Technology & AI
Radzivon Alkhovik
Sep 30, 2025
Every week, more than 500 Russian companies choose between Zoom and Yandex.Telemost, but 67% make decisions based only on price or fears about sanctions. However, the wrong choice can cost an organization from $3,750 to $18,750 annually due to decreased meeting effectiveness or excessive spending on unnecessary functionality.
Hello! The mymeet.ai team tested both platforms in Russian realities, considering 152-FZ requirements, quality of domestic integrations, and specifics of doing business in Russia. We'll show you an honest comparison across all criteria and help you make an informed decision for your team.
Comparison of Approaches: Zoom vs Yandex.Telemost
Two platforms represent fundamentally different philosophies of corporate video conferencing — international quality standard versus Russian simplicity and reliability.
Zoom — International Video Conferencing Leader
Zoom was created as a global platform for maximum quality video meetings of any complexity. The company invested years in optimizing every aspect of video communication — from compression algorithms to user interface.
The foundation of Zoom's philosophy — make video conferencing better than anyone in the world and provide maximum flexibility through an extensive integration ecosystem. This allows adapting the platform to any corporate processes.
This approach makes Zoom ideal for international companies, organizations with high connection quality requirements, and teams needing advanced features for complex meetings.
Yandex.Telemost — Russian Simplicity and Reliability
Yandex developed Telemost as a simple and reliable solution for the Russian market, considering local business specifics and legislative requirements.
Telemost's philosophy is built on principles of maximum ease of use and compliance with Russian standards. No complex settings, mandatory registrations, or technical barriers — any employee can create a meeting in 30 seconds.
This approach is especially valued by Russian companies, government organizations, and teams where ease of use is more important than advanced video conferencing features.
Video and Audio Quality: Zoom vs Yandex.Telemost
Connection quality remains the determining factor when choosing a platform for business meetings. We tested both platforms under Russian internet conditions — from stable corporate to home Wi-Fi in remote regions.
Stability with Russian Internet
Zoom: Excellent adaptation to unstable connections thanks to the global server network. Automatic switching between servers ensures stability even with specific connection node problems.
Yandex.Telemost: Good performance in Russian networks thanks to Yandex's local servers. Especially stable for users of internet providers with direct peering with Yandex.
Verdict: Zoom slightly exceeds thanks to more advanced algorithms, but Telemost is quite competitive.
Audio Quality and Noise Suppression
Zoom: Professional world-class AI noise suppression. Effectively removes background sounds without distorting speech. Excellent work with echo and feedback.
Yandex.Telemost: Basic background noise suppression. Handles constant sounds but may miss sharp noises. Sufficient for most business meetings.
Verdict: Zoom exceeds in audio processing quality, which is important for professional presentations.
Maximum Number of Participants
Zoom: Up to 1,000 participants depending on plan. Stable operation even at maximum load.
Yandex.Telemost: Up to 100 participants on all plans. Sufficient for most Russian companies, but limitation is critical for large events.
Verdict: Zoom significantly exceeds for large meetings and webinars.
Ease of Use for Russian Teams
Entry barriers and platform learning complexity directly affect implementation speed in Russian companies, where employee technical preparation levels may vary significantly.
Creating and Joining Meetings
Zoom: Requires organizer registration, but participants can join via link without account. Simple meeting creation interface with multiple settings.
Yandex.Telemost: Maximum simplicity — meetings can be created without any registration. Just go to the website and click "Create meeting." Participants join with one click.
Verdict: Telemost exceeds in meeting creation simplicity, Zoom — in setting flexibility.
Mobile Device Operation
Zoom: Excellent mobile applications with full functionality. Requires installation for comfortable operation.
Yandex.Telemost: Works in mobile browser without application installation. Has a mobile application with basic functionality.
Verdict: Zoom better for regular use, Telemost — for one-time meetings.
Language Support and Interface
Zoom: Full Russian interface localization, but some advanced features may not be translated.
Yandex.Telemost: Originally created in Russian with consideration of Russian interface standards.
Verdict: Telemost better adapted to Russian interface standards.
Business Meeting Features: Zoom vs Telemost
The set of tools for conducting effective meetings determines whether you can hold a full presentation or be limited to simple communication.
Screen Sharing and Presentations
Zoom: Extended sharing capabilities: individual applications, screen parts, content annotations, video optimization.
Yandex.Telemost: Basic screen sharing without additional features. Simple and reliable, but without advanced capabilities.
Verdict: Zoom exceeds for professional presentations.
Interactive Capabilities
Zoom: Breakout rooms, interactive whiteboard, polls, reactions, "raise hand" function, chat with file sharing.
Yandex.Telemost: Basic chat, "raise hand" function. Focus on simplicity without excessive features.
Verdict: Zoom significantly exceeds in interactive capabilities.
Meeting Recording
Zoom: Local and cloud recording (on paid plans), automatic English transcripts.
