Key Points
- Google Meet and Zoom are both video conferencing apps.
- Both services have a wide array of overlapping similarities, including the ability to hold quick meetings.
- One program is not better than the other; it comes down to personal preference.
The COVID-19 pandemic put a new emphasis on a variety of programs designed to simulate face-to-face meetings and serve as digital classrooms, boardrooms, and more. During this time period, multiple programs rose to the top of the digital food chain.
Two such examples are Google Meet and Zoom. These two programs have seen their popularity soar, and both have been used extensively since the start of the COVID-19. However, as similar as both programs are, each has their own various features.
Zoom and Google Meet both increased in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as workers took to the screen to conduct meetings, interviews and more.
©fizkes/Shutterstock.com
Video Conferencing Platforms in the Age of Covid
The Covid-19 pandemic caused many companies to scramble to find solutions that would allow an all-remote workforce to communicate efficiently. Part of the solution entailed conducting scheduled and impromptu meetings with individuals, teams, and clients. They needed conferencing tools such as the ability to record meetings, meeting transcripts, whiteboards, and, of course, security. Certain video conferencing platforms, including Google Meet and Zoom, met all of those requirements and more.
Meanwhile, individuals who were isolated by the lockdown were desperate for connection. Video conferencing platforms gave them the ability to meet with friends and family from the safety of their homes. People discovered that they could continue to do the things they loved, such as participating in book clubs and other special interest groups — and even happy hour —thanks to video conferencing platforms. And towards the end of lockdown, many people expressed that they had “Zoom burnout” and couldn’t face another Zoom meeting.
Google Meet vs. Zoom: Side-By-Side Comparison
| Google Meet | Zoom | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Videoconferencing | Videoconferencing |
| Primary use | Videoconferencing software and app | Videoconferencing software and app |
| Name | Google Meet (formerly Hangouts Meet) | Zoom Meetings |
| Conceived | 2010s | 2000s |
| Initial release | 2017 | 2011 |
| Technical committee | n/a | n/a |
| Influential developers | ||
| Open format | No | No |
| Technologies influenced | Other videoconferencing software | Other videoconferencing software, including Google Meet |
Google Meet vs. Zoom: 6 Must-Know Facts
- Both services have a wide array of overlapping similarities, including the ability to hold quick meetings with family and friends, apps that can be used on smartphones, free options, and more.
- Both services can also be used for larger conferences, although Google Meet has a 250 person limit, while Zoom can be used for up to 1,000.
- Both services were popular leading into March 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic saw a massive explosion in both of their uses.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, both services billed themselves as being friendly for students, with students as young as kindergarten using the program as part of their school. Many students spent multiple years on Zoom or Google Meet.
- Security became a major concern for both networks during COVID-19, with words like “Zoom-bombing” entering the common vernacular as a result of both services suffering from unwanted disruptions to their networks. As a result of these constant problems, security upgrades were required on both services.
- Some companies profited massively from COVID-19, and Zoom was unquestionably one of them. Its stock soared from $67.28 at the start of 2020 to $559 at its height. However, as COVID has faded, its stock has also declined, leading to a current price of $206.64.
Google Meet vs. Zoom: Summary
Google Meet is Google’s proprietary software that allows users to hold video conferencing, audio conferencing, and text. It comes with an array of features, including HD options, muting, background changes, massive presentations, recording, and more. Many of these options are free and are available to anyone with a Google account. Furthermore, since Google Hangout is a Google product, it integrates easily with any Google feature, including calendars, emails, and more.
©iStock.com/Prykhodov
Zoom is another video and audio conferencing software. Zoom has all of the same features as Google, but it also has the ability to work with over 200 additional external applications, allowing users to add and remove features. It has a large audience limit, which makes it better for virtual conferences and presentations, something that was desperately needed during COVID.
Google Meet vs. Zoom: Which is Better?
This is an instance where there isn’t necessarily a “better”
program, but rather a matter of personal preference and what works better for
your personal tastes or business needs. Both services have family-friendly
options, free calls, the ability to screen share, virtual backgrounds, raise
hands, record meetings, and more. Both programs also have paid options, robust
security, the ability to conduct polls, and more.
The paid options on both plans are highly robust and include longer meeting times, breakout rooms, and larger audiences. Zoom does allow for much larger audiences than Google Meet, allowing for 1,000 people, as opposed to the 250 Google Meet limit. Both also offer extensive integration with other apps, although Zoom integrates well with many programs, while Google’s integration options are largely limited to Google’s own (but highly robust) platforms.
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The image featured at the top of this post is ©fizkes/Shutterstock.com.
