In 2019 when the pandemic was at its peak, people were looking for video conferencing software everywhere. People had to stay within their homes and keep their organizations running. Many video conferencing software options were available at that time. However, one software that outperformed them all was Google Meet.
In April 2020, there were 100 million users accessing Google Meet in a single day. Google Meet works perfectly on all operating systems, such as iOS, Android, and Linux. However, it may not provide you with all the experiences that you could have with other options. I will discuss some top alternatives to help you choose one.
What is google Meet?
Google Meet, also known as Google Hangouts Meet, was first released by Google in 2017. It is software that solved communication through video problems. Nowadays, people can communicate and work together, conduct meetings, and join meetings from anywhere, anytime.
A person who uses Google Meet can share their screen with many people at the same time. Anyone can unmute their audio and say something if they want to. This has made online meetings very engaging. Let’s see the benefits and drawbacks of Google Meet.
| Benefits | Drawbacks |
| Multiple ways of Audio and video call with a resolution of 720p | A maximum of 100 people can join the meeting |
| There is a chat system too | Screen sharing is restricted to only 1 person |
| Encryption of calls between all users | Sometimes a blank presentation problem occurs |
| A noise cancellation filter is added for licensed users | No waiting room for participants |
| Share screens, poles, voting, and personal meetings within the meeting | No inbuilt whiteboard |
| A recording option is also available if anyone wants to record | The meeting limited to 1 hour on the free version |
| Share documents while conducting a meeting | Interoperability services are disrupted to join |
| You can join from iOS, android or windows or web browser | Users from outside the domain are not allowed |
Google Meet Pricing And Features
Google meet offers various pricing fees depending on people’s preferences. Let’s look at their pricing.
| Free | Starter | Standard | Plus | Enterprise | |
| Price | $0/monthly | $6/monthly | $12/Monthly | $18/Monthly | On request |
| Licenses | 1 | 300 | 300 | 300 | unlimited |
| Participant | 100 | 100 | 150 | 500 + attendance tracking, recording | 500 + recording, attendance tracking, noise cancellation, in-domain live streaming |
| Storage | N/A | 30 GB | 2TB | 5TB | unlimited |
| Time limit | 60 minutes | 24 hours | 24 hours | 24 hours | 24 hours |
| Features | Custom & secure business email, Security controls & management | All free features Standard support(paid upgraded to enhanced support) | All starter features Enhanced security & management Custom & secure business email | All standard features Standard support(paid upgraded to enhanced support) | All Plus plan features Security controls & management, vault, DLP, data regions, enterprise endpoint management |
Why do you need a Google meet alternative?
Even though Google Meet has many advantages, there are still some disadvantages that come with it. That is why users search for other options, and here is why alternatives might be needed.
- Drop in the Audio and video quality: Believe it or not, Google Meet can experience lag when there are a higher number of participants. At around 300-400 participants, the audio and video quality may start to decrease. It’s important to keep this in mind when planning large virtual events or meetings
- No recording option on the free plan: While Google Meet does offer recording options on its paid plan, this feature is not available on the free plan. The starting price for a Google Meet plan is $7.99, which may not be feasible for some users. Unfortunately, this means that individuals who are unable to pay for the plan are unable to access the meeting recording feature.
- Compatibility with other browsers: While [Google Meet performs excellently on Google’s own browser, it may require some improvements when used on other browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Safari, Firefox, and others
- No built-in transcription system: Google Meet does not include a built-in transcribing tool, but it is possible to record the meeting using an external app that offers transcribing functionality.
- Chat is unavailable after the meeting: After a Google Meet session ends, any content, notes, or messages are deleted immediately. This can result in the loss of important information and notes that were discussed during the meeting.
7 Best Google Meet Alternatives #2023
1. Zoom
There are several reasons why Zoom is one of the best Google Meet alternatives. Firstly, Zoom offers a wide variety of features that includes virtual backgrounds, edited appearances, and screen sharing with more flexibility.
Zoom has a wide range of pricing plans. They offer a variety of plans, and you can choose the one that suits your needs best.
