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Google Meet vs Thinkific

Google Meet logo

Google Meet

Software

Get on a video call in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thinkific logo

Thinkific

Software

Create and sell online courses your way

From
$36/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; Thinkific no free plan, 14-day trial only
  • They diverge on capability: Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Thinkific covers Course builder.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Meet and Thinkific differ
AttributeGoogle MeetThinkific
Starting priceFree$36/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
Founded19982012

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Mobile), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Thinkific

  • Course builder
  • Website builder
  • Quizzes
  • Certificates
  • Communities
  • Memberships
  • Marketing tools
  • Analytics

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

Thinkific

  • Course creationnot Google Meet
  • Membership sitesnot Google Meet
  • Coaching programsnot Google Meet
  • Corporate trainingnot 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

Thinkific

  • No free plan, 14-day trial only
  • Transaction fees on third-party payment processors (5% on Basic tier)
  • PayPal only available on Grow plan ($199/month), not on Basic or Start
  • Limited customization on lower-tier plans
  • Cannot embed courses in external domains or iframes
  • Limited number of spaces per plan
  • Less interactive community features compared to alternatives
  • Features continuously moved to higher-priced tiers
  • Payment processing delays reported (up to 90 days)

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Meet

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Meet review.

Thinkific

$36/month
  • Basic$36/month
    • 1 course
    • Up to 500 students
    • Thinkific Payments (0% fees)
  • Start$74/month
    • Up to 3 courses
    • Up to 2,000 students
    • Third-party payment (3% fees)
  • Grow$149/month
    • Unlimited courses
    • Unlimited students
    • Third-party payment (0% fees)

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 Thinkific if

  • You need course builder.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want website builder.
Thinkific review

Questions people ask

Is Google Meet or Thinkific better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Meet starts at Free and Thinkific at $36/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Meet or Thinkific?
Google Meet has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Meet and $36/month for Thinkific.
Does Google Meet or Thinkific run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Mobile, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Google Meet for free?
Yes. Google Meet has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Thinkific starts at $36/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 Thinkific is typically brought in for.
What can Google Meet do that Thinkific cannot?
Google Meet covers Video conferencing, Screen sharing, Recording, Chat. Thinkific covers Course builder, Website builder, Quizzes, Certificates. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Thinkific: Does Thinkific have a free plan?

No. Thinkific does not offer a free plan but provides a 14-day free trial. Paid plans start at $36/month (Basic tier).

Source
Thinkific: Are there transaction fees on Thinkific?

Thinkific charges no transaction fees when using their built-in Thinkific Payments. Third-party payment processors incur 5% fees (Basic) down to 0% (Plus), plus 3.6% for Stripe with subscriptions.

Source
Thinkific: What payment methods does Thinkific support?

PayPal is locked to Grow plan ($199/month). Basic and Start plans do not support PayPal, limiting payment options for international creators and potentially reducing conversions.

Source
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Related pages

More on Google Meet

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