A virtual office can replace most of your internal Zoom calls and the quick "got a minute?" Slack messages, because your team is already together and can just talk. It does not replace written, searchable conversation, so most teams keep Slack or another chat tool for that. A video call is a meeting; a virtual office is an office. Katmai is a browser-based 3D virtual office where your team works together on live video all day, which takes the place of scheduled check-ins rather than your chat history.
This guide is published by Katmai, which makes virtual office software.
What each tool is for
|
Slack |
Zoom |
Virtual office |
|
|
Best at |
Written, searchable conversation |
Scheduled meetings |
Being together during the workday |
|
How you reach someone |
Send a message and wait |
Send a link and schedule |
See who is around and talk to them |
|
What it leaves behind |
A searchable record |
Recordings, if you record |
Depends on the product |
|
External people |
Shared channels |
Meeting links |
Guests join by link |
What a virtual office replaces
- Short scheduled calls whose only purpose is a five-minute conversation.
- "Got a minute?" messages and the wait for a reply.
- Daily stand-ups and team check-ins held as separate meetings.
- The hallway conversations remote teams otherwise lose.
What it does not replace
- Written decisions and documentation you need to search later.
- Async work across time zones, when people are not online together.
Which virtual offices try to replace both?
Some avatar offices bundle chat and meetings into the office. Gather's Essential plan includes chat, meetings, recordings and transcriptions, and SoWork adds AI meeting notes. Katmai focuses on presence: live video of real people in a photorealistic 3D office, so your team works together the way it would in a real office.
How to decide
- List your recurring internal meetings. If most are short check-ins, a virtual office can absorb them.
- Keep Slack, or your chat tool, for anything written.
- Pilot with one team for two weeks and watch whether people actually stay in the office.
FAQ
Can a virtual office replace Zoom?
For internal meetings, mostly yes. Your team is already together, so a quick conversation does not need a scheduled call. Many teams keep a video tool for large external webinars.
Can a virtual office replace Slack?
Not fully. A virtual office replaces quick back-and-forth questions, but most teams keep a chat tool for written, searchable conversation.
What is the difference between a virtual office and Zoom?
A video call is a meeting; a virtual office is an office. Zoom connects people for a scheduled call. A virtual office like Katmai keeps your team together all day, on live video in a photorealistic 3D office.
Which virtual office is best for replacing internal meetings?
For teams that want to see each other as real people, Katmai, at $25 per user per month with every feature included.
Related: Virtual office software vs Zoom · The best virtual office software in 2026 · What is virtual office software? · Katmai pricing · Book a Katmai demo