Zoom vs 8×8 – Comparing features and costs to help you choose

When it comes to business communications in the UK, finding the right platform that balances functionality, reliability, and cost-effectiveness is essential. Both Zoom and 8×8 offer comprehensive solutions for video conferencing, collaboration, and VoIP services, but they target slightly different business needs. To help you make an informed decision, this article dives deep into Zoom vs 8×8 for features, pricing structures, and what they mean for UK businesses.

Overview of Zoom vs 8×8

Zoom has become a household name in video conferencing, largely due to its user-friendly interface, scalability, and video quality. It is best known for online meetings, webinars, and unified communication services.

8×8, on the other hand, offers a more all-encompassing suite of communication solutions, combining VoIP telephony, contact centre services, team collaboration, and video conferencing. It is positioned as an all-in-one cloud communications platform, appealing to businesses seeking integration between phone systems and modern communication tools.

Category	Zoom	8×8
Primary focus	Video conferencing, webinars, and meetings.	Unified communications (VoIP, video conferencing, team collaboration, and contact centre).
Video conferencing	High-definition video meetings with features like breakout rooms, screen sharing, recording, and virtual backgrounds.	HD video meetings with screen sharing, recording, but less intuitive compared to Zoom.
VoIP/Phone system	Zoom Phone offers VoIP services, but lacks advanced call management features found in dedicated systems.	Enterprise-grade VoIP with features like call routing, analytics, and call management.
Collaboration tools	Basic team chat and file sharing through Zoom Chat; focused primarily on video meetings.	Integrated team chat, document sharing, and full collaboration features, within the unified platform.
Contact centre	No native contact centre solution; requires third-party integrations.	Full-featured contact centre capabilities, including call routing, workforce management, and analytics.
Webinars	Webinar hosting for up to 10,000 attendees (Enterprise level).	Webinars not a core offering, but video meetings can be adapted.
Call analytics	Basic call analytics with Zoom Phone.	Advanced call analytics with real-time insights, performance tracking, and custom reporting.
Scalability	Suitable for small to large enterprises; additional services scale pricing.	Ideal for businesses of all sizes, with integrated solutions that scale efficiently.
Mobile app	Zoom’s mobile app supports video meetings, calls, and messaging.	8×8’s mobile app includes phone, video meetings, and team messaging in one platform.
Security	End-to-end encryption for meetings, two-factor authentication.	Secure communications with encryption and GDPR compliance, contact centre has advanced security options.
Integrations	Integrates with popular tools like Slack, Salesforce, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365.	Strong integrations with Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, CRM tools, and enterprise systems.
Free plan	Available (Basic Plan): Limited to 40-minute group meetings and one-on-one meetings.	No free plan available, though all paid tiers offer more comprehensive features.
Basic plan cost	Free plan available, with Pro plan starting at £11.99 per user/month.	X2 plan starts at £19 per user/month, with more advanced features included from the outset.
Advanced plan cost	Business plan at £15.99 per user/month for up to 300 participants in meetings.	X4 plan at £32 per user/month, including VoIP, call analytics, and CRM integrations.
Enterprise features	Custom pricing for large-scale businesses, with support for up to 1,000 participants.	X6-X8 plans offer enterprise-grade features with advanced contact centre tools.
Best for	Small to medium businesses needing video conferencing with a flexible pricing model.	Medium to large businesses looking for an all-in-one communication and contact centre solution.
Customer support	24/7 support on paid plans; priority support with Enterprise plans.	24/7 support with phone and chat; dedicated support for larger accounts with advanced solutions.

Summary

• Zoom is ideal for businesses seeking a cost-effective video conferencing solution with the option to scale up as needed.
• 8×8 is best for businesses requiring an integrated communication platform, including VoIP, video meetings, and contact centre features.

Feature comparison

Video conferencing

• Zoom: Best known for its video conferencing capabilities, Zoom supports high-definition video meetings for both small teams and large webinars, with features like breakout rooms, screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, and meeting recording. It’s particularly popular in sectors like education and professional services that rely heavily on remote meetings and webinars.
• 8×8: While not as famous as Zoom for video conferencing, 8×8 offers solid video meeting functionality. Like Zoom, 8×8 supports HD video meetings, screen sharing, and recording. The primary advantage 8×8 has in this area is its integration with its phone system and contact centre tools, which offers a more streamlined experience for companies looking for a unified communication solution.

Which is better?

For businesses solely focused on video conferencing, Zoom’s intuitive interface and extensive features give it the edge. However, if you’re looking for video meetings to be part of a broader unified communications strategy, 8×8 provides better integration.

