Microsoft Teams vs Browser-Based Video Calls: When Simpler Wins
Tired of Teams asking you to update mid-meeting? Here's an honest look at when browser-based video calling makes more sense than Microsoft's everything-app.
You know that feeling when you just need to hop on a quick video call, but Teams decides it's the perfect time to install an update? Or when you're trying to add an external client to a meeting and they're stuck on a "Please download Teams" screen?
Yeah. That's what we're talking about today.
Microsoft Teams has 270 million active users. It's practically mandatory in enterprises running Microsoft 365. But here's the thing nobody at Microsoft wants to admit: sometimes it's just too much.
The Teams Reality Check
Let's be honest about what Teams does well. If you're already neck-deep in Microsoft 365—using Outlook for email, SharePoint for documents, and OneDrive for storage—Teams ties everything together nicely. You can edit Excel spreadsheets live during a call. Your calendar integration actually works. The chat history is searchable.
But here's where it gets messy:
It's heavy. Teams regularly uses over 1GB of RAM just sitting there. On older laptops, starting a video call feels like asking a car to tow a boat uphill. Multiple users report freezes, delays, and the dreaded spinning wheel right when you're about to present something important. External guests struggle. Try inviting someone outside your organization to a Teams meeting. They'll need to either download the app or use Edge/Chrome (Safari and Firefox won't cut it). Compare that to Zoom where guests just click a link. Outages happen. Just last week—December 19, 2025—Teams went down globally. Messages got stuck in "sending" for an hour. For a tool that's supposed to be mission-critical, that 99% uptime guarantee suddenly feels less reassuring than RingCentral's 99.999%.When Browser-Based Video Calling Just Works
Here's a scenario: Your mom needs help setting up her new printer. She's not going to create a Microsoft account, download Teams, figure out where the "Join Meeting" button is, and troubleshoot why her camera isn't working.
What she will do: click a link you send her.
That's where browser-based video calling shines. Tools like Jitsi Meet, Gruveo, and yes, our own videocalling.app use WebRTC—a technology that lets browsers communicate directly without apps or plugins.
The experience looks like this:
No accounts. No downloads. No "please update your app" interruptions.
Real Use Cases Where Simpler Wins
Customer calls: When a client just needs a quick 15-minute check-in, asking them to download an app creates friction. A browser link gets you face-to-face in seconds. Family tech support: Screen sharing with non-technical relatives is hard enough without adding "install this app first" to the mix. Interviews: First impressions matter. Making a candidate wrestle with enterprise software before they even join tells them something about your company—and it's not great. International calls: When you're calling someone in a different country, browser-based calling over WebRTC often works better than traditional phone calls and costs nothing. One-time meetings: Not every conversation needs to be a recurring Teams channel discussion. Sometimes you just need to talk to someone once.The Trade-offs (Because Nothing's Perfect)
Browser-based solutions aren't trying to replace Teams for enterprise collaboration. They serve different purposes.
What browser-based calling doesn't do:- Handle 50-person all-hands meetings well (peer-to-peer works best for 2-4 people)
- Provide call recording (if you need that, stick with Zoom or Google Meet)
- Integrate with your company's identity provider
- Offer admin consoles, audit logs, or compliance features
- Let anyone join instantly without barriers
- Use less system resources
- Work on any modern browser, any device
- Respect privacy (many don't require accounts at all)
A Quick Comparison
| Feature | Microsoft Teams | Browser-Based (e.g., Jitsi, videocalling.app) |
|---|---|---|
| Account Required | Yes | Often no |
| App Download | Recommended | No |
| RAM Usage | 1GB+ | Minimal |
| Guest Experience | Complicated | Click and join |
| Large Meetings | Yes (300 people) | Limited (2-12 people) |
| Enterprise Features | Yes | No |
| External Sharing | Friction | Seamless |
What Should You Actually Use?
Stick with Teams if:- Your company already uses Microsoft 365
- You need document collaboration during calls
- You're managing large recurring meetings
- Enterprise compliance is required
- You're meeting with someone outside your organization
- You need a quick, one-time video chat
- The other person isn't tech-savvy
- You're working from a device where Teams isn't installed
- You value privacy and don't want to create another account
The Bottom Line
Microsoft Teams isn't bad. It's just doing a lot of things, and sometimes you don't need all of them.
When all you want is to see someone's face and maybe share your screen, the simplest tool wins. You don't need breakout rooms, channel organization, or Microsoft 365 integration for a 10-minute catch-up with your mom.
Sometimes a browser tab is enough.
If you're curious about the no-signup approach, try videocalling.app for your next quick call. No accounts, no downloads—just video. It won't replace Teams for your enterprise workflow, but it might save you from explaining how to install an app for the hundredth time.