Google Meet vs Skype: What are the differences?

Introduction

Google Meet and Skype are popular video conferencing platforms that allow users to communicate with each other through audio and video calls. However, there are several key differences between the two platforms that set them apart from each other.

1. User Interface: Google Meet has a clean and simple user interface, with a focus on video conferencing features. On the other hand, Skype offers a more comprehensive user interface with additional features like messaging, file sharing, and screen sharing.

2. Meeting Capacity: Google Meet allows up to 100 participants in a single meeting, making it suitable for large group conferences. Skype, on the other hand, allows a maximum of 50 participants in a single call or a maximum of 100 participants in a Skype Meet Now meeting.

3. Accessibility: Google Meet is accessible through web browsers and mobile apps, making it easier to join meetings from different devices without the need for any installation. In contrast, Skype requires users to download and install the application on their devices before they can use it.

4. Meeting Recording: Google Meet offers its users the option to record meetings and save them on Google Drive. This feature is especially useful for those who want to review important discussions or share the recordings with others. Skype, on the other hand, does not natively support meeting recording, although there are third-party applications available for this purpose.

5. Integration with Other Tools: Google Meet integrates seamlessly with other Google Workspace applications, such as Google Calendar and Gmail, allowing users to schedule meetings and join them directly from their email or calendar. Skype also integrates with Microsoft Office applications, but the level of integration is not as extensive as Google Meet.

6. Video Quality and Bandwidth Usage: Google Meet adjusts the video quality based on the available bandwidth, ensuring a smooth video conferencing experience even with low internet speeds. Skype also adjusts the video quality, but it may require more bandwidth compared to Google Meet.

In summary, Google Meet and Skype differ in terms of user interface, meeting capacity, accessibility, meeting recording capability, integration with other tools, and video quality and bandwidth usage.