Lark vs Microsoft Teams: which suite fits a small team?
How Lark and Microsoft Teams differ on what is bundled, where data lives and who each suits.
The short answer
Lark bundles chat, meetings, docs and tasks in one suite. Teams wraps chat and meetings around Microsoft 365. Both are hosted and per-user on paid plans.
Check current plans on each vendor's site. If you are on Lark today, Dock imports your Lark history.
Lark vs Microsoft Teams at a glance
| Lark | Microsoft Teams | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Lark's cloud | Microsoft's cloud |
| Cost model | Per user on paid plans | Per user, often bundled with Microsoft 365 |
| Bundled | Chat, meetings, docs, tasks, calendar, email | Chat, meetings, Office apps |
| Best fit | Teams that want one all-in-one suite | Organisations on Microsoft 365 |
| Weak spot | Hosted only | Complexity for small teams |
Who should pick which
Pick Lark if
You want chat, docs and tasks in one suite without Microsoft 365.
Pick Microsoft Teams if
You already live in Microsoft 365.
Pick Dock if
You want a flat cost, your own server, and chat, meetings, docs and tasks with agents connected to Notion, GitHub, Claude and Codex.
What makes Dock different: it connects to your tools
Dock connects the places your team already works. Notion: connect your Notion pages, then type @notionpage_ in any chat to tag a page; everyone gets a preview card and your AI agents can read it. GitHub: link GitHub read-only, pin repositories to a chat, tag them with @github_ and ask the AI about them. Claude and Codex: use your own Claude or Codex plan inside Dock chats, or connect any MCP agent to your workspace with a token.
All of this sits next to chat, video meetings (with recording, transcripts and AI summaries), docs, tables, calendar, tasks and a drive, in a self-hosted app with no per-seat licence. You run the server yourself, and some integrations are young, so check the setup guides for what each one covers.
Questions
Is Lark or Microsoft Teams cheaper?
Both charge per user on paid plans, and prices change. Check each vendor's pricing page and count the other tools each one replaces.
Can I switch from Lark or Microsoft Teams?
Pilot a new tool beside your current one. Dock imports Lark history; for others, export what you can and keep it as an archive.
Do I need a self-hosted tool?
Only if you want data on your own server or a flat cost. It means you run the server.