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Webinars · head to head

Google Meet vs Restream

Google Meet logo

Google Meet

Webinars

Get on a video call in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Restream logo

Restream

Webinars

Multistream to 30+ platforms

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; Restream the free plan applies Restream branding to the stream
  • They diverge on capability: Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Restream covers Multistreaming.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Meet and Restream differ
AttributeGoogle MeetRestream
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb
Founded19982015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Webinars).

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

Only in Restream

  • Multistreaming
  • Live studio
  • Chat aggregation
  • Analytics
  • YouTube
  • Twitch
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Both cover

  • Recording
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Google Meet

  • Video conferencing for remote teamsnot Restream
  • Educational virtual classroomsnot Restream
  • Large-scale webinars with up to 1,000 participantsnot Restream

Restream

  • Streaming one broadcast simultaneously to several platformsnot Google Meet
  • Running live shows with guests and recording the outputnot 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

Restream

  • The free plan applies Restream branding to the stream
  • Simultaneous destinations are rationed tightly, at 2 on free, 3 on Standard and 5 on Professional
  • Recording storage is 15 days on free and Standard, rising to 30 only on Professional
  • Reaching 8 destinations costs $199 a month on the Business plan
  • Resolution is not the differentiator, since every tier including free offers 4K, so the plans sell reach and retention instead

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Meet

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 100 participants
    • Up to 60 minutes per meeting
  • Google Workspace Starter$4.76/month
    • Up to 100 participants
    • 24-hour meeting duration
  • Google Workspace Standard$9.52/month
    • Up to 150 participants
    • 24-hour meeting duration
    • Recording capability
  • Google Workspace Plus$14.77/month
    • Up to 500 participants
    • 24-hour meeting duration
    • Attendance tracking

Restream

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Stream to 2 channels simultaneously
    • Includes Restream branding
  • Standard$19/month
    • Stream to 3 channels
    • No Restream branding
    • Guest channel support
  • Professional$49/month
    • Stream to 5 channels in Full HD 1080p
    • 4K recording capability
    • Dual format streaming (vertical and horizontal)
  • Business$239/month
    • Stream to 8 channels
    • Website player supporting 1,000 viewers
    • 2 included team seats with co-producer mode

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 Restream if

  • You need multistreaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want live studio.
Restream review

Questions people ask

Is Google Meet or Restream better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Meet starts at Free and Restream at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Meet or Restream?
Google Meet starts at Free and Restream at Free.
Does Google Meet or Restream run on more platforms?
Google Meet runs on Web, Mobile. Restream runs on Web.
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 video conferencing for remote teams, educational virtual classrooms, large-scale webinars with up to 1,000 participants. Of those, video conferencing for remote teams and educational virtual classrooms are not what Restream is typically brought in for.
What can Google Meet do that Restream cannot?
Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Screen sharing, Chat, Real-time captions. Restream covers Multistreaming, Live studio, Chat aggregation, Analytics. Both handle Recording, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Meet: What are the participant limits in Google Meet's free plan?

The free version of Google Meet allows up to 100 participants per meeting. One-on-one calls and mobile calls have unlimited duration, but group meetings are limited to 60 minutes.

Source
Restream: How much does Restream cost?

Restream offers a free tier at $0/month, plus paid plans at $19/month (Standard), $49/month (Professional), and $239/month (Business). Enterprise pricing is available for media and corporate teams.

Source
Google Meet: How long can meetings last on paid Google Workspace plans?

All paid Google Workspace plans (Starter, Standard, Plus, Enterprise) support up to 24-hour meeting durations, removing the 60-minute limit of the free tier.

Source
Restream: Do I get a discount for annual billing?

Yes, Restream offers a 20% discount for annual commitments versus monthly billing on all paid tiers.

Source
Google Meet: What participant limits apply to different Google Workspace tiers?

Starter tier supports 100 participants, Standard supports 150, Plus supports 500, and Enterprise tier supports up to 1,000 participants for in-domain live streaming.

Source
Restream: How much does it cost to add team members?

Additional team seats are available at $25/seat/month for most tiers on Restream.

Source
Restream: What is the difference between the tiers?

Free tier streams to 2 channels with Restream branding. Standard streams to 3 channels ($19). Professional supports 5 channels with 1080p and 4K ($49). Business supports 8 channels with website player for 1,000 viewers ($239).

Source
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