No matter your business size or industry, video conferencing software is necessary to enable meetings while participants are not in the same geographic location. With features like screen sharing, in-meeting chat, and recording, video conferencing software is crucial for meetings between internal and external teams.

This article compares two popular video conferencing platforms, Skype and Google Meet. We’ll compare the platforms’ features, usability, and pricing, and include our expert recommendations to help you pick the best software for your business.

Our recommendations are based upon extensive research, discussions with small businesses, and dozens of hours spent hand-testing the leading video conferencing software platforms. Learn more about our research process here.

Skype & Google Meet Comparison Summary

SoftwarePundit tested both Skype and Google Meet in-house. Skype received a rating of 87, while Google Meet received a rating of 89.

Here’s a breakdown of our review criteria and how Skype and Google Meet stacked up in each category.

Here are a few quick points to summarize who we recommend each tool for:

Table of Contents

• Skype & Google Meet Comparison Summary
• Who Should Purchase Skype?
• Who Should Purchase Google Meet?
• Skype & Google Meet Price Comparison
• Skype & Google Meet Feature Comparison
  • Top Features: Skype
  • Top Features: Google Meet
• Bottom Line

Who Should Purchase Skype?

Skype is a reliable option for those who need landline calling or international calling for a reasonable monthly price. There is also a valuable free plan that allows for four-hour video calls, which is a longer limit than most competitors offer.

Who Should Purchase Google Meet?

If you already use Gmail or Google Workspace, there’s no better choice for video conferencing than Google Meet. You can add video conferencing to your calendar meetings with the click of a button and it’s browser-based, which makes it easy for both internal and external users to join.

Skype & Google Meet Price Comparison

Skype has different pricing tiers between $2.99 and $7.99 per month for international and landline calling, while Google Meet is either free or priced per user per month.

Given the value of Google Meet and Google Workspace, we found that Google Meet provides more value for the price.

Skype Pricing Details

As mentioned, Skype’s video conferencing and chat features are free. Calling costs between $2.99 and $7.99 per month depending on the regions you’d like to call.

Google Meet Pricing Details

Google Meet is either free or costs $8 per user per month. The Business Plan, which has expanded participant limits and more advanced features, has custom pricing.

Skype & Google Meet Feature Comparison

Skype and Google Meet are the only two video conferencing software tools we tested that do not offer webinar functionality. For most businesses, this is likely not a problem. In terms of video conferencing, Google Meet is better, more modern, and more intuitive to use. Skype, on the other hand, is superior for voice calling.

Top Features: Skype

Skype’s best features are the easy setup, long-distance calling to landlines and various countries, and chat transcripts. We found Skype fairly easy to use, even though Google Meet tops Skype in that regard.

For a closer look at Skype’s features, benefits, and drawbacks, read the full Skype review.

Long-Distance Calling

Skype to Phone is one of the best international calling subscription services. For between $2.99 per month and $7.99 per month, you can call mobile phones and landlines in various countries. Google Meet does not necessarily have these features, although users can dial into video meetings with their mobile phones.

Video Meetings

Skype’s video calls will look like the image below. For free, Skype allows for 4-hour calls and up to 100 participants. Google Meet also allows for 100 participants, but free meetings are capped at one hour for group video calls.

In a meeting, you can:

Top Features: Google Meet

Google Meet’s best features are the easy meeting creation and straightforward scheduling capabilities. There’s also live closed captioning in multiple languages. Scheduling meetings takes just a few clicks from each Gmail calendar meeting, and Google Meet fits with other Google Workspace products seamlessly.

For a more in-depth overview about Google Meet, read the full Google Meet review.

Meetings

During meetings, the view in Google Meet is much the same as it is in Microsoft Teams. Participants’ windows are displayed in the middle, and you can chat, view the participant list, or use a collaborative whiteboard application on the right.

Closed Captioning

During testing, we found that the Google Meet closed captioning feature, while not flawless, works fairly well and makes meetings more accessible.

Bottom Line

The bottom line is that we found Google Meet to be a more valuable platform for most freelancers and small businesses. The ease of use is unparalleled, the video quality is almost always reliable, and in-video chat is instantaneous. Screen sharing is always reliable as well.

Skype is a more outdated platform that still works well, but given the value that Google Meet and other platforms offer, it likely won’t be at the top of anyone’s list. Only if international and landline calling are your main objectives should Skype be the top choice for your business.

If you’re interested, visit Skype or Google Meet today to get started.