Review of Google Hangouts
We primarily use Google Hangouts for internal meetings. We use gmail as our email service, so google hangouts integrates easily into our …
Overview
What is Google Hangouts (Classic)?
The classic version of Google Hangouts is a communication platform that includes messaging, voice, VoIP, and video call capabilities. It was part of Google’s G Suite offering and integrated with applications such as Gmail and Google+. Users of the classic…
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Popular Features
- Video conferencing (79)9.393%
- Audio conferencing (79)9.393%
- Mobile app for iOS (73)8.686%
- Mobile app for Android (71)8.181%
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What is Google Hangouts (Classic)?
The classic version of Google Hangouts is a communication platform that includes messaging, voice, VoIP, and video call capabilities. It was part of Google’s G Suite offering and integrated with applications such as Gmail and Google+. Users of the classic version of Hangouts will be migrated to the…
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- No setup fee
For the latest information on pricing, visithttps://workspace.google.com/pricing.ht…
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- Free Trial
- Free/Freemium Version
- Premium Consulting/Integration Services
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Alternatives Pricing
What is Google Meet?
Google Meet, formerly Hangouts Meet, replaces the former Google Hangouts as the company's G Suite integrated web conferencing tool, allowing users to join meetings directly from a Calendar event or email invite from a computer, phone, or conference room. G Suite's Enterprise edition also creates a…
What is Zoom?
Zoom helps consolidate communications and collaboration in the boardroom, classroom, operating room, and everywhere. Zoom is an intelligent collaboration platform that makes connecting easier, more immersive, and more dynamic. Zoom technology facilitates collaboration through solutions like Zoom…
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What is Google Hangouts (Classic)?
Google Hangouts is a communication platform that includes messaging, voice, VoIP, and video call capabilities. This platform is part of Google’s G Suite offering and integrates with applications such as Gmail and Google+. Pricing for G Suite plans range from $5-$25 per user per month.
Callers can use Hangouts to:
- Start a chat conversation or video call.
- Make phone calls using Wi-Fi or data.
- Send text messages with a Google Voice or Google Fi phone number.
Hangouts sync automatically across devices. Hangouts started on a computer, can continue with chat on another device, like a phone.
- In March 2017, Google announced plans to evolve classic Hangouts to focus on two experiences designed to help bring teams together: Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet. Both Chat and Meet are available for G Suite customers and will be made available for consumer users as well. Google is planning to transition users from classic Hangouts to Chat and Meet after June 2020.
- Classic Hangouts is not available in China.
Google Hangouts (Classic) Video
What is Google Hangouts?
Google Hangouts (Classic) Technical Details
| Operating Systems | Unspecified |
|---|---|
| Mobile Application | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
The classic version of Google Hangouts is a communication platform that includes messaging, voice, VoIP, and video call capabilities. It was part of Google’s G Suite offering and integrated with applications such as Gmail and Google+. Users of the classic version of Hangouts will be migrated to the new Hangouts Chat collaboration tool, and Google continues to support conferencing via the new Hangouts Meet.
Reviewers rate Video conferencing and Audio conferencing and Instant messaging highest, with a score of 9.3.
The most common users of Google Hangouts (Classic) are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
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June 27, 2023
Review of Google Hangouts
We primarily use Google Hangouts for internal meetings. We use gmail as our email service, so google hangouts integrates easily into our calendar and other workflows. It is quick and easy to jump on a hangout. Also great for small to mid-size team meetings where you might need multiple people to be able to share their screens at various times throughout the meeting.
- Product integration into workflows
- easy of use
- Tools (screen-share, breakout groups, whiteboard)
- Can be a little glitchy
- Ability to share asset (presentations) without sharing your whole screen
- better/more filter options
November 25, 2021
Google Hangouts is reliable and easy to use, but will be phased out soon in favor of newer Google product
We use Google Hangouts as an informal, rapid communications channel. Because most of our software is in the Microsoft ecosystem, Google Hangouts allows us to minimize the number of Microsoft Teams windows, which can become cluttered during meetings with multiple, parallel conversations. Google Hangouts also helps to avoid accidental communications to Microsoft Teams presentation attendees.
