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Webinar & Virtual Events · head to head

Google Meet vs Pear Deck

Google Meet logo

Google Meet

Webinar & Virtual Events

Get on a video call in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pear Deck logo

Pear Deck

Learning Management

Interactive presentations that engage every student

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; Pear Deck the Teacher Dashboard, draggable and drawing responses and Reflect and Review require Teacher Premium at $149 per year
  • They diverge on capability: Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Pear Deck covers Interactive slides.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Meet and Pear Deck actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Meet and Pear Deck differ
AttributeGoogle MeetPear Deck
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, Chrome Extension
CategoryWebinar & Virtual EventsLearning Management
Founded19982014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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

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

Only in Pear Deck

  • Interactive slides
  • Real-time responses
  • Formative assessment
  • Student-paced mode
  • Dashboard
  • Audio responses
  • Drawing
  • Vocabulary

Both cover

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

Pear Deck

  • Turning slide decks into interactive lessons with student responsesnot Google Meet
  • Running formative checks for understanding during classnot Google Meet
  • Student paced review activities and assessmentsnot 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

Pear Deck

  • The Teacher Dashboard, draggable and drawing responses and Reflect and Review require Teacher Premium at $149 per year
  • Pear Assessment Premium is a separate $125 per year purchase from Pear Deck Premium
  • Standards aligned content, district library and efficacy reports are only in the Schools and Districts plan
  • SIS and LMS integration is only in the Schools and Districts plan
  • School and district pricing is by quote with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Meet

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Meet review.

Pear Deck

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5 question types
    • Real-time responses
    • Student-paced mode
  • Premium$149.99/month
    • All question types
    • Audio responses
    • Flashcard factory
  • School/District$undefined/month
    • All Premium
    • Admin dashboard
    • Rostering

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 Pear Deck if

  • You need interactive slides.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome Extension.
  • You also want real-time responses.
Pear Deck review

Questions people ask

Is Google Meet or Pear Deck better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Meet starts at Free and Pear Deck at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Meet or Pear Deck?
Google Meet starts at Free and Pear Deck at Free.
Does Google Meet or Pear Deck run on more platforms?
Google Meet runs on Web, Mobile. Pear Deck runs on Web, Chrome Extension.
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 Pear Deck is typically brought in for.
What can Google Meet do that Pear Deck cannot?
Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Screen sharing, Recording, Chat. Pear Deck covers Interactive slides, Real-time responses, Formative assessment, Student-paced mode. Both handle Web support.
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Related pages

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