Microsoft Teams
Proton
| Feature | Microsoft Teams | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $4/mo | Free / from $3.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | enterprise, teams, microsoft-users, remote-workers | privacy-advocates, journalists, activists, security-conscious-users |
| Founded | 2017 | 2014 |
| Chat | ✓ | ✗ |
| Video Meetings | ✓ | ✗ |
| Channels | ✓ | ✗ |
| File Sharing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Apps | ✓ | ✗ |
| Whiteboard | ✓ | ✗ |
| Encrypted Email | ✗ | ✓ |
| Vpn | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cloud Storage | ✗ | ✓ |
| Calendar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Password Manager | ✗ | ✓ |
| Aliases | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Destructing Messages | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Microsoft Teams Pros
- Included with Microsoft 365
- Great video calling
- Deep Office integration
- Large meeting capacity
✗ Microsoft Teams Cons
- Resource heavy
- Complex admin settings
- Can feel cluttered
- Requires Microsoft ecosystem
✓ Proton Pros
- End-to-end encryption for all services
- Swiss-based with strong privacy laws
- Open-source and independently audited
- Comprehensive privacy suite (mail, VPN, drive, calendar)
- Free tier available for all services
✗ Proton Cons
- Free storage is limited (1GB for mail)
- Less feature-rich than mainstream alternatives
- Search functionality limited due to encryption
The Verdict
Microsoft Teams is built for enterprise and teams, with a focus on chat and video-meetings. Proton targets privacy advocates and journalists and leads with encrypted-email and vpn.
Both tools come in at similar price points ($4/mo for Microsoft Teams, $3.99/mo for Proton), so pricing won't make the decision for you.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Proton offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Microsoft Teams takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.