VoIP and phone systems

• Zoom: Zoom Phone is a VoIP service that integrates seamlessly with its video conferencing platform, allowing businesses to handle all communications through a single platform. It includes essential features like call routing, voicemail, and call analytics, although its capabilities remain more basic compared to dedicated VoIP systems.
• 8×8: 8×8’s VoIP offering is far more comprehensive. It is known for its enterprise-level business phone systems that support everything from call management and routing to advanced analytics and contact centre features. Their X Series includes packages that combine VoIP with video conferencing, team chat, and contact centre tools, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Which is better?

8×8 excels in the VoIP category due to its enterprise-grade features and scalability. For businesses looking for a robust phone system integrated with their communication platform, 8×8 is the stronger choice.

Collaboration tools

• Zoom: Zoom’s team collaboration tools are somewhat limited, focusing mainly on meetings, webinars, and screen sharing. However, its Zoom Chat feature offers messaging, file sharing, and group chats, which are handy for small- to medium-sized teams.
• 8×8: 8×8 goes beyond basic messaging and integrates team chat, document sharing, and collaboration with its broader communication and contact centre tools. This all-in-one solution means that teams can collaborate within the same platform they use for calls and video meetings.

Which is better?

For businesses with more extensive collaboration needs and a focus on productivity tools, 8×8 offers a more rounded set of features. Zoom can still work for small teams but lacks the depth of integration that 8×8 provides.

Contact centre integration

• Zoom: While Zoom offers excellent communication tools, it does not have a native contact centre solution. Businesses requiring contact centre capabilities need to look to third-party integrations.
• 8×8: One of the key strengths of 8×8 is its contact centre capabilities, which are seamlessly integrated into its communication platform. This feature-rich system includes workforce management, call centre analytics, omnichannel routing, and AI-driven customer engagement tools.

Which is better?

8×8 wins this category hands down. Its native contact centre integration makes it an ideal solution for businesses with customer service teams or extensive customer support requirements.

Zoom vs 8×8 cost comparison

Zoom pricing

Zoom offers tiered pricing, with the following options available for UK businesses:

• Basic (Free): Unlimited one-on-one meetings, 40-minute group meetings, and limited features. Ideal for very small teams.
• Pro (£11.99/user/month): Up to 30-hour group meetings, 1 GB of cloud recording per licence, and social media streaming. Suitable for small to medium businesses.
• Business (£15.99/user/month): Meetings with up to 300 participants, single sign-on (SSO), and company branding.
• Enterprise (Custom pricing): More advanced features, including support for up to 1,000 participants.

8×8 pricing

8×8’s pricing is more complex, offering different tiers based on the services required:

• X2 (£19/user/month): Includes unlimited voice calls to 14 countries, video meetings, team chat, and basic analytics. Suitable for small businesses with moderate communication needs.
• X4 (£32/user/month): Adds advanced call management, analytics, and integrations with CRM systems. Ideal for larger businesses and those with contact centre requirements.
• X6 to X8 (Custom pricing): These plans include comprehensive contact centre features, call recording, and more advanced analytics, targeted at large organisations with extensive communication needs.

Cost effectiveness

While Zoom offers a lower starting price, particularly for businesses primarily looking for video conferencing, its costs can escalate for enterprises or companies requiring additional VoIP and phone services. In contrast, 8×8 provides a more unified solution for a slightly higher price, but it comes with the added value of integrated VoIP, contact centre features, and team collaboration tools.

Which is better?
For businesses with simple video conferencing needs, Zoom’s pricing is more competitive. However, for larger organisations that need a complete communication solution, 8×8’s bundled packages provide better overall value when considering the range of features included in its higher-tier plans.

Pros and cons summary

Aspect	Zoom	8×8
Video conferencing	Superior for ease of use, popularity, and high-quality video.	Solid option, though not as widely known for video meetings.
VoIP	Basic VoIP features, mainly supporting Zoom Phone.	Enterprise-grade VoIP system with advanced call management.
Collaboration tools	Basic team chat and file sharing.	Fully integrated team collaboration with chat, file sharing, and document collaboration.
Contact centre	Lacks a native contact centre solution.	Strong contact centre integration, with features for call routing, analytics, and workforce management.
Pricing	Competitive pricing for video conferencing.	Higher price, but includes more integrated features for businesses.

Conclusion – Which should you choose?

Choosing between Zoom vs 8×8 depends on your business needs. If your primary requirement is video conferencing, especially for smaller teams, and you’re looking for a cost-effective solution, Zoom is likely the better choice.

However, if your business needs go beyond video meetings to include VoIP telephony, team collaboration, and contact centre capabilities, 8×8’s integrated platform provides a more comprehensive solution, even at a slightly higher cost.

For UK businesses, 8×8 is more suitable for those seeking a unified communication system across multiple channels, while Zoom remains a strong contender for video-centric businesses or those starting with smaller budgets.

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