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reviewer2219163 - PeerSpot reviewer
User Happiness Manager at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
User-friendly and easy to navigate
Pros and Cons
  • "The initial setup is very easy."
  • "Google Meet should extend the time limit for a meeting from five minutes to at least thirty-five minutes."

What is most valuable?

Initially, Zoom had a time limit of 40 minutes, but now it's extended to 45 minutes. On the other hand, Google Meet allows meetings to last for an hour.

Moreover, I like the icons Google Meet has. Google Hangouts has sophisticated features and a data license. Google Meet downloads faster.  It does not take a lot of time.

What needs improvement?

Let me compare it with Zoom. Google Hangouts can't handle a large number of people. It has a limit of around 900 participants. Zoom also has limitations. So, there is room for improvement. 

Another area of improvement is icons.  I believe they could enhance the icon selection feature. It would be great to have more options for icons like Zoom does. It's not necessarily a critical improvement, but it would add a nice touch and provide users with more customization options.

Google Meet should extend the time limit for a meeting from five minutes to at least thirty-five minutes. I may be mistaken, but it seems like an appropriate duration for your average meeting. 

Additionally, when joining a call on Google Meet, it would be helpful to know how many participants are already in the call before joining. This feature is available in Zoom, and I find it quite useful. I prefer Zoom and appreciate the ability to immediately join a call without having to wait for an invitation. It's convenient to know how many participants are already on the call before joining.

For how long have I used the solution?


What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability of this solution an eight out of ten. 

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Google Hangouts
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Overall, I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten. Some issues with scalability. 

In my organization, we have around 800 users utilizing Google Meet, and it handles a large number of participants well.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very easy. Google Hangouts is very user-friendly. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Google Hangouts is not too expensive to maintain. Moreover, it doesn't consume much data and has affordable pricing.

Companies seem to prioritize cost-cutting and choosing a reliable solution. They want something that meets their needs without any surprises. 

What other advice do I have?

My advice to others considering using it would be to give Google Meet a try, especially if they are in need of a solution suitable for larger companies. The features are user-friendly, and navigating through the platform is easy.

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
RexSun - PeerSpot reviewer
PT at PNTL
Real User
Top 10
User-friendly with a good interface and decent pricing
Pros and Cons
  • "The initial setup is very easy."
  • "The solution could integrate more automation into the product."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for virtual meetings. 

What is most valuable?

It works well. It makes having meetings very easy.

The interface is fine.

It is user-friendly, and we have no issues navigating the product. You simply book a meeting, send an invitation, and go into the meeting. That's it. 

The initial setup is very easy.

The solution is stable.

Pricing is very reasonable, and there are multiple licensing tiers to choose from. 

What needs improvement?

The solution could integrate more automation into the product. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for five years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is very good. There are no bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze. It is reliable. OI'd rate the stability eight out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I've never tried to scale the solution. I cannot speak to the scalability process. 

20 to 30 people use the solution in our company.

We do not have plans to increase usage. 

How are customer service and support?

I have never used Google's technical support. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I did not use any other solution previously. 

How was the initial setup?

I found the initial setup to be very straightforward. It is not overly complex. It's very fast. It takes ten seconds to deploy it and get up and running. 

What about the implementation team?

I am able to handle the initial setup myself in-house. I do not need any consultants or outside assistance. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

There is licensing required. You can choose whichever plan makes sense for your company. The price is okay. It's not overly expensive. 

What other advice do I have?

I do not know which version of the solution we're using.

We're an SMB.

I'd recommend the solution to others. 

I would rate the solution eight out of ten. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
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Google Hangouts
February 2025
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Presales engineer at Goodus
Real User
Top 5
Easy to use and simple implementation
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of Google Hangouts is its popularity. A lot of people use Google. Since the solution is from Google and many of us use Google solutions regularly, it is easy to use."
  • "The stability of Google Hangouts has had some issues, such as video call delays. The stability could improve."

What is our primary use case?

We are using the solution for online meetings. It has become popular when people were working from home.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Google Hangouts is its popularity. A lot of people use Google. Since the solution is from Google and many of us use Google solutions regularly, it is easy to use.

What needs improvement?

The call reliability could improve in Google Hangouts.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using hangouts for a few years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of Google Hangouts has had some issues, such as video call delays. The stability could improve.

I rate the stability of Google Hangouts an eight out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have approximately 100 people using this solution in my organization.

How are customer service and support?

