Google Meet vs. Zoom: Which One to Choose in 2024

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Choosing between Google Meet and Zoom in 2024? Both platforms are top choices, each with unique features that can enhance your digital meetings.

In this article, we'll dive into a thorough comparison of Google Meet vs Zoom, examining everything from user interface and integration capabilities to pricing structures.

Whether you're managing remote teams, hosting virtual training sessions, or catching up with your team, getting to know the specifics of these tools will help you pick the one that fits your needs perfectly. Let’s begin!

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Google Meet vs. Zoom: an Overview

Video conferencing software allows you to host meetings remotely, meaning you don't need the entire team to gather in one specific location. This saves costs and makes global collaboration possible, allowing you to connect with clients and markets that were previously unreachable. 

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Both Google Meet and Zoom make virtual meetings a seamless experience, so let’s see what they’re all about!

A. What Is Google Meet?

Google Meet—previously Google Hangouts—is Google's take on video conferencing. It allows you to connect with friends, family, and colleagues via video, chat, and screen sharing.

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Staying within the Google Workspace ecosystem, Google Meet seamlessly integrates with other Google Workspace apps like Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar. 

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Here are Google Meet's key features:

• Meeting Participants: On paid plans, Google Meet allows you to host large meetings with up to 1000 participants.
• Host Management: You have control over who can access meetings by admitting or denying entry to participants.
• Live Captions: Google Meet offers live captioning, helping participants follow along even if the audio quality is poor or if they have difficulty hearing.
• Google Meet App: Participants can join meetings from their mobile devices using the Google Meet app. For desktop users, there's no software to install, as meetings can be accessed directly through a browser.
• Screen Sharing: Easily present documents, slides, and spreadsheets during your meetings, making it ideal for important discussions.
• Team Chats:  Enable participants to engage through team chats during the meeting, which can be saved for future reference.
• Meeting Recording: Record your meetings for later review, and securely store them in Google Drive.
• Live Streaming: Host virtual events with live-streaming for up to 100,000 viewers.

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B. What Is Zoom?

Zoom is a video conferencing platform that grew popular during the COVID-19 pandemic and quickly became a favorite among businesses and individuals, often regarded as the go-to standard for video conferencing. 

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Like Google Meet, the Zoom meetings app works well with other applications such as Dropbox, Salesforce, and Calendly, enhancing its utility.

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Here are the main features of Zoom:

• User Controls: Zoom provides extensive controls allowing you to disable chat, screen sharing, and audio for individual participants, giving you greater command over participation in your meetings.
• Host and Co-host Features: Administrative privileges can be shared with Zoom co-hosts, allowing multiple individuals to manage the meeting without participant limits.
• Whiteboards and Breakout Rooms: Engage and brainstorm with team members using Zoom's whiteboards, and create smaller groups within your meeting for more focused discussions.
• Waiting Room: Zoom includes a waiting room feature, enabling hosts to screen participants before allowing them into the meeting.
• Streaming Options: You can livestream meetings directly to platforms like YouTube or Facebook.
• Recording Options: Zoom meetings can be recorded either locally on your device or stored in the cloud for easy access and sharing.
• Reporting Tools: Zoom provides detailed reports on meeting metrics, including participant attendance and frequency of meetings, helping you analyze and optimize your meeting strategies.

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Google Meet vs. Zoom: Comparison Table

Here’s a quick breakdown of Google Meet and Zoom’s features, which we’ll analyze extensively down below!

Google Meet vs. Zoom: Feature Comparison

In this section, we’ll analyze in detail how these two video conferencing tools compare in terms of features and functionality.

1. Accessibility and Limits

Both platforms work across different devices—computers, phones, and tablets. 

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Google Meet runs directly in your web browser, requiring no downloads, and integrates smoothly with Google Calendar, making it very convenient for Gmail users.  Zoom, on the other hand, requires a quick app download but is also free on most devices.

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In terms of capacity, Google Meet users can host video conferences with up to 100 participants for up to one hour for free. Users with a Google One Premium plan can livestream events or record meetings to watch later. Paid groups can also host significantly longer meetings, lasting up to 24 hours.

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Zoom has a 40-minute limit and offers 100 seats for free, but can accommodate up to 1,000 participants for up to 30 hours on paid plans. This makes it ideal for hosting large-scale events, thanks to its capacity to handle more participants effectively.

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2. AI Features

In 2023, Zoom and Google both introduced AI assistants, a move that many saw coming. Zoom’s AI Companion and Google’s Duet AI for Google Workspace can send automated meeting recaps to attendees and take real-time notes, helping latecomers quickly get up to speed.

