Internetwork Engineering Blog

Webex vs Zoom: Which Collaboration Solution is Better for Education Environments?

Written by Marty Jefferson | March 14, 2023

Video conferencing and collaboration technology is now a staple in education as K-12 and higher ed institutions adapt to modern technology to meet the changing needs of students and faculty. With an emphasis on capabilities like security, video quality, user experience, and integration with other education tools (including Microsoft Teams), schools have a unique challenge of empowering learning while also ensuring a safe experience.  

Two of the leading video conferencing solutions for education are Webex and Zoom. Some institutions also use Slack, but with limited capabilities, it’s not a true contender on its own to support learning. Below, we compare these solutions to see who makes the grade in education.   

Comparison 1: Pricing  

When it comes to price, the dollar amount is one thing and sometimes the actual value can be another.   

Webex 

Zoom 

$1,950 a year  

$1,800 a year  

50 hosts 

Support 20-149 licenses 

Up to 5000 participants 

300 participants 

Winner: Tie 

Webex and Zoom are comparatively priced, but Webex delivers a lot more features and unparalleled security. 

Comparison 2: Security  

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, schools are one of the largest targets for cyberattacks. Attacks have far-reaching repercussions, with weeks of lost learning and financial impacts stretching into the millions.  

Webex 

Zoom 

Stellar reputation for excellent security  

Have experienced some serious security problems  

U.S.-based servers 

Utilize overseas servers in China 

Secure authentication features, including default password-requirement step for all meetings to deter data hackers 

Less robust authentication features with single sign-on for the classroom 

All-in-one solution for messaging, multiple virtual classrooms, and calling 

Newly released Zoom Team Chat feature  

ISO 27001 certified, Service Organization Controls (SOC) 2 Type II audited, FedRAMP certified, Cloud Computing Compliance Controls Catalogue (C5) attestation, Privacy Shield Framework certified, GDPR, CCPA, COPPA, FERPA, and HIPAA compliant 

FERPA and HIPAA compliance and provides 256-bit AES encryption 

Locked personal room meetings, password enforced meeting connections, encrypted cloud recordings 

In-meeting security features and other measures help secure your Zoom classroom and prevent disruptions 

Lobby feature and enables hosts to grant or revoke participant access 

Waiting room 

Winner: Webex 

Webex has always been the leader in security. Even prior to the pandemic, Zoom has had its share of problems, though recently they have strengthened their security measures. 

Comparison 3: Video Conferencing Quality 

Nothing should get in the way of students connecting to one another and their teachers. Any disruption in video and/or audio quality and unreliable performance makes learning more difficult and hinders the process for all involved.  

Webex 

Zoom 

HD video and audio with broadcast-quality audio 

HD video and audio  

Consistent experience using any device—mobile, tablet, laptop or video device 

Consistent experience using any device—mobile, tablet, laptop or video device 

Single-vendor system with end-to-end integration for seamless interoperability  

Contract with third-party vendors for in-room conferencing solutions which can create ongoing support complexity 

Record lessons for on-demand viewing in easy-to-share MP4 formats 

Session recording 

Winner: Webex 

Webex was named a 2022 Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader for Unified Communications as a Services (UCaaS). 

UCaaS is a cloud-delivered unified communications model that supports enterprise telephony, meetings (audio/video/web conferencing), unified messaging, instant messaging, and presence (personal and team). 

Comparison 4: Ease of Use 

Making learning accessible for all students is a leading goal of video conferencing. With hundreds of students, staff, and faculty relying on technology to connect and collaborate, the technology must be easy to use.  

Webex 

Zoom 

Uncomplicated user interface (UI) 

Highly intuitive user interface (UI)  

Quickly share desktop, documents, and other apps 

Fewer enterprise features 

Live collaboration feature that allows participants to feel like they are in the same room 

One-click content sharing and real-time co-annotation 

Record meetings  

Record meetings 

Create whiteboard sessions 

Digital whiteboarding 

Facial recognition to identify attendees 

 

No download necessary 

 

Accessible and inclusive experience with keyboard shortcuts, closed captioning, and screen reader support 

Accessible for everyone with closed captioning and keyboard shortcuts 

Winner: Webex 

Geared more toward secure interoperability than interactivity, Webex may not be as easy to use as Zoom, but that’s due to Webex’s more robust security features. 

Comparison 5: Teams space 

Turn any space into a collaborative classroom experience and provide students with a host of digital learning options and connectivity.  

Webex 

Zoom 

Multi-solution tool: virtual classrooms, chat space for classes, calling solutions 

Disparate collaboration solutions with separate video calling and team chat spaces  

Interoperability with common collaboration solutions, including Microsoft Teams 

 

Committed to open standards and interoperability 

 

Interoperability with Microsoft and Zoom 

Interoperability with Microsoft and Webex 

Winner: Webex 

Webex empowers collaboration with access to a variety of integrated tools that give students and teachers the experience of being together in the classroom, even if that classroom is a virtual one. While Zoom is catching up to Webex in the interoperability department, Webex is committed to open standards and still provides more in-depth security for these connections. 

Comparison 6: Integrations 

Having everything you need integrated into one platform empowers learning. This is especially true when it comes to the Learning Management Systems (LMS) and other collaboration tools you rely on every day.  

Webex 

Zoom 

Integrates with a variety of third-party solutions, including Microsoft Outlook and soon Microsoft Teams 

Third-party integrations but not as many as Webex 

Integrates with Moodle and other common LMS  

Integrates with Moodle and other common LMS 

Winner: Webex 

Currently Webex is the leader with more integrations to ensure education is streamlined for all users. The Microsoft Teams integration will make Webex even impactful as an accessible force in the education collaboration space. 

The Verdict 

When it comes to education, Webex is far and beyond the best choice for reliable and secure video conferencing. Webex provides an intuitive user experience with unmatched video and audio quality for true collaboration, sharing, and learning. Both have their benefits, but from our perspective, both as an IT solution provider and supporters of education technology, Webex delivers the more exceptional learning experience.  

To learn more about Webex and what it could mean for your organization, visit our Webex Resource Page