Softwr

Webinar & Virtual Events · head to head

Crowdcast vs Google Meet

Crowdcast logo

Crowdcast

Webinar & Virtual Events

Live video Q&As, interviews, and webinars

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Meet logo

Google Meet

Webinar & Virtual Events

Get on a video call in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Meet has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Crowdcast exceeding the plan's attendee limit costs $0.15 per extra live attendee, so an unexpectedly popular session bills on the spot; Google Meet google Meet only available as part of Google Workspace subscription; no standalone free option
  • They diverge on capability: Crowdcast covers Live streaming, Google Meet covers Video conferencing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Crowdcast and Google Meet actually diverge.

Attributes where Crowdcast and Google Meet differ
AttributeCrowdcastGoogle Meet
Starting price$49/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
Founded20151998

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Webinar & Virtual Events).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Crowdcast

  • Live streaming
  • Q&A sessions
  • Polls
  • Multi-speaker
  • Replay library
  • Zapier
  • ConvertKit
  • Mailchimp

Only in Google Meet

  • Video conferencing
  • Screen sharing
  • Recording
  • Chat
  • Real-time captions
  • Hand raise
  • Grid view
  • Google Calendar

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Crowdcast

  • Hosting live webinars and interactive Q and A sessionsnot Google Meet
  • Running paid online events with registrationnot Google Meet

Google Meet

  • Organisations already invested in Google Workspace ecosystemnot Crowdcast
  • Large enterprises (500+ participants) requiring live streaming and attendance trackingnot Crowdcast
  • Hybrid work environments needing integrated Gmail, Drive, and collaboration toolsnot Crowdcast

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Crowdcast

  • Exceeding the plan's attendee limit costs $0.15 per extra live attendee, so an unexpectedly popular session bills on the spot
  • Session length is capped by plan, at 2 hours on Lite, 4 on Pro and 6 on Business
  • Team seats are tightly limited, at 1 on Lite and 2 on Pro, with additional seats at $29 each
  • Studio storage is capped at 1 GB on Lite and 5 GB on Pro
  • The 14 day trial allows 10 live attendees and 60 minute sessions, which is short of any real event

Google Meet

  • Google Meet only available as part of Google Workspace subscription; no standalone free option
  • Starter plan limits Meet to 100 participants; Standard tier required for 150 participants
  • Organisation-wide user cap of 300 users on Starter, Standard, and Plus plans
  • Enterprise tier requires custom pricing and sales contact; no transparent per-user cost
  • Free tier (from basic Google account) limits meetings to 60 minutes with 3+ participants

Pricing, plan by plan

Crowdcast

$49/month
  • Lite$49/month
    • 50 live attendees
    • 2-hour sessions
    • Basic features
  • Pro$89/month
    • 100 attendees
    • 4-hour sessions
    • Custom branding
  • Business$195/month
    • 500 attendees
    • Multi-day events
    • Priority support

Google Meet

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Meet review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Crowdcast if

  • You need live streaming.
  • You also want q&a sessions.
Crowdcast review

Choose Google Meet if

  • You need video conferencing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want screen sharing.
Google Meet review

Questions people ask

Is Crowdcast or Google Meet better?
Neither clearly leads. Crowdcast starts at $49/month and Google Meet at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Crowdcast or Google Meet?
Google Meet has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $49/month for Crowdcast and Free for Google Meet.
Does Crowdcast or Google Meet run on more platforms?
Crowdcast runs on Web. Google Meet runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Google Meet for free?
Yes. Google Meet has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Crowdcast starts at $49/month.
What is Crowdcast best used for?
Crowdcast is most often used for hosting live webinars and interactive q and a sessions, running paid online events with registration. Of those, hosting live webinars and interactive q and a sessions and running paid online events with registration are not what Google Meet is typically brought in for.
What can Crowdcast do that Google Meet cannot?
Crowdcast covers Live streaming, Q&A sessions, Polls, Multi-speaker. Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Screen sharing, Recording, Chat. Both handle Web support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Crowdcast

More on Google Meet

Keep looking

Other head to heads