I have not contacted the vendor for support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have used Zoom in parallel with Google Hangouts. We use Google Hangouts mostly for internal meetings and Zoom for external meetings.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Google Hangouts is simple.

What about the implementation team?

I did the implementation of the solution myself.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have not found any profound differences between Google Hangouts to other similar solutions on the market.

What other advice do I have?

There is not any maintenance needed for this solution.

I rate Google Hangouts an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1909341 - PeerSpot reviewer
AVP, Automation Center of Excellence Head at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
It has multiple features, such as polling, whiteboarding, and captioning
Pros and Cons
  • "What I like best about Google Hangouts is its integration with other Google solutions, so scheduling is easy because you have the calendar. It also has a whiteboard feature. I also like its polling feature and that it even has a captioning feature."
  • "Google Hangouts has breakout rooms now, but not as extensive as Zoom, so that's one area for improvement. I mentioned that I like the Google Hangouts captioning feature, but that could be improved. For example, importing Filipino-English captions here in the Philippines would be great."

What is our primary use case?

We use Google Hangouts for meetings and alignment.

What is most valuable?

What I like best about Google Hangouts is its integration with other Google solutions, so scheduling is easy because you have the calendar. It also has a whiteboard feature. I also like its polling feature and that it even has a captioning feature.

What needs improvement?

Google Hangouts has breakout rooms now, but not as extensive as Zoom, so that's one area for improvement.

I mentioned that I like the Google Hangouts captioning feature, but that could be improved. For example, importing Filipino-English captions here in the Philippines would be great.

I want to add a Zoom feature in Google Hangouts, where multiple people can interact with what's shown on the screen and draw and put shapes, for example.

For how long have I used the solution?

I joined the company in 2020, and that's the time I started using Google Hangouts.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Google Hangouts is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

So far, I'm happy with Google Hangouts in terms of scalability, but that still depends on your license because that dictates the number of users you can have in a room.

How are customer service and support?

Google technical support is okay, but I used it for a different solution, Google AppSheet, and not for Google Hangouts. The team gave me a fast response for other solutions. However, for my Google AppSheet concern, it took a while to receive feedback from Google because the general support team needed to pass my question to a real expert.

How was the initial setup?

Google Hangouts is installed on the web browser, so setup or installation-wise, it's okay.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I believe my company has a yearly license for Google Hangouts, but I'm not sure because this is a corporate account, so I don't have the details.

What other advice do I have?

My company uses Google Workspace, which includes Google Hangouts.

In my company, more than five hundred people use Google Hangouts.

I'm happy to recommend the solution to others because it's web-based and extensive, with features for emailing, documentation, and conferencing.

My rating for Google Hangouts is nine out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Abiyekoko - PeerSpot reviewer
Independent Consultant - Digital Transformation at Jennifer Yalden
Real User
Top 5
Has a straightforward initial setup process, but they should increase the session time
Pros and Cons
  • "The initial setup process is straightforward."
  • "They should increase the platform's session time beyond an hour."

What is our primary use case?

We use the platform for scheduling meetings with clients.

What needs improvement?

They should increase the platform's session time beyond an hour.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Google Hangouts for five years. At present, we use the latest version.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup process is straightforward. We have deployed it on the cloud.

What about the implementation team?

I implemented the product myself.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend Google Hangouts and rate it a seven out of ten. I advise others to have a clear idea of their business use cases before they deploy the product.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Structural Engineering at Tahaluf
Real User
Top 20
An easy-to-install tool that is useful for setting up virtual meetings
Pros and Cons
  • "The installation part of the product is easy since one generally needs to use a browser to use the product."
  • "It would be better to have a feature for recording the meetings in Google Hangouts."

What is our primary use case?

I use the solution mainly to attend meetings through a video call, especially when I have to present something and talk about it to a prospective client. I also use the tool for internal communications within my company so that I can communicate with my designer or project manager.

What is most valuable?

The features of Google Hangouts I find most beneficial for enhancing virtual communication stem from the tool's ability to provide its users with functionalities that allow them to make use of the product's sharing features. The fact that Google Hangouts is integrated with Google Calendar helps me to set up meetings easily. Most of my contact lists are in my Gmail account, making it very easy for me to pull out the details of the contacts or the potential attendees that I expect and want to invite to a meeting.

What needs improvement?

