For most organisations, video conferencing means Microsoft Teams — it comes with the M365 package, everyone knows it, and the IT department does not have to do anything to set it up. But “comes included” and “is the best option” are not the same thing.
Teams on Its Own Terms
Teams is a capable platform: video meetings, team messaging, file sharing, calendar integration. For organisations that live in the Microsoft ecosystem, it feels like a natural extension.
But Teams also comes with certain conditions. All traffic passes through Microsoft’s servers — video, audio, messages, shared files. Microsoft is a US company, and the US CLOUD Act can enable access to data regardless of data centre location. For organisations that handle confidential information in their meetings, this is a relevant consideration.
What Nextcloud Talk Offers
Nextcloud Talk is video conferencing, audio conferencing, and team messaging — integrated into the same platform that manages your files, calendars, and contacts. It is not a separate product.
In practice, this means video and audio traffic is routed through your own server. Files shared during a meeting are directly in your Nextcloud file system. Talk is included in the Nextcloud installation — no separate per-user licence.
Where Teams Is Still Ahead
Teams is a more mature product for managing large meetings. Breakout rooms, Live Events, and a broad app ecosystem are features for which Nextcloud Talk does not offer a direct equivalent. If your organisation regularly holds large webinars or events, Teams is likely the better tool for that specific use case. The Teams mobile experience is also more polished.
Where Nextcloud Talk Is the Better Fit
Nextcloud Talk is the stronger option when meetings involve confidential content and data location must remain under your own control. Or when GDPR compliance covers real-time communications as well. Or when the organisation wants a unified platform without separate accounts, contracts, and privacy policies for different services.
For an organisation already using Nextcloud for file management, Talk is a natural addition at no extra cost.
Technical Note: High Performance Backend
Nextcloud Talk works for small groups out of the box. For larger organisations, the High Performance Backend (HPB) component is recommended — it optimises signalling and media routing for scalability. TechWise installs and configures HPB as part of the deployment for clients whose use case requires it.
Our Own Experience
We use Nextcloud Talk ourselves daily for internal and client communication. It handles 1:1 calls, team discussions, and smaller meetings reliably — and because everything runs on our own infrastructure, we know exactly where the data travels.
If your organisation is considering an alternative to Teams, get in touch — we will review your use case and assess whether Nextcloud Talk fits your communication needs.