Google Hangouts Reviews
Learn more about Google Hangouts for your small business. Includes customer reviews, pricing information, and frequently asked questions.
Updated on October 30th, 2023
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Google Hangouts is a Google collaboration tool and conferencing service that enables users to host video or audio meetings, send chat messages, and more. Google Hangouts works in sync with all of Google's other web-based tools.
Updates:
Updated 23rd of April 2020
Added in-depth review of Google Hangouts and compared it to FreeConferenceCall, GoToMeeting, and Zoom Meetings.
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Pros and Cons:
Pros
- Unlimited meetings.
- Integrates with G Suite.
- No meeting time limit.
- Completely free conferencing service.
Cons
- Not ideal for growing businesses.
- Mobile app needs improvement.
- Lacks robust collaboration features.
Review:
Google Hangouts is a reliable and totally free online meeting tool that is easy to use. Ideal for small businesses, the easily accessible conferencing service allows you to make calls from your Android, iOS, or desktop, send instant messages, and connect to almost any phone number in the U.S. and Canada for free.
Highlights:
- Host free meetings with up to 250 participants, depending on the G Suite plan you choose.
- Users can make unlimited calls.
- Integrates with Google Calendar.
- Offers a mobile app for employees on the go.
- No meeting time limit.
Shortcomings:
Compared to competitors like GoToMeeting or Zoom Meetings, Google Hangouts lacks many collaboration tools needed for remote teamwork. These include whiteboarding and note-taking, presence detection, and breakout rooms. Lastly, Google Hangouts is not suited for a growing business, only offering one free plan with no room for flexibility.
Reputation:
Google Hangouts received over 8,000 customer reviews on Capterra, with an average of 4.5 stars. Reviews were mainly positive, praising Hangouts' unlimited features and call quality. However, many customers noted that the calls tend to freeze and the platform lacks advanced features typically offered by other competitors, including presentation and note-taking.
Pricing:
Google Hangouts is a free platform that can be accessed using your Gmail account.
Google Hangouts vs. GoToMeeting:
Compared to GoToMeeting, Google Hangouts falls short on several features, including note-taking and unlimited meeting times. Google Hangouts only offers basic features like video calling, messaging, and auto-screen focusing. However, Google Hangouts is completely free, whereas GoToMeeting's pricing starts at $14.00 per month.
Google Hangouts vs. GoToMeeting Comparison:
Offer | Google Hangouts | GoToMeeting |
|---|---|---|
Starting Price | Free. | $14.00 /mo. |
Meeting Time Limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Number of Participants | Up to 250 participants | Up to 250 participants |
Number of Meetings | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Auto Screen Focus | Yes | No |
Breakout Rooms | No | Yes |
Whiteboarding | No | Yes |
Google Hangouts vs. Zoom Meetings:
Google Hangouts and Zoom Meetings are both widely popular conferencing services but the two platforms differ when it comes to features and pricing. Google Hangouts is completely free and lets users make conferencing calls from anywhere, while Zoom provides both free and paid plans with advanced features like waiting rooms and scheduled meetings.
Google Hangouts vs. Zoom Meetings Comparison:
Offer | Google Hangouts | Zoom Meetings Basic |
|---|---|---|
Starting Price | Free. | Free. |
Meeting Time Limit | Unlimited | 40 Minutes |
Number of Participants | Up to 250 participants | Up to 100 participants |
Number of Meetings | Unlimited | Unlimited 1 to 1 meetings |
Breakout Rooms | No | Yes |
Business Chat | Yes | Yes |
Call Controls | Yes | Yes |
Google Hangouts vs. FreeConferenceCall:
Google Hangouts and FreeConferenceCall are free audio and video conferencing platforms that offer similar features. These include screen sharing, instant messaging, and intelligent call controls. However, FreeConferenceCall does provide more sought-after collaboration features like drawing tools, studio presentation, and call recording.
Google Hangouts vs. FreeConferenceCall Comparison:
Offer | Google Hangouts | FreeConferenceCall |
|---|---|---|
Starting Price | Free. | Free. |
Meeting Time Limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Number of Participants | Up to 250 participants | Up to 1,000 participants |
Number of Meetings | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Call Controls | Yes | Yes |
Business Messaging | Yes | Yes |
Custom Greeting | No | Yes |
Package Comparison:
Google Hangouts vs. FreeConferenceCall vs. Zoom Meetings Basic:
Both Gooogle Hangouts and FreeConferenceCall are free platforms, while Zoom Meetings offers a free Basic plan for solo entrepreneurs and personal meetings. All three competitors offer video and voice conferencing, instant messaging, and screen sharing.