Yandex.Telemost: Meeting recording available with saving to Yandex.Disk. Simple functionality without additional processing.
Verdict: Zoom better for professional work with recordings.
Security and Russian Legislation Compliance
For Russian companies, data security issues and 152-FZ compliance may be critically important when choosing a platform.
152-FZ Personal Data Compliance
Zoom: Data processed on international servers, which may create difficulties with Russian legislation compliance. Requires additional contractual relationships.
Yandex.Telemost: Full 152-FZ compliance — data processed and stored on Russian Yandex servers. Doesn't require additional regulatory approvals.
Verdict: Telemost exceeds for organizations with 152-FZ requirements.
Sanctions and Blocking Risks
Zoom: American company, potentially subject to sanction risks. History shows the possibility of sudden access restrictions.
Yandex.Telemost: Russian service without external sanction risks. Guaranteed accessibility for Russian users.
Verdict: Telemost provides greater access stability.
Encryption and Data Protection
Zoom: Enterprise-grade encryption, end-to-end protection for confidential meetings, advanced security settings.
Yandex.Telemost: Standard data encryption during transmission and storage. Basic but sufficient security measures for most tasks.
Verdict: Zoom exceeds in security level and setting flexibility.
Cost of Ownership: Zoom vs Yandex.Telemost
Financial expenses for video conferencing include not only subscription but also time for employee training, integrations with existing systems, and user support.
Plan | Zoom | Yandex.Telemost | Difference |
Free | 40 minutes for groups | No time restrictions | Telemost more advantageous |
Basic Paid | $14.99/month | Completely free | Save $179.88/year |
Business | $19.99/month | Free | Save $239.88/year |
Enterprise | From $19.99/month | Free | Save from $239.88/year |
Real Cost for Russian Team of 20 People
Zoom Business: $19.99 × 20 × 12 = $4,798/year
Yandex.Telemost: $0/year for all functionality
Savings with Telemost: $4,798 per year on subscriptions alone.
Hidden Costs
Zoom: Employee training on advanced features, integration setup, user support for technical problems.
Yandex.Telemost: Minimal training costs due to interface simplicity. May require time for corporate system integration.
Verdict: Telemost significantly more cost-effective in total cost of ownership.
Integrations with Russian Systems
Ability to work with domestic corporate systems is critically important for Russian companies, especially under import substitution conditions.
Russian CRM and Corporate Systems
Zoom: Good integrations with popular Russian CRM (Bitrix24, amoCRM), but may require additional setup.
Yandex.Telemost: Deep integration with Yandex ecosystem (Calendar, Disk, Mail), basic integrations with popular Russian services.
Verdict: Zoom better for diverse integrations, Telemost — for working in the Yandex ecosystem.
Document Management and Planning Systems
Zoom: Wide API integration possibilities with Russian document management systems.
Yandex.Telemost: Limited third-party integration capabilities, but simplicity compensates for lack of features.
Verdict: Zoom exceeds complex corporate processes.
Mymeet.ai: Maximum Value from Any Platform
Regardless of choice between Zoom and Yandex.Telemost, both platforms have limitations in analyzing conducted meetings. Mymeet.ai transforms any meeting into structured business insights considering Russian specifics.
✅ Support for both platforms — automatic connection to Zoom and Telemost without analysis quality differences
✅ Best Russian speech recognition — understands Russian names, company names, industry terms
✅ 152-FZ compliance — data processed according to Russian requirements
✅ Automatic meeting protocols — structured reports with decisions, tasks, and deadlines
✅ Integration with Russian systems — synchronization with domestic CRM and document management
✅ Specialized reports — for sales, HR interviews, planning sessions, strategic meetings
Case Study: Manufacturing Company Optimizes Platform Choice
A manufacturing company from Yekaterinburg (80 employees) used Zoom for all meetings, overpaying $1,600/month. After process analysis with mymeet.ai, it was revealed that 70% of meetings were simple planning sessions not requiring Zoom's advanced features.
Solution: Telemost for internal planning, Zoom only for client presentations (5 licenses).
Results with mymeet.ai:
Automatic protocols for all meetings regardless of platform
Comparative analysis of meeting effectiveness in Zoom vs Telemost
Recommendations for optimizing platform choice for meeting type
Integration with Russian CRM for automatic data updates
Savings: $15,000 per year on license optimization + 15% meeting effectiveness growth.
Maximize meeting effectiveness on any platform. Contact a consultant through a form to set up analysis for your processes.
Complete Comparison Table: Zoom vs Yandex.Telemost
Detailed comparison across all criteria will help make the final decision considering your Russian organization's priorities.
