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With the rise in the demand for remote work, the significance of the applications supporting functionalities like video conferencing, real time chats, team collaboration, etc., is also increasing. Two software that are known as leaders in this area, closely competing with each other, are Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace have designed these platforms to allow organizations conduct smooth communication within the teams. These platforms support HD video calls, sending and receiving messages, and sharing files and documents. Google Workspace have the component called ‘Google Meet’ and Microsoft has ‘Microsoft Teams.’
Google Meet is a video conferencing tool that embeds chat in it. At the same time, Microsoft Teams put more focus on business conversations and team collaboration. In this article, we will see a detailed Microsoft Teams Vs Google Meet comparison explained by the unique features offered by these two applications and check how both tools benefit a business.
What is Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams is a communication platform that comes with Microsoft 365 subscription plans. It has replaced other business messaging services of Microsoft, like Skype for Business and Classroom. It majorly focuses on providing a suite of collaborative apps, such as chat, video conferencing, project management, integration with Microsoft and third-party apps, etc.
Features of Microsoft Teams
The collaborative platform Teams integrates several features offering various functions. The various modules of the applications are:
- Chats: The chats are designed as threaded conversations. The user can send text messages, add emojis, and mark the message as either urgent or essential. The vital message will be displayed in red color with an exclamation mark. The critical message will send constant notifications until the receiver sees the message. The user can conduct a group chat with multiple members and share files and documents in-between chats.
- Calling: Several methods in the Teams app use calling. There is instant messaging, Voice Over IP, and video conferencing. The Teams users can call phone numbers from the application through a public switched telephone network (PSTN).
- Meeting: A user can schedule meetings and add other team members at the supposed time. The receiver will get a link and can join at the scheduled time. Teams also provide an MS Outlook plugin so that the receiver receives a link through Outlook email. Thousands of users can be added to Meeting through a link.
- Channels: Channels are topics of discussion that a user can set to avoid chatting through email or group messages. The receiver can respond to the discussion topic through text, GIFs, images, and even memes.
- Education: Office 365 for Education benefits teachers as they can assign assignments to users, distribute them, and then grade them. There is an assignments tab to complete such tasks, and the teacher can conduct quizzes through Office Forms.
- Security: When we talk about enterprise communication, security is the major concern of businesses. Calls executed through Teams are two-way encrypted. It is integrated with compliance standards, anti-malware, and advanced threat protection. Administrators have the right to manage the permissions and adjust the security policies.
What is Google Meet?
Google Meet is a video-communication service that incorporates the better services of its predecessor, like Hangout Chats or Google Chat. Google considers it as an enterprise-friendly version of Hangouts. During a video conference, there can be participants up to 30 members.
Features of Google Meet
- Video conferencing with high resolution: The video conference will have much higher clarity than other apps. It can go up to 720p during video calls.
- Call encryption: The voice/audio call will be encrypted to avoid any data loss.
- Join meeting with multiple methods: A receiver can join the Meeting through a web browser link or Android and iOS apps.
- Integration with Google Apps: Google Meet can integrate with other Google-based applications like Google Calendar and Contacts for better meeting scheduling.
- Screen-sharing during meetings: During an ongoing meeting, the host can share documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and other tabs.
- Total control over video/audio calls: The host has complete control over the call, and they can add or remove members in a call.
- Security: Google Meet also provides high-end security to the data stored within the Google Workspace. All the calls placed through Google Meet are encrypted from the sender’s end. Just like Teams, administrators can define or manage policies as required.
The above-discussed points cover the prominent features of both Microsoft Teams and Google Meet extensively. Both platforms are robust and reliable for office purposes. Also, the integration of artificial intelligence has given a feature boost to the applications. With the power of AI, users can perform several tasks like taking notes, real-time translations and captions, suggestions in document & email writing, and many more.
Conclusion
Microsoft Teams and Google Meet are both prevalent and successful platforms. They are useful for organizations and businesses of all sizes. Both these platforms have more than 100 million active daily users and are used for quick file sharing. To make your choice from Microsoft Teams Vs Google Meet, for your organization, consider the above-mentioned points and your requirements. However, to migrate data between Teams and Google chat, employ Kernel Migration for SharePoint solution. This tool also allows to migrate 1:1 chat in Teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
A. Yes, both Google Meet and Microsoft Teams have their mobile applications that you can download for Android as well as iOS devices. It simplifies your access to these apps from anywhere and anytime as required.
A. Google Meet showcases a simple and easy-to-use interface, which is why it is suitable for users who are new and require a feature like quick online meetings. However, Microsoft Teams is known for the advanced features it supports, but the only limitation is its learning curve. Users may often need a bit more time to learn navigating through Microsoft Teams.
