Google meet is a web conferencing tool provided by Google, and can be used for free if you have a Google account. Recently, with the effects of the new coronavirus still lingering, opportunities for remote meetings have increased, and this is one of the services that is being used by a large number of people.
Therefore, in this article, we will explain the overview and features of Google Meet, as well as compare it with Zoom, which, like Google Meet, is a representative web conferencing tool. We will also introduce how to use Google Meet and Zoom, so please refer to it if you are having trouble choosing a web conferencing tool.
What is Google meet?
Google meet (formerly known as Hangouts Meet) is a web conferencing tool provided by Google that allows you to start a meeting on a web browser. Even the PC version is used by many users because it is easy to use, as there is no need to download a special app like Zoom.
The predecessor of Google meet is Google Hangouts
Google Meet was originally released as a service called “Google Hangouts”. At that time, Google Hangouts was not available to users for free, but was part of the “G Suite” service, a solution provided by Google for businesses. In other words, basically only corporate users could use Google Hangouts.
However, due to the spread of the new coronavirus in 2020, the name was changed to Google Meet and it is now open to all users for free. Also, while Google Hangouts requires a Google account for all users participating in a meeting, Google Meet only requires a Google account for the organizer.
Therefore, with the evolution from Google Hangouts to Google Meet, it can be said that more users are now able to conduct web conferences on a daily basis.
Features of Google meet
Up to this point, we have provided an overview of Google Meet. From here, we will introduce the features of Google Meet divided into four parts.
- Excellent security features
- Can be linked with Google services
- Can be launched on a browser
- Install the dedicated app when using on a smartphone
Let’s look at each in turn.
Excellent security features
Google Meet has excellent security features. As mentioned above, Google Meet is a service that was originally used as part of G Suite. G Suite is a service that allows internal communication and document creation to be done online, so it has excellent functions to prevent illegal inflows from outside.
Therefore, if you are working remotely and have something you want to share only with people within your company, we recommend using Google meet.
Can be linked with Google services
Google meet is part of Google services. For example, services that can be linked include Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slidesheets. In addition, if you specify a group in Google Calendar and write a schedule for an upcoming meeting, all participating members will receive a participation notification.
In this way, it can be easily linked with various Google services, so it can be said that it is a web conferencing tool that takes advantage of Google’s comprehensive strengths.
Can be launched on a browser
As explained in this article, Google meet can be launched on your browser. Unlike other web conferencing tools such as Zoom, there is no need to install a dedicated app, so the hurdles to participating in a web conference are extremely low. Regardless of whether you have a Google account or not, you can join immediately by clicking the “Start meeting button” from the Google Meet URL.
Install the dedicated app when using on a smartphone
As mentioned above, Google Meet requires only the meeting organizer to have a Google account. However, for users participating from a smartphone, in addition to a Google account, you will need to install the dedicated Google Meet app. It’s free to use, so if you’re considering participating from your smartphone in the future, just remember to install the app in advance.
Comparison of Google meet and Zoom
So far, we have explained the features of Google Meet. From here, we will explain Google meet and Zoom by dividing them into five sections.
- Security features
- Whiteboard function
- Recording function
- Number of simultaneous connections
- breakout session
Let’s look at each in turn.
Security features
Regarding security features, since G Suite is a service released for internal use, it can be said to be highly secure as it can prevent unauthorized user intrusion from outside and information leakage.
On the other hand, Zoom has been found to have several serious security holes in the past. Although things seem to be improving now, care must be taken when handling confidential matters.
Whiteboard function
The whiteboard function is a function that allows you to write text and illustrations on the whiteboard. Use this when having a meeting to discuss content that is difficult to convey through chat or text, or when you want to explain using illustrations. Google meet does not have a whiteboard feature.
The whiteboard feature is only available in Zoom, so in the above case, it would be a good idea to use Zoom.
Recording function
Google meet and Zoom both have recording capabilities. However, in the case of Google Meet, you need to subscribe to a paid G Suite plan, so running costs are required. On the other hand, Zoom allows you to record even with a free account. Based on these points, we recommend using Google Meet for business negotiations that involve confidential matters or important meetings, and Zoom for recording in other cases.
Number of simultaneous connections
If you are using the free plan for both Google Meet and Zoom, the maximum number of people who can connect at the same time is 100 people. However, while Google meet has a maximum connection time of 60 minutes when multiple people participate, Zoom is slightly shorter at 40 minutes.
Also, even if you sign up for a paid plan, Google Meet has a maximum connection time of 24 hours, whereas Zoom’s top plan has unlimited connection time. Therefore, consider how many people will be connecting at the same time and for how long the connection will be used when choosing between the two.
breakout session
Breakout sessions are a feature that allows you to create several groups for a web conference with multiple participants and assign participants to those groups. This is a useful feature when you want to promote two-way communication, such as during new employee training or webinars.
The breakout session mentioned above is a feature only available on Zoom. Therefore, if you would like to interact with other participants, why not try using Zoom?
Which should I use: Google meet or Zoom?
So far, we have explained the differences between Google meet and Zoom, but some people may still have questions about which one they should use. In such cases, we basically recommend using the following methods depending on the case.
- If you want to easily hold a meeting with a small number of people, use Google meet.
-
Zoom
for webinars
and large meetings
First of all, we recommend using Google Meet for internal meetings and one-on-one communication with clients. Additionally, Google Meet has excellent security features, so the risk of confidential company information or client information being leaked is extremely low.
On the other hand, if more than 100 people will be participating or if you are holding a webinar, etc., Zoom is recommended. Zoom also has whiteboard and breakout session features, allowing for smooth two-way communication between participants.
summary
In this article, we explained the overview and basic information of Google Meet, and the differences from Zoom. Google meet is a free web conferencing tool provided by Google, and only the organizer needs to have a Google account, so we recommend using it when you want to hold a simple web conference.
If you currently have a Google account, why not try using Google Meet first?