- Fast
- Reliable
- Easy to turn history on/off
- Larger default chat window.
- Compatibility issues with Google Meets.
April 26, 2021
Google Hangouts - Good connectivity, audio/visual quality, and best of all ease of use within Gmail Calendar
Google Hangouts (Classic) is used by my entire organization. When people want to quickly connect with or without a webcam, we set up meetings within Gmail's scheduler with the link to the hangout.
- Google Hangouts (Classic) is embedded within Gmail's scheduler, so setting up the link is as quick as a click of the button. It's a one-step process.
- Google Hangouts (Classic) is user-friendly and [has] features to share screens easily.
- Google Hangouts (Classic) is much easier to use than its competitors.
- Google Hangouts (Classic) have [a] good connection time and there are few glitches.
- The quality of the visuals is not always great. Seems like what is displayed is always dark.
- We typically use Google Hangouts (Classic) with only a small group. For some reason, it's not the preferred choice for a long list of attendees.
- I am not aware of background feature[s] within Google Hangouts (Classic)(for example, overlay of pictures or backdrop of a city, etc.)
April 22, 2021
A great tool for instant messaging, not much more.
[Google Hangouts (Classic)] is used as the main form of communication between coworkers. It reduced the use of emails for short and quick communication between 2 people or small groups.
- Ease of use
- Ability to create groups
- File sharing systems
- Ability to use apps and web based
- It could use more integration with calendar
- Better notification setting for web based solution
- Should allow to have the ability to withdraw messages
April 13, 2021
A good addition if you're already in the Google system, but far superior platforms exist for businesses.
We used hangouts across the small organization as a means of contact. It was a natural move as we also used Gmail for all our email services. Hangouts were primarily used for the chat function only, video calls, etc. we would leverage different programs. Before Covid-19, we'd use the chat function to communicate privately or ask specific questions without scheduling a meeting. We'd also have a lot of client calls where we could communicate in the background regarding the next steps and additional questions we should ask.
- Integration with Gmail for a full experience, everything is in 1 place!
- Ability to send/share images and files quickly via hangouts.
- Chat function and group chats.
- Emojis are difficult to use and not the best vs. iPhone.
- Slow video features, less attractive than other video platforms.
- The phone app is difficult to use, very easy to accidentally make a video call, and hard to back out of it. App can be very sluggish.
April 13, 2021
Pretty good deal
It is used for staff meetings company-wide. It is also used for meetings with clients and saves time as you can instantly chat with them and get to the point. The messages can be shared with others which helps with transparency. The ability to share an employee-client conversation with other employees helps with messaging.
- Use for impromptu meetings.
- Use as an open virtual lounge to drop_in on meetings.
- It’s user friendly.
- Accessibility.
- More capabilities for webinar meetings.
- Sleeker look.
Google Hangouts (Classic) has been deployed across the entire organization. It is a convenient way for staff to have virtual meetings and integrates well with our other Google Workspace/G Suite products. It is a convenient way to have informal meetings either scheduled or on the spot. The ability to launch directly from Gmail is also convenient.
- Videoconference
- Google Workspace/GSuite Integration
- Screensharing
- Webinar features
- Recording available at all levels (not just higher tier)
- Improve video sharing experience
April 07, 2021
A tool of the past
We used to use [Google Hangouts (Classic)] to communicate across our team. It served its purpose well, although it is outdone by several other chat clients at this point in time. It is very responsive but lacks extra features that other clients provide.
- Shrug emoticon
- Notifications
- Sharing images and starting meets
- Gif integration
- Searching
April 07, 2021
Google Hangouts- Simple Solution for Quick Communication
We are using it across the organization for different types of communication- internal, external, chat, video conferencing and for screen share. This software helps us connect easily with each other from anywhere and also allows us to connect to individuals outside in an easy manner. We’ve used this for employees or students that are unable to attend in person.
