The Google Meet app and Google Duo app might have started as two separate apps, but they’ve now merged into one unified platform: Google Meet. This change brings together the casual video-calling features of Duo with the more professional meeting tools of Meet, giving you everything you need in one place.
We’ll dive into how this merger makes things easier, what problems it solves—like switching between different apps—and why it’s worth your attention. Keep reading to learn how this new Google Meet can simplify your video calls, whether you're catching up with friends in family mode or hosting a work meeting.
Is Google Meet The Same As Google Duo App?
No, Duo and Meet are not the same anymore, but they are now merged into one app, a single platform called "Google Meet." This merger happened in June 2022.
Before the merge, they had distinct purposes:
- Google Duo app: Focused on casual, one-on-one video calling for personal use.
- Google Meet app: Offered a more high-quality video conferencing experience for meetings, presentations, and webinars.
Now, with the merged Meet, you get access to all the functionalities from both under one roof. You can make quick video calls or schedule full-fledged meetings with features like screen sharing and live video feed with captions.
What Is The Difference Between Google Duo And Google Meet In Comparison
Before they were merged into one app, Google Duo and Google Meet had pretty different roles, designs, and features, much like Google Hangouts. Here’s a simple breakdown:
User Interface and Features
Google Duo
- What it was for: Casual video calls with friends and family.
- What it looked like: Clean and super easy to use, perfect for quick connections.
- What it offered:
- Video messages so you could leave a quick update if someone wasn’t around.
- The “Knock Knock” feature showed a video preview before the other person picked up.
- A data-saving mode for smoother calls when your internet isn’t great.
- The ability to call phone numbers directly from your contacts.
Google Meet
- What it was for: Professional meetings, webinars, and team calls.
- What it looked like: More advanced, with features tailored for work.
- What it offered:
- Tools like screen sharing, live captions, virtual backgrounds, and noise cancellation for a polished experience.
- The ability to schedule meetings and share links for group calls.
- Collaboration tools like chat and document sharing during calls.
What They Could Do
Google Duo
- Perfect for small group chats or one-on-one calls.
- Super simple, so anyone could use it, no matter how tech-savvy.
- Integrated with your phone’s contacts, making it easy to call people you know.
- Optimized for low-data situations with a handy data-saving mode.
Google Meet
- Great for scheduled, professional meetings with links you could share ahead of time.
- Advanced tools like screen sharing and live captions made it ideal for work and team collaboration.
- Handled bigger groups, perfect for webinars and presentations.
How They Worked with Other Services
Google Duo
- Integrated seamlessly with your Google Contacts, so finding people was easy.
- Didn’t really play well with third-party apps or services—pretty basic in that sense.
Google Meet
- Worked directly with Google Calendar, so you could set up meetings and create links right from your calendar.
- Fully connected to Google Workspace tools like Gmail, Drive, and Docs, making collaboration during meetings super smooth..
Security
Google Duo
- Used end-to-end encryption, so calls were completely private—only you and the person on the other end could access the video and audio.
Google Meet
- Used cloud encryption, which kept data secure while it traveled to and from Google’s servers. However, Google controlled the encryption keys.
Pricing and plans
There's no longer a separate pricing structure for Duo since it merged with Google Meet in June 2022. Here's how Meet pricing works:
- Free: Anyone with a Google account can use Google Meet for free. This includes features like one-on-one calls, group calls with up to 100 participants, basic screen sharing, video messages, and live captions for smooth and engaging meetings.
- Google Workspace plans: For businesses and organizations that need more advanced features, Google Meet is included in various Google Workspace plans. These plans offer additional functionalities like:
- Increased meeting participant limits (up to 250 or more)
- Meeting recording and transcripts
- Noise cancellation
- Meeting attendance tracking on any smart devices
- Secure meetings with attendance controls
- Integration with other Workspace tools like Calendar and Drive
Google also now offers additional features like Google Assistant, Google pay and Google wallet.
Which Was Better: Google Duo Or Google Meet?
When comparing Google Duo and Google Meet, the answer depends on what you were looking for—quick, casual calls or more structured, professional meetings. Let’s break it down based on their strengths before the merge and how things stack up now with the unified Google Meet.
Meeting Features
Winner: Google Meet (then and now)
If your focus was on running productive meetings, Google Meet was the clear winner. It was built specifically for professional collaboration, and it showed.
Some of its standout features include:
- Easy scheduling: You could schedule meetings in advance and share links, making it simple for everyone to join.
- Large participant capacity: Meet handled 100+ participants easily, with even higher limits for Google Workspace users.
- Advanced tools for meetings: Features like screen sharing, live captions, highest video quality, noise cancellation, and virtual backgrounds made it ideal for presentations and team discussions.
- Collaboration-friendly: You could chat during meetings, share documents, and seamlessly integrate with other Google tools like Calendar and Drive.
On the other hand, Google Duo wasn’t built for meetings at all. It was more about quick, personal video calls and lacked the tools needed for professional or group collaboration, much like other Google Workspace apps at the time.
Calling Features
Winner: It depends on what you’re looking for.
For casual, personal calls: Google Duo (before the merge)
If you wanted a simple way to send messages and connect with friends and family, Duo was perfect. It offered features like:
- Phone number integration: You could call anyone in your contacts, even if they didn’t have the app installed.
- Fun and friendly options: Duo lets you preview calls with its “Knock Knock” feature and even watch YouTube videos together during calls.
- Data-saving mode: This made it great for people on limited data plans or slower connections, ensuring smooth video quality.
For secure one-on-one calls: Google Meet (after the merge)
Now that the platforms are combined, Google Meet has adopted Duo’s end-to-end encryption for one-on-one calls. This makes it a strong option for private, secure conversations. While it might not make meet calls feel as casual as Duo once did, it brings more professional features to the table for those who need them.
The verdict
- If you needed a tool for structured, feature-packed meetings, Google Meet was always the better choice.
- If you wanted something fun, simple, and great for personal use, Google Duo was unbeatable.
Now that both platforms have merged into a single app—Google Meet—you get the best of both worlds. Whether it’s a quick video call with a friend or a full-scale meeting with your team, the new Meet can handle it all.
Conclusion
Deciding between Google Duo and Google Meet used to depend on whether you need a simple app for personal calls or a robust platform for professional meetings. Now that the two have merged into the new Google Meet, you get the best of both worlds—versatility for everything from quick chats to full-scale team meetings.
If you want to take your Google Meet experience even further, Bluedot is the perfect tool to help you get the most out of your meetings. Recording meetings is especially important when someone is sharing their screen, as it ensures you don’t miss any crucial details. Bluedot doesn’t stop at just recording—it also provides transcription, sends automatic summary emails, and even offers customizable meeting templates to keep you organized.
On top of that, Bluedot securely saves all your Google Meet recordings, so you can access them whenever you need to. Plus, with the newly added AI chat feature, you can easily pull insights, generate summaries, or follow up on key points from your meetings. Whether you're running a team meeting, hosting a webinar, or collaborating on a project, Bluedot is your go-to tool for keeping everything on track.
FAQ
Is Meet similar to Duo?
Not entirely. Duo features was used for casual video calls and meaningful and fun interactions, while the Google Meet app was a separate app designed for video calling in professional settings. Now, the merged Google Meet offers features from both, allowing you to make quick calls or schedule formal meetings, even on your Chromebook.
Why did Google merge Duo and Meet?
Google aimed to simplify the user experience. Having two separate apps for video quality could be confusing. Now, you have one platform for all your video communication needs.
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