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Webinar & Virtual Events · head to head

Google Meet vs Meetup

Google Meet logo

Google Meet

Webinar & Virtual Events

Get on a video call in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Meetup logo

Meetup

Event Management

Find your people

From
$55/month
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: Google Meet google Meet only available as part of Google Workspace subscription; no standalone free option; Meetup organizer fees tripled following Bending Spoons acquisition in 2024
  • They diverge on capability: Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Meetup covers Groups.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Meet and Meetup differ
AttributeGoogle MeetMeetup
Starting priceFree$55/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryWebinar & Virtual EventsEvent Management
Founded19982002

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

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 Meet

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

Only in Meetup

  • Groups
  • Events
  • RSVP System
  • Messaging
  • Event Photos
  • Recommendations
  • Zoom
  • Android support

Both cover

  • Google Calendar
  • Web support
  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Google Meet

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

Meetup

  • Finding local groups and events around a shared interestnot Google Meet
  • Organising a recurring in-person groupnot Google Meet
  • Running online events alongside physical onesnot Google Meet
  • Growing a community by drawing on Meetup's existing member basenot Google Meet

Where each one falls short

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

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

Meetup

  • Organizer fees tripled following Bending Spoons acquisition in 2024
  • Increased paywalling of core community features
  • Platform is buggy with many unfixed issues
  • Customer support no longer available with AI responses only
  • Issues with billing accuracy and unauthorized recurring charges
  • Poor technical support responsiveness to organizer complaints

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Meet

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Meet review.

Meetup

$55/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Meetup review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Meetup if

  • You need groups.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want events.
Meetup review

Questions people ask

Is Google Meet or Meetup better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Meet starts at Free and Meetup at $55/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Meet or Meetup?
Google Meet has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Meet and $55/month for Meetup.
Does Google Meet or Meetup run on more platforms?
Google Meet runs on Web, Mobile. Meetup runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Google Meet for free?
Yes. Google Meet has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Meetup starts at $55/month.
What is Google Meet best used for?
Google Meet is most often used for organisations already invested in google workspace ecosystem, large enterprises (500+ participants) requiring live streaming and attendance tracking, hybrid work environments needing integrated gmail, drive, and collaboration tools. Of those, organisations already invested in google workspace ecosystem and large enterprises (500+ participants) requiring live streaming and attendance tracking are not what Meetup is typically brought in for.
What can Google Meet do that Meetup cannot?
Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Screen sharing, Recording, Chat. Meetup covers Groups, Events, RSVP System, Messaging. Both handle Google Calendar, Web support, Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Meetup: What is Meetup Pro pricing?

Meetup Pro starts at $55 per group per month, or $47 per group per month for six-month commitments. Enterprise plans are available at custom pricing. A one-week free trial is offered.

Source
Meetup: What features does Meetup Pro include?

Meetup Pro includes event scheduling, group management, member engagement tools, community-building features, and integrations with platforms like Zoom and Mailchimp.

Source
Meetup: Does Meetup charge organizers fees?

Yes, Meetup charges organizers fees for hosting groups and events. Organizer fees have increased significantly following the Bending Spoons acquisition in 2024.

Source
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Related pages

More on Google Meet

More on Meetup

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