- Simple screen share
- Minimal setup
- OS agnostic including mobile
- Works well with low speed connections
- Screen share on mobile
- Better chat extension on Chrome
- Better invite options
April 02, 2021
Google Hangouts delivers easy of use
I love Google Hangouts [(Classic)] for the ease of use for meetings and to talk to individuals in various ways. Google is so dominant and so many have access to it. It's the easiest way to hop on a meeting to chat via video or audio.
- Video chat
- Easy to connect
- Easy to set up and use
- There's audio/video problems once in a while
November 03, 2020
Free Video Conferencing Tool
We use it internally and externally for virtual business meetings. It helps everyone connect online when we can not meet in person.
- Easy to set up
- Allows screen share
- Free
- Allow recording
- Access is not tied to email
- In some settings, it allows for more participants
May 26, 2020
The Connector - Google Hangouts
I have been using Google Hangouts for a long time now, I find it very reliable because first of all it is easy to use, and while emailing you can sidewise have chat with your colleagues, friends, etc. Other then this you can send files, documents, images, and videos as well. You can do screen sharing and video calling with the clients, colleagues, friends, and family members.
- Screen sharing.
- Video conferencing.
- Chatting.
- Emojis.
- Sending documents.
- They should allow you to connect more than 100 people at a time.
- A news feed should be there.
December 30, 2019
Google Hangouts Review
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Our whole organization is using Google Hangouts for organization-wide communication between employees. It helps us to show demos from offshore locations to customers by sharing the screen. This is a good and much-needed product.
- Google Hangouts extension is available. It provides a separate window to see the messages.
- Video quality is great.
- Video/voice call recording feature.
November 18, 2019
Hangouts is just that... a hangout
We use Google Hangouts for communications outside of our internal network. It solves the problem of communicating with people outside our network without having to leave our desktop.
- the interface is user friendly
- the use case is to the point
- it is easy to add and remove contacts
- file sharing isn't the greatest
- history deletion
- connecting different accounts to the interface
October 21, 2019
Great Free Video Conference Tool
Google Hangouts can be utilized to have others join by video. It oversees other programs by being able to have a lot of multiple users on the same hangout. Other programs only allow a few. It is great that Google Hangouts is free and useful in that manner. It is easy to use for Google users.
- Easy to use with a Google Account.
- Multiple users can join via email.
- Sending out invitations to email and having the user reminded of the upcoming hangout.
- Sometimes a little too basic for sharing screens.
September 26, 2019
Good program, but features are duplicated by other apps now
We use it for inter office communication and out of office. Easier for people to reply from the computer or setup a quick screen sharing or web conference.
- Chatting
- Copy and paste of documents or images
- Easy to video conference platform
- Lack of integration into business services
- Mobile app doesn't always give same experience
- Would like to keep as a tab in chrome vs pop out
September 25, 2019
Google Hangout Has Potential But Still Needs Improvement
We have been trying to use Google Hangouts to conduct help sessions with people that we can not meet with in person. We would like to add it to our customer service options so our customers can have their questions answered with a visual or demonstration. This will enhance the personal touch and outreach to our customers.
- We can open up Google Hangouts and have a face to face meeting.
- It's fairly easy to use once you've done it a couple of times. You do have some back and forth with each user/session until it gets set up and going.
- It sets up communication in real time, faster then chat. And you have the visual.
- The quality of the internet connection is very important. A bad connection is frustrating and a time waster. And there's no way to tell in advance how the connection will be until you start the hangout.
- More instructions on the home page or a section that opens up with answers to common problems would help.
- The camera that each side uses is also crucial. Any improvement in that or having a way to evaluate how the image will be or could be improved would be useful.
Google Hangouts is used as a communications platform across all departments of the organization. It allows users to chat with one another, make audio and video calls, and even host webinars. It is integrated with the organization's Google Suite account and all users within the company are given access to these features.
- Ease of use -- all features are user-friendly, even for non-technical employees
- Integration -- Hangouts integrates seamlessly with all other Google products
- Improvements -- as a Google product, the software is continuously updating and improving
- Video quality -- the video quality is not as high as some comparable products
- Support -- nearly all support is handled through documentation and forums
September 23, 2019
Good for small orgs
We utilize Google Hangouts for team meetings and 1:1 calls. Most of the organization uses it. It does connect our team quickly and, usually, easily.
