When an Indian organisation decides to deploy a professional conference room system, the platform question comes first: Zoom Rooms or Microsoft Teams Rooms?
Both are room-based UC platforms that turn a physical meeting room into a managed video conferencing space with one-touch join. Both run on certified hardware from brands like Logitech, Poly, AVer and Cisco. Both are widely used across Indian enterprises, IT companies, manufacturing firms, schools and government organisations.
The right choice depends on what your organisation already uses for daily communication, your room complexity, your IT team's preference and your budget. This guide covers every relevant dimension.
What Are Zoom Rooms and Microsoft Teams Rooms?
Zoom Rooms is Zoom's dedicated room system — a software layer that runs on certified hardware and turns a meeting room into a Zoom-native experience. One tap joins a Zoom meeting scheduled from any calendar system. The room hardware becomes a managed endpoint in your Zoom admin console.
Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTR) is Microsoft's room system — the same concept but native to the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. MTR runs on Windows-based or Android-based certified devices and connects directly to Teams meetings, Exchange calendars and SharePoint. It is the natural choice for organisations already on Microsoft 365.
Both platforms support:
- One-touch meeting join from a room calendar panel
- Content sharing (wireless and wired)
- Remote PTZ camera control
- Central admin management console
- Integration with meeting room booking systems
- Hybrid meeting support (in-room + remote participants)
Licensing Cost Comparison — India 2026
| Licence | Price (INR approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom Rooms | ₹800 – ₹1,200/room/month | Requires a Zoom Workplace Business or above plan |
| Teams Rooms Basic | Free | Up to 25 rooms; limited features |
| Teams Rooms Pro | ₹1,200 – ₹1,500/room/month | Full feature set, AI, analytics, remote management |
| Teams Rooms Pro with calling | ₹1,800 – ₹2,200/room/month | Adds Teams Phone PSTN calling from the room |
Prices are indicative INR estimates before 18% GST. Contact Cloudfy Systems for current pricing and volume discounts.
Key difference: Teams Rooms Basic is free, making it the lower-cost entry point for small deployments. However, Basic has significant limitations — no intelligent audio/video AI features, no remote device management at scale, no advanced analytics. Most enterprise deployments require Teams Rooms Pro.
For organisations on Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise plans, Teams Rooms Pro can often be added at a discounted rate through a Microsoft partner like Cloudfy Systems.
Hardware — What Devices Run Each Platform?
Zoom Rooms Certified Hardware
Zoom Rooms runs on:
- Logitech — Rally Bar, Rally Bar Mini, MeetUp, Tap (room controller)
- Poly (HP) — Studio X30, X50, X70, Studio R30
- AVer — Selected conferencing bars and PTZ camera systems
- Cisco — Room Kit series (also native to Webex, but Zoom-compatible)
- Yealink — MeetingBar A20, A30, A40 series
Teams Rooms Certified Hardware
Teams Rooms runs on:
- Logitech — Rally Bar, Rally Bar Mini, MeetUp, Tap — same hardware, different platform mode
- Poly (HP) — Studio X30, X50, X70 — same hardware, Teams firmware
- Yealink — MeetingBar series, MVC series (native MTR Android)
- Crestron — MTR Windows-based systems for large rooms
- Cisco — Board Pro, Room Bar, Room Kit (also Webex-native)
- Dell/HP/Lenovo — Windows compute units running Teams Rooms on Windows
Important: Many devices are dual-certified. A Logitech Rally Bar, for example, can run Zoom Rooms or Teams Rooms. Switching requires a firmware update and a different software licence — the hardware investment is not locked to one platform.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Zoom Rooms | Teams Rooms |
|---|---|---|
| One-touch join | ✓ | ✓ |
| Calendar integration | Google, Microsoft, Exchange | Microsoft 365 / Exchange (native) |
| Wireless content sharing | ✓ (Zoom Share) | ✓ (Miracast, Teams Cast) |
| AI noise cancellation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Intelligent framing (auto-zoom) | ✓ (device-dependent) | ✓ (device-dependent) |
| Front Row layout (remote participants on screen) | ✓ | ✓ (Teams Front Row) |
| Whiteboard integration | Zoom Whiteboard | Microsoft Whiteboard |
| Room booking panel | ✓ (Zoom Scheduler) | ✓ (Teams Panels) |
| Guest join (non-platform users) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Central admin console | ✓ (Zoom Admin) | ✓ (Teams Admin Centre) |
| Remote device management | ✓ | ✓ (Pro only) |
| Analytics and reporting | ✓ | ✓ (Pro only) |
| Copilot AI (meeting notes, recap) | — | ✓ (with Copilot licence) |
| Zoom AI Companion (summaries) | ✓ (included) | — |
Which Platform Is Better for Indian Businesses?
Choose Zoom Rooms if:
Your team already uses Zoom. If daily stand-ups, client calls and team meetings happen on Zoom, adding Zoom Rooms gives your physical rooms a seamless experience. There is no "meeting type" friction — everyone just joins the same Zoom link.
