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Webinar & Virtual Events · head to head

Google Meet vs RingCentral Video

Google Meet logo

Google Meet

Webinar & Virtual Events

Get on a video call in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RingCentral Video logo

RingCentral Video

Communication & Collaboration

Connected cloud communications

From
$19.99/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; RingCentral Video unlimited calling is limited to the US and Canada markets; other international calls are charged per minute at the published international rates table
  • They diverge on capability: Google Meet covers Video conferencing, RingCentral Video covers HD video conferencing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Meet and RingCentral Video actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Meet and RingCentral Video differ
AttributeGoogle MeetRingCentral Video
Starting priceFree$19.99/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android
CategoryWebinar & Virtual EventsCommunication & Collaboration
Founded19981999

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

Only in RingCentral Video

  • HD video conferencing
  • Voice and video calling
  • Virtual backgrounds
  • Recording and transcription
  • Chat and messaging
  • Calendar integration
  • Meeting attendee controls
  • Microsoft 365

Both cover

  • Screen sharing
  • Slack
  • Outlook
  • End-to-end encryption
  • HIPAA compliant
  • 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 RingCentral Video
  • Large enterprises (500+ participants) requiring live streaming and attendance trackingnot RingCentral Video
  • Hybrid work environments needing integrated Gmail, Drive, and collaboration toolsnot RingCentral Video

RingCentral Video

  • Cloud business phone system with video meetings and team messagingnot Google Meet
  • Replacing on-premise PBX hardware for distributed teamsnot 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

RingCentral Video

  • Unlimited calling is limited to the US and Canada markets; other international calls are charged per minute at the published international rates table
  • The free trial is only for new subscribers and is capped at five users and two desktop phones, with SMS unavailable during the trial
  • Trial hardware must be returned within 21 days of trial cancellation to avoid hardware charges
  • Phone rental is available only with a multi-year contract
  • Automated, high volume or marketing SMS costs extra as RingCentral High Volume SMS, and TCR registration is required for SMS and MMS
  • A Mobile User extension is free to add but is billed at the same monthly rate as a Digital Line in any month it is used to make or receive a call
  • The Webinar 500 discount lasts one year on a one year commitment, after which pricing reverts to $75 per host per month or the then current retail price
  • Taxes and recovery fees including the Federal Universal Service Recovery Fee, E911 Service Fee and Compliance and Administrative Cost Recovery Fee are added on top
  • The advertised savings of up to 33% require paying annually

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Meet

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Meet review.

RingCentral Video

$19.99/month
  • Essentials$19.99/month
    • Video meetings
    • Phone service
    • Text messaging
  • Standard$27.99/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Advanced meeting controls
    • Call recording
  • Premium$34.99/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Advanced security features
    • Compliance recording
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • Custom deployment
    • Dedicated account manager

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 recording.
Google Meet review

Choose RingCentral Video if

  • You need hd video conferencing.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want voice and video calling.
RingCentral Video review

Questions people ask

Is Google Meet or RingCentral Video better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Meet starts at Free and RingCentral Video at $19.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Meet or RingCentral Video?
Google Meet has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Meet and $19.99/month for RingCentral Video.
Does Google Meet or RingCentral Video run on more platforms?
Google Meet runs on Web, Mobile. RingCentral Video runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
Can I use Google Meet for free?
Yes. Google Meet has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RingCentral Video starts at $19.99/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 RingCentral Video is typically brought in for.
What can Google Meet do that RingCentral Video cannot?
Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Recording, Chat, Real-time captions. RingCentral Video covers HD video conferencing, Voice and video calling, Virtual backgrounds, Recording and transcription. Both handle Screen sharing, Slack, Outlook, End-to-end encryption.
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Related pages

More on Google Meet

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