Zoom vs Chavid: an honest comparison for UK teams in 2026

Zoom is the default — but defaults can be wrong

When someone says "let's jump on a call," they usually mean Zoom. It's the default video platform for millions of UK businesses. But default doesn't mean best.

Here's an honest comparison.

Pricing

Zoom's free tier limits calls to 40 minutes for groups. After that, you're looking at £13.33/month per user for the Pro plan.

Chavid offers a 30-day free trial with no time limits. After the trial, it's £9.99/user/month — cheaper than Zoom Pro, with more features included.

Privacy and data

Zoom is a US company. Your call data is processed on US servers. Under UK GDPR, this requires Standard Contractual Clauses — something most UK SMEs haven't put in place.

Chavid is UK-built. All data stays in the UK. ICO registered. GDPR compliant from day one.

Ease of use

Zoom requires a download. Your clients, patients, or contacts need to install software before they can join a call.

Chavid works in any browser. Send a link, they click it, they're in. No download, no account required to join.

Features

Both platforms offer HD video, screen sharing, and group calls. Chavid adds persistent group messaging — so your team conversations don't disappear when the call ends.

Zoom's messaging (Zoom Chat) is a separate product with a separate interface. Chavid integrates video and messaging in one place.

The verdict

For UK teams that care about privacy, want to avoid software installs, and want messaging built in — Chavid is the better choice. For teams already deep in the Zoom ecosystem with enterprise integrations, switching has a cost.

But for anyone starting fresh or frustrated with Zoom's limitations, Chavid is worth the 30-day trial.