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Software · head to head

Microsoft Teams vs Google Meet

Microsoft Teams logo

Microsoft Teams

Software

Meet, chat, call, and collaborate in just one place

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Meet logo

Google Meet

Software

Get on a video call in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Teams resource-heavy application; slow to load and consumes significant CPU/memory compared to alternatives; Google Meet google Meet only available as part of Google Workspace subscription; no standalone free option
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, Google Meet covers Recording.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Teams and Google Meet actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Teams and Google Meet differ
AttributeMicrosoft TeamsGoogle Meet
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWeb, Mobile
Founded19751998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Microsoft Teams

  • Chat & channels
  • File collaboration
  • Office integration
  • Live events
  • Phone system
  • Apps & workflows
  • Office 365
  • SharePoint

Only in Google Meet

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

Both cover

  • Video conferencing
  • Screen sharing
  • Outlook
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Teams

  • Remote meetingsnot Google Meet
  • Team collaborationnot Google Meet
  • Document sharingnot Google Meet
  • Project managementnot Google Meet
  • Webinarsnot Google Meet

Google Meet

  • Organisations already invested in Google Workspace ecosystemnot Microsoft Teams
  • Large enterprises (500+ participants) requiring live streaming and attendance trackingnot Microsoft Teams
  • Hybrid work environments needing integrated Gmail, Drive, and collaboration toolsnot Microsoft Teams

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Microsoft Teams

  • Resource-heavy application; slow to load and consumes significant CPU/memory compared to alternatives
  • Limited channel structure; maximum of 200 public and 30 private channels per team
  • Cannot invite guest users to specific channels; guest access grants full team visibility
  • Unable to chat during screen sharing; limits real-time collaborative communication
  • Limited customization options for branding and interface; cluttered UX compared to Slack
  • Channels cannot be moved between teams; requires manual replication for reorganization

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Teams

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited chat
    • 100 participants in meetings
    • 5GB file storage
  • Microsoft Teams Essentials$4/month
    • 300 participants in meetings
    • 10GB cloud storage
    • Phone & web support
  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic$6/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • 1TB OneDrive storage
    • Web & mobile Office apps
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard$12.5/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Desktop Office apps
    • Webinar hosting

Google Meet

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Meet review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Microsoft Teams if

  • You need chat & channels.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want file collaboration.
Microsoft Teams review

Choose Google Meet if

  • You need recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want chat.
Google Meet review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Teams or Google Meet better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Teams starts at Free and Google Meet at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet?
Microsoft Teams starts at Free and Google Meet at Free.
Does Microsoft Teams or Google Meet run on more platforms?
Microsoft Teams runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Google Meet runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Microsoft Teams for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Microsoft Teams best used for?
Microsoft Teams is most often used for remote meetings, team collaboration, document sharing, project management. Of those, remote meetings and team collaboration are not what Google Meet is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Teams do that Google Meet cannot?
Microsoft Teams covers Chat & channels, File collaboration, Office integration, Live events. Google Meet covers Recording, Chat, Real-time captions, Hand raise. Both handle Video conferencing, Screen sharing, Outlook, SOC2.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Microsoft Teams: Does Microsoft Teams have a free tier?

Yes. Microsoft Teams offers a free Home tier with unlimited chat, 60-minute group meetings for up to 100 people, 5GB cloud storage, and basic file sharing, though limits are restrictive for growing teams.

Source
Microsoft Teams: What are Microsoft Teams' paid plans?

Microsoft Teams Essentials costs $4/user/month (chat, calling, meetings, 10GB storage). Microsoft 365 Business Basic costs $7/user/month (includes desktop Office apps, 1TB storage). Premium plans with Copilot start at $23.50/user/month.

Source
Microsoft Teams: What are Microsoft Teams' primary features?

Teams provides real-time chat, video and voice calling, meetings with up to 300 participants, file sharing and storage integration with OneDrive, recording and transcripts, and deep integration with Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Microsoft Teams: What integrations does Teams support?

Microsoft Teams integrates with calendar apps (Outlook, Google Calendar), project management tools (Trello), and works with Zapier for custom workflow automation. Teams also has native connectors to many Microsoft 365 apps and third-party services.

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Related pages

More on Microsoft Teams

More on Google Meet

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