Picking a video conferencing tool usually comes down to how fast a guest can get in, and that is where Google Meet earns its place. It runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, Android, and iOS, with calls that open from a link in Gmail or Google Calendar. Two details shape the choice before you download it: the desktop version is a web app, and free group calls end at an hour.
Google Meet on Windows runs as a web app, not a heavy client
There is no traditional Windows program. Google Meet installs through Chrome or Edge as a progressive web app that opens in its own window and launches from the Start menu. Nothing separate needs patching, since it updates with the browser, and guests without the app can join from any tab. The catch: a broken Chrome profile or a blocked camera permission breaks your calls too. On Android and iPhone it is a native app that also carries the phone-number calling inherited from Duo.
How much of Google Meet works on the free tier?
A free Google account covers meetings for up to 100 people, screen presenting, live captions, and noise reduction that mutes keyboards and street sound well. Group calls stop at 60 minutes, and Meet flashes a warning around the 55-minute mark, which buys the host a few minutes to wrap up, not an extension. Paid Workspace and Google One plans add recordings, transcripts, breakout rooms, and Gemini tools such as Take notes for me. On weak Wi-Fi, Meet lowers video quality rather than dropping the call.
Google Meet versus Zoom and Microsoft Teams
Zoom is easier for guests with no Google account, but its free plan cuts group meetings at 40 minutes and leans on a desktop client. Microsoft Teams fits groups that live in Word and Outlook, with meetings inside ongoing team chats. Meet is the lightest of the three video conferencing options. Pick it if your work runs through Google, and Teams if it runs through Microsoft 365.
Meet suits Google-based teams more than Microsoft shops
If your email and calendar already run through Google, this is the easiest video tool to adopt, and the no-install joining alone justifies it. Free hosts of hour-plus group calls should plan around the cap or budget for a paid plan. For everyone else, Google Meet is worth the download.
