Softwr

Webinar & Virtual Events · head to head

Google Meet vs Microsoft Teams

Google Meet logo

Google Meet

Webinar & Virtual Events

Get on a video call in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Teams logo

Microsoft Teams

All industries

Meet, chat, call, and collaborate in just one place

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Meet google Meet only available as part of Google Workspace subscription; no standalone free option; Microsoft Teams resource-heavy application; slow to load and consumes significant CPU/memory compared to alternatives
  • They diverge on capability: Google Meet covers Recording, Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Meet and Microsoft Teams actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Meet and Microsoft Teams differ
AttributeGoogle MeetMicrosoft Teams
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
CategoryWebinar & Virtual EventsAll industries
Founded19981975

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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

  • Recording
  • Chat
  • Real-time captions
  • Hand raise
  • Grid view
  • Google Calendar
  • Gmail
  • Google Drive

Only in Microsoft Teams

  • Chat & channels
  • File collaboration
  • Office integration
  • Live events
  • Phone system
  • Apps & workflows
  • Office 365
  • SharePoint

Both cover

  • Video conferencing
  • Screen sharing
  • Outlook
  • SOC2

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 Microsoft Teams
  • Large enterprises (500+ participants) requiring live streaming and attendance trackingnot Microsoft Teams
  • Hybrid work environments needing integrated Gmail, Drive, and collaboration toolsnot Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams

  • Remote meetingsnot Google Meet
  • Team collaborationnot Google Meet
  • Document sharingnot Google Meet
  • Project managementnot Google Meet
  • Webinarsnot 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

Microsoft Teams

  • Resource-heavy application; slow to load and consumes significant CPU/memory compared to alternatives
  • Limited channel structure; maximum of 200 public and 30 private channels per team
  • Cannot invite guest users to specific channels; guest access grants full team visibility
  • Unable to chat during screen sharing; limits real-time collaborative communication
  • Limited customization options for branding and interface; cluttered UX compared to Slack
  • Channels cannot be moved between teams; requires manual replication for reorganization

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Meet

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Meet review.

Microsoft Teams

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited chat
    • 100 participants in meetings
    • 5GB file storage
  • Microsoft Teams Essentials$4/month
    • 300 participants in meetings
    • 10GB cloud storage
    • Phone & web support
  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic$6/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • 1TB OneDrive storage
    • Web & mobile Office apps
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard$12.5/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Desktop Office apps
    • Webinar hosting

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Meet if

  • You need recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want chat.
Google Meet review

Choose Microsoft Teams if

  • You need chat & channels.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want file collaboration.
Microsoft Teams review

Questions people ask

Is Google Meet or Microsoft Teams better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Meet starts at Free and Microsoft Teams at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams?
Google Meet starts at Free and Microsoft Teams at Free.
Does Google Meet or Microsoft Teams run on more platforms?
Google Meet runs on Web, Mobile. Microsoft Teams runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
Can I use Google Meet for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Microsoft Teams is typically brought in for.
What can Google Meet do that Microsoft Teams cannot?
Google Meet covers Recording, Chat, Real-time captions, Hand raise. Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, File collaboration, Office integration, Live events. Both handle Video conferencing, Screen sharing, Outlook, SOC2.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Microsoft Teams: Does Microsoft Teams have a free tier?

Yes. Microsoft Teams offers a free Home tier with unlimited chat, 60-minute group meetings for up to 100 people, 5GB cloud storage, and basic file sharing, though limits are restrictive for growing teams.

Source
Microsoft Teams: What are Microsoft Teams' paid plans?

Microsoft Teams Essentials costs $4/user/month (chat, calling, meetings, 10GB storage). Microsoft 365 Business Basic costs $7/user/month (includes desktop Office apps, 1TB storage). Premium plans with Copilot start at $23.50/user/month.

Source
Microsoft Teams: What are Microsoft Teams' primary features?

Teams provides real-time chat, video and voice calling, meetings with up to 300 participants, file sharing and storage integration with OneDrive, recording and transcripts, and deep integration with Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Microsoft Teams: What integrations does Teams support?

Microsoft Teams integrates with calendar apps (Outlook, Google Calendar), project management tools (Trello), and works with Zapier for custom workflow automation. Teams also has native connectors to many Microsoft 365 apps and third-party services.

ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Google Meet

More on Microsoft Teams

Keep looking

Other head to heads