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Webinar & Virtual Events · head to head

Google Meet vs Podia

Google Meet logo

Google Meet

Webinar & Virtual Events

Get on a video call in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Podia logo

Podia

Learning Management

Sell online courses, memberships, and digital downloads

From
$42/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; Podia mover tier charges 5% transaction fees on all sales; higher tiers offer fee-free processing
  • They diverge on capability: Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Podia covers Course hosting.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Meet and Podia differ
AttributeGoogle MeetPodia
Starting priceFree$42/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb
CategoryWebinar & Virtual EventsLearning Management
Founded19982014

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
  • Google Calendar

Only in Podia

  • Course hosting
  • Digital downloads
  • Memberships
  • Email marketing
  • Webinars
  • Community
  • Affiliate marketing
  • Custom website

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

Podia

  • Content creators selling digital courses with email marketing integrationnot Google Meet
  • Coaching businesses managing memberships and community spacesnot Google Meet
  • Newsletter publishers monetising subscriber base with events and digital productsnot 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

Podia

  • Mover tier charges 5% transaction fees on all sales; higher tiers offer fee-free processing
  • Mover plan capped at 50 products maximum; Shaker at 150 products; only Earthquaker offers unlimited
  • Video storage limited by plan: 500 videos (Mover), 1,000 (Shaker), unlimited (Earthquaker)
  • Email subscriber limits tiered: 100 (Mover), 500 (Shaker), 1,000 (Earthquaker); overage model not stated
  • Annual billing required for all plans with 72-hour refund window; partial refunds excluded

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Meet

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Meet review.

Podia

$42/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Podia 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 Podia if

  • You need course hosting.
  • You also want digital downloads.
Podia review

Questions people ask

Is Google Meet or Podia better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Meet starts at Free and Podia at $42/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Meet or Podia?
Google Meet has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Meet and $42/month for Podia.
Does Google Meet or Podia run on more platforms?
Google Meet runs on Web, Mobile. Podia runs on Web.
Can I use Google Meet for free?
Yes. Google Meet has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Podia starts at $42/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 Podia is typically brought in for.
What can Google Meet do that Podia cannot?
Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Screen sharing, Recording, Chat. Podia covers Course hosting, Digital downloads, Memberships, Email marketing. Both handle Web support.
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Related pages

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