The utilization of online video conferencing programs is at an all-time high. The way we work has fundamentally changed over the past few years, and these types of software are at the center of that shift. 

Google Meet and Zoom are two services that have shot up in popularity due to this change, with both being at the top of their class regarding video conference capabilities. Both have existed for a long time, but now they are competing at an unprecedented level due to the importance of services like these. 

While video conferencing is simple on paper, many factors separate Google Meet and Zoom at the consumer level. Both programs approach video conferencing differently to appeal to their audiences in unique ways. 

What Do Google Meet and Zoom Do the Same Way?

Before discussing what the two services do differently, it is important to understand how similar Google Meet and Zoom are. 

Google Meet and Zoom both have free versions with the option for paid upgrades. This means that both programs are accessible to a wide audience, which is part of why both have become so popular in households around the country. Additionally, both services have mobile apps on iOS and Android, and both function smoothly on Mac and Windows. 

Both programs feature screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, chat capabilities, and a participant spotlight. People who just want to try out both services casually might not even notice most of the differences between them. 

However, the differences become more apparent when you start utilizing them at a higher level. 

Google Meet vs. Zoom: Pricing

Winner: Tie

Google Meet’s free plan can be upgraded to $6, $12, or $18 workspace plans. These paid plans include myriad other features, such as saved recordings, noise cancellation, dial-in capabilities, hand raising, breakout rooms, polls, attendance reports, live streaming, and 24/7 customer support. 

On the other hand, Zoom offers pro and business plans for $14.99 or $19.99, respectively. Depending on your plan, your subscription can net you over 100 licenses and allows you to increase your number of participants to up to 1,000. The time limit for these higher-tier plans is 30 hours. 

Google Meet vs. Zoom: Conference Tools

Winner: Zoom

Breakout rooms are a standout feature in Zoom, which allow users to split their group meetings into smaller segments without shutting down the original call. Users can then return to the large group and continue there, making it ideal for things like class projects. Google Meet has this feature as well, but only if you are willing to pay for a higher service tier. 

Zoom also gives users access to waiting rooms, which helps hosts run their conference rooms smoothly. Whiteboards are also a standard feature that you can use on Zoom. Both of these features do not exist on the base version of Google Meet. 

Considering Google Meet as a feature of Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite) increases its allure in terms of collaboration tools, if not strictly conference tools. Google workplace allows your team to access custom Google accounts for your business and share access to Google Apps like Gmail, Google Hangouts, Google Drive, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Google Calendar, in addition to Google Meet.

Google Meet vs. Zoom: Storage

Winner: Google Meet

Even free users of Google Meet have access to 15GB of cloud storage, while paid users get 30GB. Zoom users only get 1GB on the Pro and Business plans, while Zoom Enterprise users have unlimited cloud storage. 

Google Meet offers a lot more options when it comes to basic users. Zoom caters to the organizations that pay more, and only they get access to premium Cloud storage. 

Google Meet vs. Zoom: Capacity

Winner: Zoom

The biggest advantage of Zoom over Google Meet is the huge number of potential participants in online meetings. Google meet caps out at 250 people, while Zoom has the capacity for a whopping 1,000 participants. 

Most users do not have any use for that many participants and will be happy with between five and a hundred. However, if you are working with an organization that frequently needs to host large meetings, there is only one choice: Zoom is the way to go. 

Google Meet vs. Zoom: Security

Winner: Google Meet

Google Meet offers encryption in transit, making your data comparatively safe. Your info is also protected through two-step verification and advanced protection program enrollment. At higher tiers, you also get full customer support, including a security dashboard and data loss prevention services. 

Zoom has TLS encryption, and it does have a shaky history with security. Due to multiple breaches early in the pandemic, often called zoombombings, the team behind Zoom has worked hard to add increased security measures to the service. These include all-inclusive, end-to-end encryption and password protection for waiting rooms and attendees. 

Both of these services have solid security, but Google Meet has held up better against threats than Zoom. 

Google Meet vs. Zoom: Accessibility

Winner: Google Meet

Google Meet has tools related to automatic closed-captioning, which does not exist on the base version of Zoom. It also has built-in screen readers and magnifiers. Keyboard shortcuts let you control the camera and microphone in different ways, and there are spoken feedback options on Google Meet hardware. 

Zoom has fewer of these features, and some things like closed-captioning can only be accessed via a third party. It does offer multiple display settings and keyboard accessibility options. 

Winner: Google Meet

While Zoom does offer a much larger capacity and has more neat tools, Google Meet dominates in nearly every other important category, such as storage, security features, and accessibility. Since the options are comparable in price, Google Meet is the smarter choice for your team.

Because both the Google Meet and Zoom services use phone numbers, Burner is a service to keep in mind. Burner allows you to choose multiple phone numbers for your various needs — be it personal, work-related, family, dating, or whatever else. With Burner, you can use a specific number solely for your video conferencing service so that your personal life is not impacted by your work-related applications. 

Dialed is a tool from the creators of the Burner app. Dialed allows you to manage and categorize your contacts depending on your needs. Tools like mass texts and voicemail transcription make filtering the necessary from the unnecessary easier than ever.

 As expected from the creators of Burner, privacy is front and center with Dialed. Dialed uses a whitelisting system to keep out any dangerous scammers or robocalls from reaching your phone. You have complete control over who on your team can contact you and when, which is essential now with the advent of remote work and the privacy risks that come along with it.

Video conferencing services allow you to keep your team together no matter what is happening around you. From real-time video calls with your team to webinars, services like Google Meet and Zoom are the necessary tools to adapt to the modern workplace.  

Regardless of whether you prefer Google Meet or Zoom, you need to make sure the tools you use are letting you stay connected just as well as you would be in the office. 

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Sources:

Google Meet vs. Zoom | Forbes Advisor

Google Meet (formerly Hangouts Meet) Pricing | Google

Zoom Video Communications Plans & Pricing | Zoom

Google Meet Security & Privacy for users | Google

Zoom Encryption | Zoom

Google Meet accessibility | Google

Accessibility | Zoom