You work with a diverse client and partner base. Zoom is the most universal video conferencing platform globally. External participants join Zoom meetings easily regardless of what platform they use internally. This matters for Indian consulting firms, agencies and export-oriented businesses.
You want simpler hardware decisions. Zoom Rooms hardware tends to have broader device compatibility and a longer list of certified devices in India at various price points.
You want AI Companion included. Zoom AI Companion (meeting summaries, smart recap, action items) is included with Zoom Workplace Business — no additional AI licence required. For cost-conscious Indian SMBs, this is a meaningful advantage.
Choose Teams Rooms if:
Your organisation is on Microsoft 365. If your team uses Outlook, Teams for chat, SharePoint and OneDrive daily, Teams Rooms is the natural extension. Room meetings appear in Outlook calendars, join with one tap, and the experience is consistent with the desktop Teams app.
You have an IT team managing Microsoft infrastructure. Teams Admin Centre integrates with Intune, Azure AD and Microsoft Endpoint Manager. For IT teams already managing Microsoft infrastructure, adding MTR devices to the same management plane reduces operational overhead.
You need Microsoft Copilot AI in meetings. Microsoft Copilot for meetings (transcription, summaries, action items in Teams) requires Microsoft 365 Copilot licences. If your organisation is investing in Copilot across the productivity suite, Teams Rooms is the natural meeting room component.
You have large, complex rooms. Teams Rooms on Windows (with Crestron or Logitech Tap compute systems) has deeper AV control integrations for large, multi-display boardrooms and auditoriums. Complex room types benefit from the Windows-based MTR compute stack.
The Hybrid Answer
Many Indian organisations run both. Zoom is used for external-facing calls and client meetings. Teams is used for internal collaboration. In this case:
- Deploy Teams Rooms in rooms primarily used for internal team meetings and collaboration
- Deploy Zoom Rooms in client presentation rooms and external meeting spaces
Since many devices are dual-certified, you can change the platform mode based on the room's primary use — without replacing hardware.
Total Cost Comparison — 5-Room Deployment Example (India)
| Cost Element | Zoom Rooms | Teams Rooms Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware (5 small meeting rooms, camera-bar + display each) | ₹10,00,000 – ₹18,00,000 | Same hardware cost |
| Platform licence (annual, 5 rooms) | ₹48,000 – ₹72,000 | ₹72,000 – ₹90,000 |
| Installation + commissioning (5 rooms) | ₹1,50,000 – ₹3,00,000 | Same |
| Year 1 total | ₹11,98,000 – ₹21,72,000 | ₹12,22,000 – ₹21,90,000 |
The licence cost difference is marginal at 5 rooms. Hardware and installation dominate the budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the same hardware run both Zoom Rooms and Teams Rooms? Yes, for many devices. Logitech Rally Bar, Rally Bar Mini, Poly Studio X series and Yealink MeetingBar devices can run either platform. Switching requires a factory reset, firmware update and a new platform licence. Hardware is not locked to one UC platform.
Is Teams Rooms Basic free in India? Yes. Teams Rooms Basic is free for up to 25 rooms for organisations with Microsoft 365 plans. It includes one-touch join, content sharing and calendar integration. Advanced features (remote management, analytics, AI) require Teams Rooms Pro.
Can Zoom Rooms join a Teams meeting? Yes, with limitations. Zoom Rooms can join a Microsoft Teams meeting as a guest — participants will see the room as a single video feed. It will not have native Teams meeting controls (raise hand, breakout rooms, Teams Whiteboard) from the room device. For seamless Teams meeting experience, Teams Rooms hardware is recommended.
Do I need a separate Zoom licence per room? Yes. Zoom Rooms requires a Zoom Rooms licence per room (₹800–₹1,200/room/month) plus an underlying Zoom Workplace Business or above plan for the organisation. Contact Cloudfy Systems for bundle pricing.
Which platform is cheaper for a 10-room Indian office? At 10 rooms, Teams Rooms Pro costs approximately ₹1,44,000 – ₹1,80,000 per year in licences. Zoom Rooms costs approximately ₹96,000 – ₹1,44,000 per year. The difference is ₹36,000 – ₹48,000 annually — meaningful but often secondary to ecosystem fit.
How long does it take to deploy 5 Zoom Rooms or Teams Rooms? With pre-surveyed rooms and hardware available, 5 rooms can typically be deployed in 5–10 working days including installation, UC commissioning and user handover. Cloudfy Systems provides a project timeline before deployment begins.
What support do I get after installation? Cloudfy Systems provides post-deployment support covering hardware issues, UC platform configuration changes, licence renewals and escalations to Zoom or Microsoft as required. Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMC) are available for full coverage.
Cloudfy Systems is an authorised partner for both Zoom and Microsoft in India. We supply, install and configure both Zoom Rooms and Teams Rooms — and help you choose the right platform based on your existing tools, room types and budget. Request a free room assessment to get started.