Zoom Pricing And Features
| Plan | Basic | Pro | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | free | $149/yearly | $199/yearly |
| Participants | 100 | 100 | 300 |
| Features | Up to 40 minutes per meeting(unlimited) 3 editable whiteboards included(25 MB) Team chat available | All features from free plans 30 hours per meeting 5 GB cloud storage Automated captions Free premium app for 1 year | All features from pro plans Unlimited whiteboards Single sign-on managed domains |
2. Microsoft teams
Microsoft Teams is a video conferencing app that comes with Microsoft Office 365. It allows you to communicate, collaborate, and share files within a single platform. It is one of the most widely used Google Meet alternatives, mainly due to its collaboration with other Microsoft tools.
Organizations of all sizes primarily use it, from small businesses to large enterprises, as everyone can work with Teams.
Microsoft teams Pricing And Features
| Plans | Free | Essential |
| Pricing | N/A | $4/monthly |
| Features | The group called for 1 hour with 100 participants Unlimited chatting Collaboration with team members5GB cloud storage Data encryption for meetings, chats, and calls Customized background Noise suppressionJoin meetings without the account Maximum 2GB file attachments in chat Live English captions | All features from the free plan The group called for 30 hours with 100 participants Unlimited chatting 10GB cloud storage |
3. Skype
Skype is an application that lets you make audio and video calls over the internet. It is one of the oldest apps to be ever used, developed by a company named Skype Technologies, which is a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation.
You can use this platform for personal and business communication. Skype can be used as a Google Meet alternative for personal use.
Skype Pricing And Features
| Plan | Pricing | Details |
| World subscription | $13.99/Monthly | Unlimited calls UpTo 2000 minutes Mobile & landlines 63 countries excluding Europe, America |
| North America subscription | $6.99/Monthly | Unlimited calls UpTo 2000 minutes Mobile & landlines |
| United kingdom subscription | $6.99/Monthly | 400 minutes call-time Mobile & landlines |
| Europe subscription | $34.99/Monthly | 2000 minutes call-time Mobile & landlines25 countries |
4. Livestorm
While a multitude of video conferencing software available provides similar solutions to Google Meet, Livestorm’s free version stands out as a great alternative. With features such as screen sharing, virtual hand raising, and real-time Q&A, Livestorm offers a comprehensive set of tools for virtual communication and collaboration.
Livestorm is particularly popular among businesses, online educators, and event organizers who need to connect and engage with their audiences remotely. If you fall into any of these categories, Livestorm can be a great substitute for Google Meet.
Livestorm Pricing And Features
| Plan | Free | Pro | Business | Enterprise |
| Pricing | $0 | $88 to $410 monthly depending on the number of attendees | Contact sales | Contact sales |
| Active contacts recommended | 30 | 100 to 500 | 500 to 850 | 850+ |
| Features | UpTo 30 active contacts UpTo 20 minutes per session UpTo 30 live attendees Unlimited team members No credit card required No software required | 100 active contacts/monthly Up to 4 hours/session 100 live attendees Unlimited team members Standard support Credit card required Software required | Unlimited active contacts Info Up to 4 hours/session Up to 3,000 live attendees Info Unlimited team members Info VIP Support Info Flexible Extra active contacts Info | Unlimited active contacts Info Up to 12 hours per session Up to 3,000 live attendees Unlimited team members Enterprise onboarding & training Dedicated CSM Enterprise & custom integrations |
5. Cisco Webex
Cisco WebEx is a cloud-based video conferencing software that provides an excellent alternative to Google Meet. With WebEx, you can easily arrange video conferences, online meetings, and virtual events. In fact, WebEx offers additional features and capabilities that may position it as a strong competitor to Google Meet.
- Increased scalability: WebEx can support larger meetings with 1000 people
- Advanced collaboration features: WebEx offers task management and a virtual whiteboard which makes it more comprehensive for remote work
- Integration with other tools: WebEx can be integrated with slack, Microsoft teams, and Salesforce.
WebEx Pricing And Features
- Starter plan: This is the free plan that comes with essential functions. It has participant limitations of a maximum of 100 participants and a meeting duration Of 40 minutes. it offers recording, hand gestures, noise cancellation, screen sharing, virtual background, and an interactive whiteboard.
