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Google Hangouts and Google Meet are video chat tools made by Google, but they are designed for different groups of people and have different features. Google Hangouts is a messaging and video chat platform that lets users share and receive messages, make voice and video calls, and host group chats. It’s meant to be used for fun and personal things, and anyone with a Google account can use it. You can use the Google Hangouts app on your phone or the Google Chrome plugin on your computer to get to Hangouts.
Google Meet, on the other hand, is a more business-oriented and professional video calling tool made for remote meetings, webinars, and other ways to work together. It lets you share your screen, record it, add comments in real time, and connect it to other Google Workspace apps. Meet is open to people who pay for Google Workspace. They can use the Google Meet app on their phones or the web on their computers to get to Meet.
Google Hangouts vs Google Meet Comparison Table
| Specification | Google Hangouts | Google Meet |
|---|---|---|
| Max participants | Up to 150 | Up to 250 |
| Meeting duration | No limit | Up to 24 hours |
| Screen sharing | Yes | Yes |
| Recording | No | Yes |
| Integration with other Google apps | Limited | Extensive |
What is Google Hangouts ?
Google Hangouts is a way to send messages and talk over video. It was made by Google. It lets people share and receive messages, make voice and video calls, and host group chats. Hangouts is mostly for personal and relaxed use. You can use the Google Hangouts app on your phone or the Google Chrome extension on your computer to access Hangouts. It has things like emojis, stickers, and the ability to share files and pictures. Hangouts is free, and anyone with a Google account can use it. But Google has said that it will move users from Hangouts to Google Chat, which is a more business-focused chat service.
What is Google Meet ?
Google Meet is a tool for video calling that Google made for online meetings, webinars, and other ways to work together. It lets you share your screen, record it, add comments in real time, and connect it to other Google Workspace apps. Meet is mostly for business and professional use and is open to people who subscribe to Google Workspace. On mobile devices, you can use the Google Meet app to get to it, and on computers, you can use the web. Meet lets users host and join meetings with up to 250 people, and it also lets them make video calls that are safe and encrypted. It also has features like the ability to join meetings with just one click and to schedule meetings straight from Google Calendar. You can download this app from its official website
Which is better ?
Google Hangouts and Google Meet are great tools, but they each do something different. Google Hangouts is mostly for relaxed and personal use, while Google Meet is for business and professional use. Google Meet is the better choice if you need to host online meetings, webinars, or work with coworkers. It lets you share your screen, record it, and connect it to other Google Workspace apps.
But if you just want to talk or chat with friends and family informally, Google Hangouts might be a better choice. It’s a lighter tool that can be used for things like texting, voice and video calls, and group chats.
Google Hangouts: The good and The bad
The Good
- Free to use
- Easy to use
The Bad
- May not be suitable for business use
Google Meet: The good and The bad
The Good
- Designed for professional and business use
- Integration with other Google Workspace apps
The Bad
- May have a steeper learning curve for some users
FAQS
Meet has tools that you can’t find in Hangouts, like real-time captions and support for up to 250 people and 100,000 people watching a live stream. Hangouts only lets up to 25 people join a video call at once.
Google Hangouts, one of the biggest names in web chat, has been shut down. Google Chat has taken its place, and it does the same things. As of November 1, 2022, users who click on a Hangouts link will be sent to the Google Chat site instead.