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Google’s Duet AI also allows users to generate AI-created background images—a fun, if slightly gimmicky feature. More importantly, it can represent you in meetings you can't attend, delivering messages and recaps to keep you connected. It also offers real-time translation in 18 languages, which could be invaluable for international teams.

Despite its playful features, Duet AI comes with a premium price tag of $30 per month, and not all features are currently available.

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Meanwhile, Zoom's AI Companion is tailored as a practical tool. It lets participants ask preset or custom questions, such as "Were there any action items assigned?" and generates summaries for every meeting. 

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Available in all paid plans, it enhances Zoom's functionality seamlessly without extra costs, making it a savvy addition for efficient meeting management.

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3. Scheduling and Setup

Organizing everyone for a virtual meeting can be challenging, but both Google Meet and Zoom have features to make scheduling and setup smoother, each with unique advantages.

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If you’re heavily integrated into the Google system, Google Meet could be a big time-saver. The Google Meet app integrates seamlessly with Google Calendar, allowing you to schedule meetings directly within your calendar events. 

Just add your guests and set a date and time. The meeting details, including a join link, will be automatically sent to all invitees. Plus, since it's browser-based, attendees can join meetings with just a click—no downloads necessary.

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Zoom takes a slightly different approach to video call scheduling. You can set up meetings through the Zoom web portal or integrate it with calendar systems like Google Calendar or Outlook. 

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Though it might take a few more steps than Google Meet, Zoom allows more initial customization options. You can configure Zoom meeting passwords, manage waiting rooms, and adjust audio and video settings right from the start.

All in all, if you value quick and easy meeting setups, Google Meet's integration with Google Calendar is ideal. If you prefer more control over your meeting settings and appreciate enhanced security options, Zoom's detailed setup capabilities might better suit your needs.

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4. Collaboration Tools

Working virtually can be as effective as face-to-face meetings, and both Google Meet and Zoom offer excellent collaboration tools.

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Google Meet excels with its seamless integration with the Google Workspace toolbar, allowing you to directly access and edit Docs, Sheets, and Slides during meetings. Any changes are updated in real-time, which can further simplify collaboration.

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Meanwhile, Zoom offers as broad third-party integrations through its app marketplace, connecting you to various project management and design tools. This system enables you to tailor the platform to your needs, although some integrations may require extra subscriptions or setups.

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5. Meeting Management and Host Controls

Keeping your virtual meetings organized and on track is crucial, and both Google Meet and Zoom provide a set of tools for hosts to manage participants effectively. 

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A. Google Meet

Google Meet offers essential controls for hosts:

• Mute attendees: To minimize background noise or interruptions, you can mute all participants.
• Present control: Control who can share their screen to keep the meeting focused.
• Remove participants: If necessary, you can remove anyone causing disruptions.

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B. Zoom

Zoom provides a comprehensive set of meeting management tools:

• Co-host designation: Assign co-hosts to help manage large meetings and spread out the workload.
• Mute/unmute individuals: Mute specific people or allow them to unmute themselves.
• Disable video: Decide if participants can activate their webcams, which is useful for reducing distractions.
• Waiting room: Screen attendees in a virtual waiting room for added security before letting them join.
• Breakout rooms: Divide participants into smaller groups for more focused discussions.

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As you can see, Google Meet is ideal for smaller meetings that only require basic controls, while Zoom's extensive features are suited for managing larger or more complex gatherings. 

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6. Video and Audio Quality 

Zoom and Google Meet are committed to high-quality experiences and are quick to address any glitches. Both platforms generally receive positive reviews for their video and audio quality.

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Zoom offers 720p video quality for group meetings on its free plan, with 1080p HD available for Business and Enterprise users—though activation requires direct contact with Zoom.

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Meanwhile, Google has recently updated its service to support 1080p HD video, but only for one-on-one meetings on paid plans, not for larger groups. The default video setting for Google Meet is 720p, and switching to 1080p involves adjusting the app's video settings.

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Regarding screen sharing, Zoom offers a comprehensive experience, ideal for complex or interactive sessions. Additionally, Zoom lets you share content from your phone or tablet, specific applications only (great for hiding messy desktops!), or even a second camera. 

For screen sharing, Google Meet allows you to share your entire screen, a specific application window, or just a Chrome browser tab, including the audio. This is ideal for straightforward presentations that eliminate the need to juggle multiple apps.

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In terms of audio quality, both Zoom and Google Meet work via the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) where the audio quality is impacted by several factors, including bandwidth, and the quality of the internet connection. However, the audio quality is comparable to, if not better than traditional phone lines.