- Business plan: A business plan is a plan they recommend for businesses. It starts at $25/month and comes with all the basic plan features. An additional 24 hours of meetings length with UpTo 200 participant capacity.
- Enterprise: They did not disclose the price publicly, so you will have to contact their sales team for the price. However, it comes with all the features available on the business plan and a participant limit of 1000 people.
Related: 7 Best Google Pay Alternatives (Free and Paid)
6. Slack
Slack is an excellent alternative to Google Meet for virtual meetings. Not only does it offer video conferencing, but it also provides productivity tools that are specifically designed to enhance team collaboration and efficiency. This means that if you’re looking to boost your remote team’s productivity, Slack is an excellent choice.
With Slack, you’ll have access to a variety of features that will help you increase productivity and streamline communication. These include channels for specific projects or teams, direct messaging, virtual meetings, file sharing, and integrations with other tools and apps.
Let’s see why you should consider slack as a substitute for Google meetings.
- Slack provides a better platform for team communication.
- Slack integrates with productivity tools such as Trello, Google Drive, and Asana allowing teams to work better.
- Slack provides real-time messaging opportunities
- Slack has different channels for conversations, which makes it easier to track.
Slack Pricing And Features
Free: The free plan comes with access to the recent 90 days of history. It has integrations with 10 other apps. And with regular features, it has a file-sharing option too.
Pro: Pro plan comes with a $7.25/monthly. It is recommended for small teams who are looking for better collaboration. It has all the features from the free plan including video calls with 50 people and secure collaboration with outside organizations.
Business+: it is a plan, especially for businesses that want to scale, increase productivity and keep their teams connected. It’s $12.25/month and has all the features from the pro plan. It also offers an advanced identity management system and a 24/7 support system.
Enterprise: it is suitable for established businesses that want to meet the regular requirements and match with growth. Contact the sales team for pricing as they did not disclose it publicly. It has support for UpTo 500000 users, which is massive.
7. Zoho Meeting
Zoho meetings can be an option for you if you want an ecosystem of apps for your business. Let’s see why you should consider Zoho meetings as an alternative to Google Meet.
- Zoho meeting integrates very well with other Zoho products such as Zoho CRM, Zoho mail, etc.
- Zoho meeting allows you to customize your brand image in virtual meetings. It can be a good choice for organizations that want a virtual brand presence for their company.
- It provides detailed analytics and reports which helps to measure the effectiveness of virtual meetings.
Zoho meeting pricing
Free: The free plan of Zoho Meeting is available forever and allows you to host a meeting with up to 100 participants and 100 attendees. It includes all the regular features such as file sharing, screen sharing, and up to 60 minutes of meeting time.
Meeting: it has two options named standard & professional. The standard option has a limit Of 250 participants. It allows up to 2 co-hosts and meeting times of up to 24 hours. This option will cost $10/monthly
With the professional option, you get all the standard option features and a custom domain, multiple co-hosts, departments, etc. It costs $15/month.
Webinar: This is recommended if you conduct webinars on a regular basis. It has two options, standard & professional. The standard plan comes with $180 per month and the professional plan comes with $300 per month.
The standard option comes with all the free features & cloud recording storage for 25 webinars. It has user management, co-branding, support, etc. It supports up to 3000 participants at the same time.
The professional option comes with source tracking, email customization, custom domain, share materials, etc. It also allows anonymous questions.
Final Words
That’s it for my extensive research on the best alternatives to Google Meet. Of course, everyone has their own preferences, so it’s up to you to decide which option is the best fit for your needs.
After researching numerous alternatives, I’ve narrowed down the list to my top picks. However, the ultimate decision is yours to make. With so many options out there, I hope that my research can help you find the best alternative to Google Meet that works for you.
If you found this article helpful, please leave a comment to let me know. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to me
FAQs On Alternatives To Google Meet
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References On Alternatives To Google Meet
2. https://www.skype.com/en/
3. https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Meet
5. https://viraltalky.com/best-google-meet-alternatives/ 17 Useful Google Meet Alternatives [2023]
6. https://www.trustradius.com/products/google-meet/competitors – Google MeetCompetitors and Alternatives
7. https://youtu.be/7KWbb0yK-ao (Google Meet – A Good Zoom Alternative?)
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