It would be better to have a feature for recording the meetings in Google Hangouts. I don't know if there is a feature in the basic version of Google Hangouts that allows for the recording of meetings, but I know that it is possible in Zoom. I think the advanced version or the licensed version of Google Hangouts may allow for the recording of meetings, but I have not explored it. Having a recording feature for the basic version of the tool would be helpful, as it is the only shortcoming of the product.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Google Hangouts for around ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have not had any issues with the stability of the product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I have not had any issues with the scalability part of the product since I operate in a small team. In general, I don't know much about this scalability part of the product.

Only two people in my company use the product. There is an extended group of freelancers attached to my company who use Google Hangouts through their personal Gmail accounts.

How are customer service and support?

I haven't had any issues with the solution's technical support. I rate the technical support a nine out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I use Zoom to attend meetings. I use Zoom and Google Hangouts. Cisco Webex is a tool that I used to use fifteen years ago. I started to use Google Hangouts because of Google Workspace,which comes with functionalities that allow its users to send emails and share documents. Zoom is better than Google Hangouts when it comes to the video conference part.

How was the initial setup?

The installation part of the product is easy since one generally needs to use a browser to use the product. I can use the product on my phone by just installing the application, which is a pretty easy process with which I haven't had any issues.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I don't need to buy Google Hangouts separately because it comes free with Google Workspace, and it is also available for my personal Gmail ID.

What other advice do I have?

I integrate Google Hangouts into my workflow for external client meetings or presentations by using my official email ID in Google Workspace, through which I can send meeting links and make use of the calendar invite feature to ensure that the details of the meeting are automatically integrated with Google Hangouts. I just create a meeting link through the calendar invite, and then I use it.

Speaking about whether Google Hangouts integration with other Google services has added any value to my user experience, I would say that value addition doesn't come from Google Hangouts alone. When I want to share some documents or spreadsheets, it is easy to invite those who have a Gmail account with Google Hangouts.

I haven't experienced any significant issues with connectivity or quality during the calls on Google Hangouts.

I rate the overall tool an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Marcelo_Marciano - PeerSpot reviewer
Account Executive - Special Accounts at Iron Mountain Incorporated
MSP
An excellent user-friendly tool that helps us with our commercial and sales meetings
Pros and Cons
  • "It is easy to use, and we don't need to make a lot of configurations."
  • "The solution can be improved by integrating other tools."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case for the solution is having internal meetings for ongoing projects. We also use it for our commercial and sales meetings with our customers.

What is most valuable?

It is easy to use and we don't need to make a lot of configurations. Additionally, It's a very user-friendly tool.

What needs improvement?

The solution can be improved by integrating other tools such as Microsoft Teams to make calls with different servers because many of our customers wouldn't have to change their tools to attend meetings. Additionally, the next release could include viewing the main screen and zooming in and out during a presentation on the desktop version.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the solution for approximately three years and are currently using the most recent version.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. Approximately 1,200 people in different roles are using the solution at Iron Mountain Brazil.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward, and I rate it a ten out of ten. As a user, it took no time because when I logged in as a user, the workspace was already pre-configured, and I didn't do anything to start using the solution. However, I cannot comment on how long it may have taken from an IT perspective.

What other advice do I have?

I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1294218 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Cloud Architect and Team Lead at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Stable solution that enables communication between peers and has a good history feature, but it's not as feature-rich as the competition
Pros and Cons
  • "Stable communication tool with a good history feature and very easy installation."
  • "Google Hangouts is not as feature-rich as Slack. Adding more features to this solution would make it better."

What is our primary use case?

Google Hangouts enables communication between peers.

What is most valuable?

I like that Google Hangouts has better history features now.

What needs improvement?

Google Hangouts is not as feature-rich as Slack, but it's sufficient.

I'd like to see more features in this tool in the next release. What they need to do is add more features.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using Google Hangouts for a few years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Google Hangouts is a stable product. I haven't seen any problems with its stability, so for me, it's stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's hard for me to say if Google Hangouts is scalable, but if we're talking about scalability in terms of users, it allows many, many users.

How was the initial setup?

Installing Google Hangouts was very easy. It comes with the package, e.g. this product comes out-of-the-box to a large extent.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I was able to evaluate Slack and Flowdock.

What other advice do I have?

I have some experience with Zoom, but not so much. We mainly use Google Hangouts, Google Meet, and Slack.

We have several thousand users of Google Hangouts in the company, and we'll probably increase usage for it.

I've never contacted technical support for this product, e.g. currently we have no issues with it.

I'm not recommending Google Hangouts to others. I'm recommending Slack instead.

I'm unsure, but we're probably paying yearly for Google Hangouts.

I'm rating Google Hangouts a seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Google
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
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