Compare the features of Zoom (umn.zoom.us) and Google Hangouts Meet (meet.google.com) to help you decide which tool is best for your needs. Google Hangouts Meet is the simplest tool and interface for online meetings, but Zoom offers many additional features.
Note: Health Care Component (HCC) members must take a training about HCC requirements and wait up to one business day for access to their HCC Zoom accounts.
Compare features and capabilities in Zoom and Google Meet
When to use
Zoom
- Professional meetings and interviews that you want recorded
- Hosting webinars
- Large meetings
Google Hangouts Meet
- Smaller, informal meetings
- One-on-one meetings or interviews
Recording capability
Zoom
- Yes, though some restrictions may apply for those who work with HIPAA data
Google Hangouts Meet
- Yes (until further notice as a result of COVID-19 considerations. This capability may change in the future.)
Screen sharing
Zoom
- Simultaneous screen sharing (the meeting host can allow multiple people to share the screen at the same time).
- Annotation of screen sharing
Google Hangouts Meet
- Only one person may share their screen at a time.
Accessibility
Zoom
- Automatic live transcription is available.
Google Hangouts Meet
Maximum number of participants
Zoom
- Up to 300 people in meetings.
- Up to 1000 people in webinars.
Google Hangouts Meet
- Up to 100 people.
Who can host?
Zoom
- All faculty, staff, and students can host meetings.
- Only faculty and staff can host webinars.
- Note: These same hosting capabilities apply to Health Care Component (HCC) members.
Google Hangouts Meet
- Faculty, staff, and students who are not in the Health Care Component (HCC) can host a Google Meet.
- HCC members who need to host in Google Meet can request a BAA-Exception.
- See Google Apps for Health Care Component (HCC) Accounts
- Note: Google Hangouts Meet and Chat has been made available to HCC members for the duration of alternative instruction related to COVID-19 without the need to request a BAA-Exception. Academic Support Resources offers advice on how to comply with FERPA when you teach with technology tools such as Google Hangouts Meet.
Who can attend?
Zoom
- Anyone can attend meetings and webinars, including individuals outside of the University.
Google Hangouts Meet
- Anyone can attend meetings and webinars, including individuals outside of the University. However, users in China may have difficulty joining.
Data Considerations
Data usage for each of these applications varies widely based on factors such as how many people are attending the meeting and meeting settings used. For a benchmark on measuring how your device will perform with each of these applications, see the following resources:
Additional Features
Zoom
- Initiate virtual breakout sessions:
- Meeting participants can be placed in breakout rooms to hold small-group discussions.
- See Zoom: Manage Breakout Rooms.
- Set up a meeting poll:
- See responses to questions you pose in real time.
- See Zoom: Polling for Meetings
- Chat with all meeting participants, chat with a certain role (i.e. panelists) or to specific individuals
- See In-Meeting Chat
- Share a whiteboard for group annotation
- Allow Q&A in webinar
- Setup a webinar with registration (optional)
- Spotlight a speaker
- Set a primary active speaker for all participants
- See Spotlight Video
- Pin a speaker
- Set your view to a specific speaker. This does not affect other participants.
- See Pin Video
Google Hangouts Meet
- In meeting chat with all meeting participants
- Spotlight a speaker
- Set a primary active speaker for all participants
- Pin a speaker
- Set your view to a specific speaker. This does not affect other participants.