VIDEO CONFERENCING

Polybase vs
Zoom

Zoom nails video meetings — but that's all it does well. Polybase embeds WebRTC video directly into your workspace alongside chat, tasks, and docs. No meeting links. No separate app. Just instant collaboration.

POLYBASE

Polybase integrates proximity-based video calls directly into your workspace channels. Hop into a call from any conversation, share your screen, and keep collaborating within the same context — your tasks, docs, and chat are right there. No calendar events, no invite links, no app switching.

ZOOM

Zoom is the industry leader in standalone video conferencing, known for reliability and scale. However, it operates as a separate siloed application. You schedule meetings via calendar integrations, share links, and join in a different window. After the meeting ends, follow-up tasks, notes, and decisions scatter across Slack, email, and project tools.

Feature Comparison

See exactly what you get with Polybase compared to Zoom.

Feature
Polybase
Zoom
HD Video Calling
Screen Sharing
Meeting Recording
Integrated Team Chat
Zoom Team Chat (basic)
No Meeting Links Required
Proximity-Based Spatial Audio
In-Call Task Creation
Built-in Document Editor
Kanban Task Boards
AI Meeting Summaries
AI Companion (paid)
Self-Hosted Deployment
Participant Limit
Workspace-based
100–1000 (by tier)
Call Duration Limit
Unlimited
40 min (Free)
Pricing
Included in platform
$13.33–$21.99/user/mo

Migrate from Zoom

Switching is easier than you think. Follow these steps and your team will be up and running in minutes.

1

Download Your Zoom Recordings

If you have important meeting recordings stored in Zoom Cloud, download them before canceling your subscription. Polybase stores recordings directly in your workspace file system.

2

Install Polybase Desktop App

Download and install Polybase for your platform. The native desktop app includes WebRTC video calling out of the box — no additional plugins, browser extensions, or separate URLs needed.

3

Create Communication Channels

Set up channels for your teams and projects. Each channel supports instant video huddles — just click the call button in any channel or DM to start a face-to-face conversation immediately.

4

Replace Scheduled Meetings with Huddles

Instead of sending Zoom meeting links, your team just hops into the relevant channel and starts a call. For scheduled events, Polybase's integrated calendar keeps everything in one place.

5

Leverage Post-Call Workflows

After calls, create follow-up tasks directly in Polybase. Action items become Kanban cards, meeting notes become wiki docs, and everything stays connected to the conversation that spawned them.

What Polybase Adds

Polybase doesn't just replace Zoom — it gives you capabilities Zoom can't.

Chat + Video in One Place

No more switching between Zoom for calls and Slack for chat. Polybase's video calling lives right inside your channels, so the conversation context is always preserved.

Instant Huddles, No Links

Forget sending meeting invites. Click the call button in any channel or DM and you're live. Teammates join when they hear the ring — just like walking to someone's desk.

In-Call Action Items

During a Polybase call, you can create tasks, assign them to teammates, and set deadlines — all without leaving the video interface. Try doing that in Zoom.

Collaborative Meeting Notes

Polybase's built-in document editor lets you take meeting notes in real-time, collaboratively, right inside the workspace. Notes are automatically linked to the channel and searchable forever.

AI-Powered Post-Meeting Workflows

Polybase AI agents can summarize discussions, extract action items, and automatically create tasks based on meeting outcomes. Zoom's AI Companion requires an expensive add-on.

No Per-Minute Billing Surprises

Zoom's free tier limits calls to 40 minutes. Polybase has no time limits on calls, ever. Your team can brainstorm for hours without interruption or extra charges.

FAQ

Common questions about switching from Zoom to Polybase.

Can Polybase handle large meetings like Zoom?
Polybase is designed for team collaboration, not 500-person webinars. It excels at small-to-medium team calls, huddles, and standups. For large all-hands presentations, Zoom may still have an edge, but for daily team communication, Polybase's integrated approach is far more productive.
Does Polybase support meeting recording?
Yes. Polybase supports call recording with screen share capture. Recordings are stored directly in your workspace and linked to the relevant channel, making them easy to find and reference later.
How is Polybase's video quality?
Polybase uses WebRTC for peer-to-peer video with adaptive bitrate. You get HD video with low latency, automatically adjusted based on your network conditions. For most team calls, the quality is comparable to Zoom's.
Can I still use Zoom alongside Polybase?
Absolutely. Many teams use Polybase for daily collaboration and keep Zoom for client-facing meetings or large events. But most teams find that once they experience integrated video calls with persistent chat context, they rarely want to go back to scheduling Zoom links.

Ready to ditch
Zoom?

Join thousands of teams who made the switch. Try Polybase free — no credit card required.