Both Zoom and Google Meet offer free tiers built around the same core limit — group video calls that cut off after a set time — but the two companies drew that line in different places, and gated different features behind it.
The group call time limit
This is the headline difference. Google Meet’s free plan allows group calls (3+ participants) up to 60 minutes before cutting off, while Zoom’s free plan caps group calls at 40 minutes. Both support up to 100 participants per call on the free tier. One-on-one calls are unrestricted on Google Meet (up to 24 hours); Zoom’s 1:1 limit is more generous than its group limit but still time-boxed.
What each free tier actually includes
Zoom’s free plan includes local recording (saved to your own device, not the cloud), a whiteboard tool, and basic polling — features most video tools reserve for paid tiers. Google Meet’s free tier has no recording at all, and breakout rooms and polls require upgrading to a paid Google Workspace plan. If in-call tools matter more to you than call length, that tilts toward Zoom’s free plan despite its shorter time limit.
Which should you pick?
- Choose Google Meet Free if your meetings regularly run close to an hour and you don’t need recording, polls, or breakout rooms.
- Choose Zoom Free if you want local recording, a whiteboard, or basic polls, and can work within 40-minute group calls (or split longer meetings into two sessions).
Both companies adjust free-tier limits periodically — confirm current call-length and feature caps on Zoom’s and Google’s own pricing pages before standardizing your team on one.
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