Softwr

Communication · head to head

Google Chat vs Line

Google Chat logo

Google Chat

Communication

AI-powered team messaging and collaboration

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Line logo

Line

Communication

Messaging app that dominates Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, now run by LY Corporation under joint SoftBank and Naver ownership

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Line has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Chat no separate Google Chat pricing available; included with Google Workspace subscriptions at no additional cost; Line line has negligible market share outside Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, so it is the wrong choice for reaching contacts in most other regions.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Chat and Line actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Chat and Line differ
AttributeGoogle ChatLine
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree to download, paid stickers and business messaging tiers
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebiOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Web

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Communication).

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 Google Chat

Nothing recorded that Line does not also cover.

Only in Line

  • Line Pay
  • Official Accounts
  • Stickers and themes
  • Line News
  • Group and open chat
  • Timeline

What people use each for

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

Google Chat

  • Reducing email overload in healthcare operations for clinical decisionsnot Line
  • Summarizing regulatory news rapidly for compliance teamsnot Line
  • Consolidating messaging platforms to reduce software licensing costsnot Line
  • Coordinating distributed global teams across time zones rapidlynot Line
  • Collecting project references and decision history in searchable channelsnot Line

Line

  • A business selling to consumers in Japan that needs an Official Account rather than email or SMS to reach customersnot Google Chat
  • An individual keeping in touch with contacts in Japan, Taiwan or Thailand where Line, not WhatsApp, is the defaultnot Google Chat
  • A brand running promotions through Line stickers or Timeline content aimed at a Japanese audiencenot Google Chat
  • A company processing consumer payments in Japan through Line Pay integrationnot Google Chat

Where each one falls short

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

Google Chat

  • No separate Google Chat pricing available; included with Google Workspace subscriptions at no additional cost
  • Chat features are limited to Business and Enterprise Workspace plans

Line

  • Line has negligible market share outside Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, so it is the wrong choice for reaching contacts in most other regions.
  • A 2021 incident exposed that some user data had been accessible from servers operated in China, which led to a formal restructuring of data governance and remains a reference point for privacy sensitive users.
  • Standard chats are not end to end encrypted by default in the way Signal is; Letter Sealing, an opt-in encryption feature, has to be manually enabled per chat.
  • Business messaging through Official Accounts becomes expensive quickly once a company exceeds the free monthly message allowance and moves to a metered plan.
  • Ownership sits inside a SoftBank and Naver joint venture with a history of governance disputes between the two partners, which creates strategic uncertainty for enterprise customers relying on the platform long term.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Chat

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Chat review.

Line

Free
  • LineFree
    • Free messaging, voice and video calling
    • Individual sticker sets typically cost a few hundred yen each
    • Line Official Account has a free tier with message volume limits, then paid tiers by monthly message count

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Chat if

Nothing in the data separates Google Chat from Line on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Google Chat review

Choose Line if

  • You need line pay.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Web.
  • You also want official accounts.
Line review

Questions people ask

Is Google Chat or Line better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Chat starts at On request and Line at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Chat or Line?
Line has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Google Chat and Free for Line.
Does Google Chat or Line run on more platforms?
Google Chat runs on Web. Line runs on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Web.
Can I use Line for free?
Yes. Line has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Google Chat starts at On request.
What is Google Chat best used for?
Google Chat is most often used for reducing email overload in healthcare operations for clinical decisions, summarizing regulatory news rapidly for compliance teams, consolidating messaging platforms to reduce software licensing costs, coordinating distributed global teams across time zones rapidly. Of those, reducing email overload in healthcare operations for clinical decisions and summarizing regulatory news rapidly for compliance teams are not what Line is typically brought in for.
What can Google Chat do that Line cannot?
Line covers Line Pay, Official Accounts, Stickers and themes, Line News.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Chat: How much does Google Chat cost?

Google Chat is included in Google Workspace subscriptions at no additional cost. Pricing depends on your Workspace plan selection, not on Chat specifically.

Source
Line: Is Line encrypted by default?

Chats use standard transport encryption, but full end to end Letter Sealing encryption must be turned on manually per conversation, it is not the default.

Google Chat: Which Google Workspace plans include Google Chat?

Google Chat is included with all Google Workspace subscriptions. Some features are available exclusively in Business and Enterprise plans.

Source
Line: Does Line work well outside Japan, Taiwan and Thailand?

Technically yes, but almost nobody uses it as their primary messenger outside those markets, so it is the wrong choice to reach most other audiences.

Line: Who owns Line now?

LY Corporation, formed from a merger of Line and Yahoo Japan businesses, controlled by A Holdings, a joint venture between SoftBank and Naver.

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