- Click to join
- Video
- Chat
- Connection sometimes the connection is dropped.
- Sound quality and sound features.
- Single link meetings and meeting start and end times.
September 23, 2019
My review on Google Hangouts
This service by Google is used by the whole organization when other software fails to establish communication. We use it for text messages and video conferences. It keeps everyone connected on the go whether they are on office premises or traveling somewhere. Can be used either on desktop or on cellular phones.
- Video conferencing
- Audio conferencing
- Text messaging
- There is nothing that needs to be improved.
- I am pretty much happy with all the services.
September 21, 2019
Easy to use, easy to implement, and easy on the wallet.
Allows face to face conversation to help build a rapport with clients and colleagues.
- Multiple users at once
- Multi-platform support
- Low learning curve
- No desktop implementation
- Lack of analytics
- No low bandwidth setup
September 21, 2019
Great for business and personal use
Google Hangouts is perfect for communication platform which eases up internal meetups or meetings. Very convenient for small issue discussion. Overall the performance that this software has is satisfactory. The user interface is friendly without any complications.
- Web meetings.
- Conference record feature.
- Great screen sharing system.
- Set up is a bit confusing.
- Google App suite might be not so convenient to a non-tech person.
- Camera controlling has flaws.
September 21, 2019
Google Hangouts for video conferencing is a good choice
It is used throughout for quick video conferencing. Most employees have Google accounts and it's easy to start up and get people connected. Mostly used for working with people working remotely when an email isn't sufficient.
- Good quality in meetings
- Show camera view of all participants and you can easily identify who is speaking.
- Tracks history of calls which is nice for record-keeping.
- Screen sharing capabilities help getting your points across.
- UI to get a call going is a little confusing via the web browser.
- Not really the popular choice which is why we mostly use Zoom or go-to-meeting.
September 21, 2019
Basic instant messaging and video calling for free
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I'm using Google Hangouts daily to communicate with employees I hire. I've been using previous old Google "Talk" version as well. Very easy and intuitive. Most of the times or maybe even always, the person I hire has gmail account and can message with me immediately. This is a big deal that I don't need to require installing anything new. Time saving.
Chat archives can be easily searched, images can be sent as well, but the problem is that other files cannot be sent through it. The latter can create issues and can be irritating but you can always use the same e-mail account to send those other files.
Additionally I like that I can immediately share the screen or make a video call. No problems here. Also mobile app is very useful.
Chat archives can be easily searched, images can be sent as well, but the problem is that other files cannot be sent through it. The latter can create issues and can be irritating but you can always use the same e-mail account to send those other files.
Additionally I like that I can immediately share the screen or make a video call. No problems here. Also mobile app is very useful.
- Uses gmail account which most people have. No need to install anything new (unless you want a mobile app).
- Video conferencing with multiple people works well and allows screen sharing.
- Instant messaging is fast and reliable. Sound notifications are not irritating.
- For me missing file sending is a missing functionality that should be implemented. Only images can be sent.
- Sending images using the desktop gmail website interface could also be improved, takes too long to add the image.
- More privacy settings would be useful.
September 20, 2019
Hangouts is a nice IM\calling option for collaborating outside an organizational structure
Hangouts is used primarily to interact when collaborating on documents/files in Google Drive. Although Google Drive has built-in chat and commenting capabilities, it's nice to be able to have more of a record, and to communicate outside of the documents we're currently working in. This is especially nice since it's integrated with Google.
- Hangouts makes it easy to transition between chatting, calling, etc.
- Before the demise of Google+, it was beautifully integrated with that platform.
- Hangouts keeps a nice record of your chats that can be accessed easily from within Gmail or other Google platforms.
- Hangouts sometimes doesn't alert me to a new chat or invite, especially from people not already in my Google contacts.
- There's not much to complain about, it mostly just works the way it should!