences (BigBlueButton)
Recommended use Classes, staff meetings, training sessions under 300 people. Town halls, classes over 300 or professional conferences. Collaboration, persistent chat, group calls, remote learning, class discussions, Town Halls Small-to-medium discussion classes, staff meetings. (Only free option for alumni and retirees.) Small-to-medium classes focused on materials, where everything is integrated in a single Canvas environment.
Integrates with Canvas Yes No No No Yes
Maximum connections 300 1,000–10,000 300 100 100
HIPAA compliant for use with PHI Yes Yes No No No
Option to allow only U-M authenticated users to join Yes Yes Yes
Non-UM users will be put in the lobby (waiting room).		 Yes Yes
Screen share capability Yes Yes
Host, co-hosts, and panelists		 Yes
Organizer, co-organizers, and presenters		 Yes Yes
Q&A option Yes Yes No No No
Chat Yes Yes Yes
Persistent (before & after meeting)		 Yes Yes
Virtual backgrounds Yes Yes
Host, co-hosts, and panelists		 Yes Yes No
Download recordings Yes, for 180 days. Yes, for 180 days. Yes
Recordings are automatically stored and do not expire.		 No No
Annotate screen share Yes; Presenter and participants. Yes; Presenter only. Only on the Whiteboard. No Yes; Presenter and participants.
Whiteboard Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Built-in polling Yes Yes Yes
Using the Microsoft Forms app.		 No Yes
Raise hand Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Breakout rooms Yes No Yes No Yes
Max participants seen on screen 49 Host, co-hosts, and panelists 49 49 12
Compatible with high-end room systems Yes Yes No No No
Auto Captioning Yes
Transcripts can be automatically downloaded.		 Yes
Transcripts can be automatically downloaded.		 Yes
Captions cannot be downloaded or recorded.		 Yes
Captions cannot be downloaded.		 No
Supports real-time CART captioning Yes
Captions can be downloaded.		 Yes No No No
Inline CART support.
ASL interpreter support (multiple pinned screens) Yes Yes Yes
Using Dynamic View		 No Unknown
Screen reader accessible Mostly Mostly Yes Mostly No

Functionality varies by product.