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7. Meeting Recording Features

Recording on Google Meet is available only with a paid Google Workspace plan, not accessible to free users. With a subscription, meeting recordings automatically get saved to Google Drive, making them easy to organize and share with others. 

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What’s more, Google Meet provides the option to record whole meetings or select parts, like specific presenters’ screens and audio, for more targeted recording.

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Zoom allows users on its free plan to record meetings directly to their devices, ideal for brief, informal meetings. However, note that recordings on the free plan are limited to 40 minutes. For unlimited duration and easier access and sharing, Zoom's paid plans offer Cloud storage for recordings.

PRO TIP: If you want to bypass Google Meet and Zoom’s user role requirements and time recording limitations, we got you. MeetGeek is an AI-driven meeting automation platform that seamlessly joins, records, transcribes, and summarizes all your meetings — yes, even those you're unable to attend yourself.

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Here’s how MeetGeek enhances your Google Meet and Zoom meetings:

• Automated recording and transcription: MeetGeek automatically attends your meetings and automatically records and transcribes them. AI summaries: MeetGeek summarizes all your meetings into concise, actionable summaries, helping you stay prepared for upcoming discussions.
• Action item extraction: Using AI, MeetGeek automatically identifies and extracts action items, ensuring key tasks are highlighted to boost productivity.
• Automated follow-up emails: After each meeting, follow-up emails containing important details are sent automatically to your colleagues’ inboxes to keep everyone aligned.
• Meeting repository: With a centralized repository of meeting notes and robust security, accessing and sharing past meetings with other participants is straightforward and secure.
• Conversation intelligence: MeetGeek’s analytics assess meeting effectiveness through performance scores based on selected KPIs, providing insights into team dynamics and efficiency.
• Automated workflows: Beyond identifying tasks, MeetGeek integrates with over 2,000 tools to update your digital workspaces automatically, ensuring seamless coordination across your team.

8. Appearance Filters

Both Zoom and Google Meet allow you to personalize and change your virtual backgrounds with a preset template or your own image. 

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Zoom initially introduced a built-in filter that enhances your on-screen appearance by smoothing out skin and hair imperfections. Since then, Google Meet has added this feature as well. Additionally, both platforms offer tools to adjust the lighting in your video feed, helping you look your best by improving how you appear on camera.

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9. Digital Whiteboard

Virtual brainstorming sessions and presentations often require a digital whiteboard, and both Google Meet and Zoom offer this tool with their unique features.

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Google Meet‘s whiteboard, Jamboard, is integrated directly into the meeting window, allowing you to quickly start sketching ideas without switching apps. Plus, it automatically saves your work to the Cloud.

‍Zoom's whiteboard, however, includes more advanced features such as shapes, sticky notes, and text editing. It opens in a separate window and is especially effective for detailed annotations on shared screens. 

While you need to save your work manually, Zoom allows the creation of multiple boards within a single session.

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TIP: When choosing the right whiteboard, consider your needs. Google Meet’s Jamboard offers simplicity and convenience with automatic saving. At the same time, Zoom provides more functionality and flexibility for complex brainstorming and detailed presentations.

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10. Live Streaming and Webinars

Need to broadcast a presentation or host a live online event? 

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Google Meet is ideal if you prefer simplicity. While it lacks the advanced features of a specialized webinar platform, it supports presentations to up to 250 attendees (with a paid Google Workspace plan) and can stream sessions live to YouTube. 

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Meanwhile, Zoom excels as a webinar solution. It offers plans tailored for larger audiences, allowing you to host up to 1,000 attendees (with options for more via add-ons). 

Moreover, unlike Google Meet, Zoom includes tools for creating registration pages, moderating Q&A sessions, conducting polls, and adding custom branding to make your event professional and engaging. This makes it better for online conferences, major product launches, or interactive workshops.

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11. Chat Features

While both platforms offer chat functionality, Zoom allows private messages during meetings, a feature Google Meet lacks, as it only supports messages visible to all participants. 

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Additionally, even though both options provide a comprehensive emoji library, Zoom allows users to upload custom emojis, while Google Meet only offers extensions that can help you achieve a similar effect. 

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Moreover, Zoom spices up chats with its GIPHY integration, although it limits GIF options to just eight per search, which can feel repetitive. 

However, both apps save chat logs from recorded meetings, which is useful for catching up on missed discussions.

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NOTE: Neither platform shows past messages to users who join a call late or leave and rejoin, often requiring hosts to resend important information to newcomers. This can be a frequent hassle in virtual meetings.