While Google Hangouts and FreeConferenceCall are easily accessible and free, the two competitors offer very different features. Google Hangouts provides the basic tools businesses need to instantly connect with employees and team members, but FreeConferenceCall is more suited for businesses with remote teams that need to collaborate on projects. Unlike Google Hangouts, the FreeConferenceCall platform includes studio presentations, breakout rooms, and drawing tools.
Zoom's Basic plan may be tailored for small teams, but the platform is rich with collaboration tools not found in the Google Hangouts package. Users enjoy waiting and personal rooms, meeting IDs, host controls, and excellent security features. However, this plan is not ideal for growing businesses. Instead, users will eventually need to upgrade to the paid plans which could cost between $14.99 and $19.99 per month, per host.
Google Hangouts vs. FreeConferenceCall vs. Zoom Meetings Basic Comparison:
Offer | Google Hangouts | FreeConferenceCall | Zoom Meetings Basic |
|---|---|---|---|
Pricing | Free. | Free. | Free. |
Number of Participants | Up to 250 | Up to 1,000 | Up to 100 |
Number of Meetings | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited 1 to 1 meetings |
Meeting Times | Unlimited | Unlimited | 40 Minutes |
Scalable Plans | No | No | Yes |
Support | Online | Online, Phone, Email | Online, Phone, Email |
Integrations | G Suite | Slack, Evernote and Dropbox | Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, Microsoft (One Drive), Salesforce, Appointlet, and more.. |
Google Hangouts Features:
- Instant messaging.
- HD video and voice calls.
- HD group conferencing.
- Auto screen focus.
- Intelligent muting.
- Screen sharing.
- Custom call cntrol for admins.
Key Information:
Legal Name | Alphabet Inc. |
Founder | |
Founding Date | Sep 04, 1998 |
Address | 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043 United States |
Number of Employees | 118899 |
Number of Customers | 2000000000 |
Telephone | |
Website |
News & Activity:
Date | News or Activity |
|---|---|
April 10, 2019 | |
April 3, 2019 | Google Hangouts Spotted on G Suite Side Panel May Make its Way to Gmail |
FAQs:
How do I do a Google Hangout?
Go to Google Hangouts or open Hangouts in Gmail. If you have the Hangouts Chrome extension, Hangouts opens in a new window. Click "New conversation." Enter and select names or email addresses. Enter your message, and press "Enter."
Is Google Hangouts still supported?
Yes, but Google may shut down Hangouts in 2020.
Can you text from Google Hangouts?
Yes. You can text on Hangouts through Google Voice and Project Fi.
What is Google Hangouts used for?
Google Hangouts is a Google collaboration tool that enables users to host video or audio meetings, send chat messages, and more. It works in sync with all of Google's other web-based tools.
Is Google Hangouts free to use?
Yes. Google Hangouts is a free product.
Is Gmail Hangouts safe?
No. Images you share via Hangouts can be viewed by anyone.
Can I record a Google Hangout?
Yes. Go to wikihow.com and type 'How to record a Google Hangout' to view a tutorial.
Is there a Google Hangouts desktop app?
Yes. There is a Google Hangouts free app for desktops and mobile devices. With the Google Hangouts desktop app, you can make calls, send messages, and share files directly without going through your web browser. There is also a Google Chat app that you can use strictly for sending chat messages through hangouts and receiving notifications.
Are there any alternatives to Google Hangouts?
What is the difference between Google Hangouts and Skype?
While Google Hangouts may be more convenient for business use because of its integrations with other Google products, Skype for Business can host more callers in a conference call and has more advanced call notifications for both mobile and desktop use.
What is Google Hangouts for Business?
Business Hangouts is a Google Hangouts video chat app for enterprises. Business Hangouts has more advanced file-sharing abilities than the basic version of Google Hangouts, and it allows users to host webinars.
Can I call a phone number from Google Hangouts?
Yes. With the dialer, you can call any phone number via Google Hangouts. Most calls to numbers in the U.S. and Canada are free, but you may be charged per minute for international calls.