Teams is where your people talk: chat, channels and meetings. SharePoint is where content lives: websites, pages and file storage. They aren't alternatives, because every team in Teams is connected to a SharePoint site, and the files on a channel's Files tab are stored in SharePoint. Use Teams for day-to-day conversation and quick collaboration, and use SharePoint directly for intranet pages, published content and structured document libraries.
Microsoft's own admin docs explain this clearly, so I read the Microsoft Learn pages on how Teams and SharePoint integrate, the Teams overview for admins and the SharePoint and OneDrive introduction.
SharePoint and Teams side by side
| SharePoint | Microsoft Teams | |
|---|---|---|
| What Microsoft calls it | A tool for creating websites, publishing content and storing files | A collaboration tool for chatting about a subject or task |
| Main unit | Sites with pages and document libraries | Teams with channels |
| Where files live | In its own document libraries | In SharePoint sites connected to the team |
| Membership | Site permissions | A Microsoft 365 group in Microsoft Entra ID |
| Used alone? | Yes, sites can run without Teams | No, each team relies on SharePoint for files |
| Good for | Intranets, published content, structured libraries | Chat, meetings, quick project work |
Where your Teams files really go
This is the detail that clears up most confusion. Microsoft Learn says each team is connected to one or more SharePoint sites, and those sites are where the team's files are stored. When you create a team, SharePoint creates a parent site that holds the files for all standard channels, and the Files tab in each standard channel is a folder in that site's document library.
Private and shared channels work differently. Each one gets its own SharePoint site, and only members of that channel can reach it. So a team with three private channels has four SharePoint sites behind it, which matters when you're setting permissions or searching for a document.
What SharePoint is for
Microsoft describes SharePoint as a tool for creating websites, publishing content and storing files, and a SharePoint site as a place to build pages and collaborate on files. Sites can be used on their own, without Teams, which is why SharePoint suits company intranets, policy libraries and news pages. Admins usually plan SharePoint and OneDrive together, including migrating files from old file shares and rolling out the OneDrive sync app.
What Teams is for
Teams is built on Microsoft 365 groups and Microsoft Graph. Creating a team also gives it a SharePoint site and document library, an Exchange Online shared mailbox and calendar and a OneNote notebook, and it ties into apps such as Planner and Power BI. Every team has a General channel that can't be deleted, owners and members can add more channels, and you can bring in people from outside your organisation as guests.
When to use which
- Chatting about a project or holding a meeting: Teams.
- Publishing an intranet page or company news: SharePoint.
- Working on a file with your team: open it from the Teams Files tab; it's stored in SharePoint anyway.
- Building a document library with strict permissions: set it up in SharePoint.
- Sharing work with a few people inside a team: a private channel, which gets its own SharePoint site.
If you're new to the app, my Microsoft Teams tutorial walks through the basics, and this guide to Microsoft 365 tools for small business productivity shows where both fit.
My advice on SharePoint or Teams
For a small business on Microsoft 365, let Teams be the front door: chat, meetings and team files all start there, and SharePoint quietly stores the files behind it. Go into SharePoint directly when you want a full intranet, company news pages or a carefully permissioned library. Above all, agree on one place for each kind of document, so nobody wastes an afternoon hunting for the latest version. If you're tidying up an existing setup, start by listing which teams have private channels, because each one is its own SharePoint site with its own permissions.
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Frequently asked questions
Are Teams files stored in SharePoint?
Yes. Microsoft Learn says the files you see on a team's Files tab are stored in a SharePoint site connected to that team.
Do private channels have their own SharePoint site?
Yes. Each private channel and each shared channel has its own SharePoint site, and only that channel's members can access it.
Can I use SharePoint without Teams?
Yes. Microsoft says SharePoint sites can be used independently of Teams.
What else is created when I make a team?
Microsoft says a team gets a SharePoint site and library, an Exchange Online shared mailbox and calendar, and a OneNote notebook.
Can I delete the General channel in Teams?
No. Every team comes with a General channel, which always shows first and can't be deleted.