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12. Integrations

Both Zoom and Google Meet excel in their integration capabilities. Zoom offers a broad ecosystem of 1,500+ apps, many of them directly within your Zoom account, allowing you to access various features without leaving your meeting.

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Google Meet, despite only providing 200+ integrations, is connected with Google Workspace tools like Calendar, Drive, and Gmail, making it perfect for those already using Google’s services.

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13. Cloud Storage

Google Meet offers significantly more storage for Cloud recordings compared to Zoom. If you’re using Google Meet's free plan, you receive 15 GB of storage. If you're using a paid Google Meet plan, you'll enjoy anywhere from 30 GB to unlimited cloud storage on Google Drive. 

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In contrast, Zoom does not provide cloud storage to its free users. Those on Zoom’s Pro and Business plans receive 5 GB per user, while Zoom Enterprise clients benefit from unlimited cloud storage.

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14. Pricing and Plans

Let's dive into the pricing options that Zoom and Google Meet provide, an important factor for many organizations when selecting the best tool for their specifics.

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A. Google Meet Pricing:

Here are Google Meet’s pricing plans:

• Google Meet: Free
• Google Workspace Business Starter: $6/user/month
• Google Workspace Business Standard: $12/user/month
• Google Workspace Business Plus: $18/user/month
• Google Workspace Enterprise: Custom pricing

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B. Zoom Pricing

Here are Zoom’s pricing plans:

• Zoom Basic: Free
• Zoom Pro: $15.99/user/month
• Zoom Business: $19.99/user/month
• Zoom Business Plus: $25/user/month
• Zoom Enterprise: Custom pricing

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For those who prefer to stay within Google’s ecosystem and seek better value, Google Meet is the winner. Additionally, Google's plans include access to the broader suite of Google Workspace features and apps, which could be a significant advantage for your organization.

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15. Security

Both Google Meet and Zoom have stepped up their game in this area, providing real-time encryption and two-factor authentication to enhance security. Google Meet goes further by encrypting recordings stored in users' Drive accounts. 

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After the phenomenon known as Zoombombing hit the headlines, Zoom responded by extending end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to all its users—a feature it had previously misrepresented. For an extra layer of security, it is advisable to always use a VPN, as this can help encrypt your internet connection and further protect against potential vulnerabilities when using these services, ensuring privacy is maintained across all layers of communication.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which One Is Better, Google Meet or Zoom?

Choosing between Google Meet and Zoom depends on your specific needs:

• Zoom offers more comprehensive features for large meetings and webinars, such as advanced participant management and integration options. 
• Google Meet, on the other hand, is great for smaller teams or those already using Google Workspace services due to its seamless integration and simplicity. 

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Evaluate your team's size, budget, and feature requirements to determine which platform is better for you.

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2. What’s the Best Video Conference Platform?

The best video conference platform varies based on user needs:

• Zoom is often praised for its robust functionality and flexibility, making it ideal for large businesses and educational settings. 
• Google Meet is highly valued for its straightforward, no-frills approach which works wonderfully within the Google suite. 
• Microsoft Teams is another strong contender, especially for organizations that rely heavily on Office 365 tools.

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3. Is Google Meet Paid or Free?

Google Meet offers both free and paid options. The free version allows for meetings of up to 60 minutes with up to 100 participants, which is suitable for casual users and small teams. 

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For longer meetings with more features, Google offers paid plans through Google Workspace, which also include additional benefits like increased participant limits and cloud recording.

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4. Which Is Cheaper, Zoom or Google Meet?

For basic use, both Google Meet and Zoom offer free versions. Google Meet's free plan supports meetings up to 60 minutes, while Zoom’s free plan includes a 40-minute time limit for group meetings. 

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Paid plans need to be compared based on the specific features you need. Generally, Google Meet's paid plans tend to be less expensive as part of the broader Google Workspace subscription, which includes access to other Google services. 

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Zoom offers more tiered options that can scale depending on the size of your organization and the specific tools you need.

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Win the Competition Between Google Meet and Zoom with MeetGeek!

In conclusion, deciding between Google Meet and Zoom for your 2024 video conferencing needs will depend largely on your specific preferences and requirements.

Whether you prioritize the simplicity and integration of Google Workspace offered by Google Meet, or the extensive features and customization options that Zoom provides, each video conferencing solution is equipped to enhance your virtual meeting experience.

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As you navigate each service to choose the best fit for your team, why not enhance your meeting efficiency further? 

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Try MeetGeek for free to see how an AI-driven platform that automatically joins, records, transcribes, and summarizes your meetings, can transform your productivity whether they're on Zoom or Google Meet!