Teams Requires Microsoft.
Phound Just Requires the Internet.
Microsoft Teams is powerful — if you're already deep in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Phound gives mid-market teams enterprise-grade calling, messaging, and AI without the dependency or the enterprise price tag.
Free forever plan · Phound Business from $18/user/month
The Teams Problem
Teams is a tax on your Microsoft subscription — not a strategy.
Most companies use Teams because it's bundled into Microsoft 365, not because it's the best tool for the job. There's a difference between what you have and what works.
Locked to Microsoft 365
Teams without an M365 subscription is crippled. You're paying for a whole suite just to justify the phone and messaging features.
Phone requires an extra license
Teams calling requires Microsoft Teams Phone — an add-on plan starting at $8–$15/user/month on top of your existing M365 cost.
Notorious for complexity and bloat
Teams is infamous for a confusing UX, performance issues, and an admin experience that buries simple tasks in enterprise menus.
Copilot costs extra — a lot extra
Microsoft Copilot for Teams is $30/user/month on top of your M365 subscription. Phound includes AI in every plan at no additional cost.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Phound vs Microsoft Teams: what you get (and pay for)
An honest look at what each platform delivers — and what it costs to get there.
| Feature | Phound | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Team messaging & channels | ✓Full platform, built-in | ✓Robust messaging |
| Video meetings | ✓Included natively | ✓Strong video conferencing |
| Business phone calling | ✓Included in all plans | — Teams Phone add-on ($8–$15/user/mo) |
| AI transcription & summaries | ✓Built-in, every plan | — Microsoft Copilot ($30/user/mo add-on) |
| Free plan (truly functional) | ✓Free forever. Phound Basic | — Free tier (limited storage, no phone) |
| Simple admin & onboarding | ✓Self-serve, under 1 hour | — Complex admin via Microsoft Admin Center |
| Mobile-first UX | ✓Built mobile-first | — Mobile app available, desktop-primary UX |
| Month-to-month pricing | ✓No annual contract required | — Annual commitment common for best pricing |
| All-in price (calling + AI) | ✓$18/user/month, everything | — M365 + Teams Phone + Copilot = $57.50+ |
| Works without Microsoft 365 | ✓Any email, any device | ✗Full features require M365 |
The True Cost
What "free with Microsoft 365" actually costs
Teams looks free on the surface. Add up what you actually need and the math looks very different.
Microsoft Teams (full stack)
per month for 50 users (estimated)
- M365 Business Standard: ~$12.50/user/month
- Teams Phone add-on: ~$8–15/user/month
- Microsoft Copilot: $30/user/month
- PSTN calling minutes: usage-based extra
- Annual contract typically required
Phound Business
per month for 50 users (all-in)
- $18/user/month — everything included
- Phone calling included, no add-on
- AI transcription & summaries included
- No annual contract required
- One admin panel, zero surprise fees
What Teams Can't Do Without Add-ons
Things Phound does out of the box that Teams charges extra for
Every one of these requires an additional license or subscription from Microsoft.
Real business phone number
Phound Pro or Business gives you a real business phone number. Teams requires a M365 subscription and a separate Teams Phone plan to do the same.
AI on calls without Copilot
Every Phound Business call is transcribed and summarized automatically. Teams requires $30/user/month for Microsoft Copilot on top of everything else.
Works without the Microsoft stack
Phound works with any email and any tools. If your company doesn't use Outlook and SharePoint, Teams is an awkward fit from the start.
Deploy today — not next month
Teams Phone setup involves tenant configuration, calling plans, and number porting. Phound is live in under an hour with zero IT involvement.
Why Teams Switch to Phound
Stop letting Microsoft bundle decisions run your communications strategy.
The best tool for your team shouldn't depend on which spreadsheet software you use.
No Microsoft dependency
Phound works with Gmail, Outlook, or anything else. Your communications platform shouldn't be tied to your email client — that's a vendor lock-in strategy, not a product decision.
AI that's actually included
Microsoft charges $30/user/month for Copilot in Teams. Phound builds AI into every plan — call transcription, summaries, and smart voicemail — because we think it should be standard.
Calling that works out of the box
Teams Phone requires configuring calling plans and PSTN connectivity that can take weeks. Phound gives your team real phone numbers the same day you sign up.
Built for teams, not IT departments
Phound's admin panel is designed so a business owner or ops manager can handle it — not just a certified Microsoft admin. Onboard, offboard, and configure without a support ticket.
"We were on Teams because it came with our M365 subscription — not because it was the right tool. The moment we needed phone calling and AI, the costs ballooned to $57+ per user. Phound does it all for $18."
— IT Director, 150-person financial services firm
Simple Pricing
No Microsoft tax. No add-on games.
Every feature you need to replace Teams Phone and Copilot — at a fraction of the price.
Phound Basic
A better way to connect and collaborate.
- Unlimited Phound-to-Phound calling
- Voice and video calling
- Unlimited meetings (up to 100 participants)
- 1:1 and group messaging
- Meeting summaries
- Mobile + desktop apps
Phound Pro
Drive productivity for growing teams.
- Everything in Basic
- Multiple phone lines & profiles
- US and international local numbers
- Up to 500 meeting participants
- North America SMS / MMS
- AI call summaries & meeting Q&A
Phound Business
Comprehensive workspace and connectivity.
- Everything in Pro
- Shared team numbers & routing
- Team inbox & admin dashboard
- Centralized user management
- CRM integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce)
- Priority support
Cut the Microsoft tax. Keep the enterprise features.
Everything you actually need from Teams — calling, AI, messaging, and admin — at a price that doesn't require a Microsoft 365 subscription to justify.