Marco Polo vs Microsoft Teams
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Marco Polo is the better app overall, scoring 8.5 to 8.0. Marco Polo wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Microsoft Teams on 1.
Families and long-distance friends who want face-to-face moments without calls
Organizations already paying for Microsoft 365 that want chat and meetings in one place
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Marco Polo | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Messaging & Calls | Messaging & Calls |
| Category rank | #6 of 10 | #10 of 10 |
| Developer | Joya Communications | Microsoft |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | — | ✓ |
| Windows | — | ✓ |
| Web | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Marco Polo better than Microsoft Teams?
Marco Polo is the better app overall, scoring 8.5 to 8.0. Marco Polo wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Microsoft Teams on 1.
Which is cheaper, Marco Polo or Microsoft Teams?
Marco Polo: Free; Marco Polo Plus is $79.99 a year, or $159.99 for a six-person family plan. Microsoft Teams: Free for personal use; work plans come with Microsoft 365 or a Teams subscription. On value for money, Marco Polo scores higher.
Do Marco Polo and Microsoft Teams work on the same devices?
Only Microsoft Teams runs on Mac, Windows, Web.
Which is more private, Marco Polo or Microsoft Teams?
Marco Polo scores higher on privacy (8.2/10). Marco Polo says it shows no ads and never sells your data. App Store label: contact info, identifiers, usage and diagnostics may be linked to you. No tracking.
Strengths and weaknesses
Marco Polo
- Feels more personal than texting
- Free, ad-free and unlimited chats
- Works across time zones and busy schedules
- Unlimited storage and HD need Plus
- Video replies take longer than a text
Marco Polo is a video walkie-talkie for the people you love. Record a quick video and they watch live if they're free or reply later if they're not, so grandparents, far-flung friends and busy families stay close without scheduling calls. There are no likes, feeds or ads. The free app covers unlimited chats, while Plus adds HD, playback speed controls and unlimited storage. In September 2026 it launched Circles, which matches women into small friendship groups.
Full Marco Polo review
Microsoft Teams
- Included with many Microsoft 365 business plans
- Tight integration with Word, Excel and SharePoint
- Strong admin, security and compliance controls
- Cluttered interface with a steep learning curve
- Feels heavier and slower than Slack or Zoom
Microsoft Teams makes sense if your company runs on Microsoft 365. Chat, meetings, calling and shared files live together, and Word, Excel and SharePoint plug straight in. Copilot can recap meetings, now even as short video highlights, on eligible plans. The catch is the experience: Teams is heavier and more cluttered than Slack or Zoom. The free personal version replaced Skype and works fine for family calls.
Full Microsoft Teams review