Criterion | Zoom | Yandex.Telemost | Winner |
Video Quality | Excellent, best algorithms | Good for Russian networks | 🏆 Zoom |
Meeting Creation Simplicity | Requires registration | Without registration in 30 seconds | 🏆 Telemost |
Maximum Participants | Up to 1,000 | Up to 100 | 🏆 Zoom |
Cost | From $14.99/month | Completely free | 🏆 Telemost |
Meeting Features | Breakout rooms, boards, polls | Basic capabilities | 🏆 Zoom |
152-FZ Compliance | Problematic | Full compliance | 🏆 Telemost |
Sanction Risks | Risks exist | No risks | 🏆 Telemost |
Security | Enterprise-grade | Basic, sufficient | 🏆 Zoom |
Integrations | 2000+ applications | Limited | 🏆 Zoom |
Mobile Devices | Excellent applications | Works in browser | 🏆 Zoom |
Russification | Good | Originally Russian | 🏆 Telemost |
Meeting Recording | Local + cloud | Save to Yandex.Disk | 🏆 Zoom |
Support | International | Russian tech support | 🏆 Telemost |
Access Reliability | Depends on sanctions | Guaranteed for Russia | 🏆 Telemost |
Overall Score: Zoom — 6 wins, Telemost — 7 wins, 1 tie
Telemost leads in criteria important for the Russian market: price, simplicity, legislative compliance.
Recommendations: When to Choose Zoom or Telemost
Choice between platforms depends on organization specifics, functionality requirements, and priorities in legislative compliance issues.
Choose Zoom if:
Conduct complex presentations with interactive elements
Need breakout rooms and advanced moderation features
Maximum video and audio quality is critical
Work with international partners
Require integrations with multiple corporate systems
Ready to pay for advanced functionality
Ideal for: international companies, consulting agencies, EdTech projects, organizations with frequent client presentations.
Choose Yandex.Telemost if:
Limited video conferencing budget
Need 152-FZ compliance without additional approvals
Ease of use for all employees is important
Protection from sanction risks is critical
Conduct predominantly simple work meetings
Team works in Yandex ecosystem
Ideal for: Russian companies of any size, government organizations, educational institutions, startups with limited budgets.
Hybrid Approach
Many Russian companies use both platforms: Telemost for internal meetings, Zoom for important client presentations. This allows optimizing expenses and getting advantages of each platform.
Conclusion: Choose Consciously Considering Russian Specifics
Zoom and Yandex.Telemost solve the same task in different ways. Zoom exceeds as an international solution with maximum functionality. Telemost is better as a Russian platform focusing on simplicity, economy, and legislative compliance.
For Russian companies, key factors become 152-FZ compliance, sanction protection, and expense control. Telemost wins on these criteria without significantly losing in video connection quality for most business tasks.
Don't make decisions based only on fears or savings. Evaluate real needs: are advanced features needed, is legislative compliance critical, are you ready to pay for additional capabilities.
Ready to make an informed choice? Test both platforms in real work scenarios and measure their effectiveness. Try mymeet.ai free — 180 minutes meeting analysis on any platform without card binding.
FAQ: Zoom vs Yandex.Telemost
What's better for Russian companies — Zoom or Telemost?
Telemost is better for most Russian companies — free, complies with 152-FZ, easy to use, no sanction risks. Choose Zoom only when advanced features are necessary and you're ready to pay for them.
Zoom vs Telemost — difference in video quality?
Zoom slightly exceeds in video quality and audio processing algorithms. Telemost provides sufficient quality for business meetings. For most tasks, the difference isn't critical.
Yandex.Telemost is free — are there hidden limitations?
Telemost is completely free without meeting time restrictions, but limited to 100 participants. Zoom is free for only 40 minutes for group meetings, then requires a subscription from $14.99/month.
152-FZ compliance — what problems with Zoom?
Zoom processes data on foreign servers, which may violate 152-FZ requirements for Russian organizations. Telemost uses Russian servers and fully complies with legislation.
Zoom vs Telemost for education — what to choose?
Telemost is ideal for Russian education — free, simple for teachers and students, and complies with requirements for processing minors' data. Zoom is more complex and requires payment for full functionality.
Meeting features — what's missing in Telemost?
Telemost doesn't have breakout rooms, interactive boards, polls, or advanced screen sharing. If these features are critical for your meetings — choose Zoom.
Security Zoom vs Telemost for corporations?
Zoom offers more advanced security settings and enterprise-grade encryption. Telemost has a basic but sufficient protection level plus the advantage of Russian jurisdiction.
Integrations — does Telemost work with CRM?
Telemost has limited integration capabilities compared to Zoom's 2000+ applications. Works well with Yandex ecosystem, basically — with popular Russian CRM.
Mobile devices — Zoom or Telemost more convenient?
Zoom has excellent mobile applications with full functionality. Telemost works in a mobile browser without installation — simpler for one-time meetings, but limited functionality.
Can Zoom and Telemost be used simultaneously?
Yes, many Russian companies use a hybrid approach: Telemost for internal meetings (budget savings), Zoom for client presentations (maximum quality). This optimizes expenses and effectiveness.
Radzivon Alkhovik
Sep 30, 2025
